Grief Support
Explore our articles about grief support
What To Do With an Urn After Scattering Ashes
What do you do with a beautiful cremation urn after a funeral is over and the ashes are scattered? There are many ways to reuse it or repurpose it. Here are a few ideas.
Understanding the 7 Stages of Death Grief | Healing After Loss
In order to navigate the Death Grief process, it's crucial to have an understanding of the 7 stages and the healing that can come after such a loss.
Finding Light After Loss: The Grief Recovery Method Explored
There's a quiet pain many of us carry, tucked away behind forced smiles and "I'm fine" reassurances - it's the pain of loss. No one quite knew what to say or do, so I just carried on as best I could.
The Power of Ritual When Grieving
Cultural Mythologist, End of Life Doula, and Life Cycle Celebrant Megan Sheldon teaches us how to create rituals while processing grief.
Can AI Help Us Get More Comfortable With Death and Grief?
Eirene's AI-powered writing assistants can help you write an obituary for a loved one who has died or condolences for a friend or colleague.
Guide to Funeral Flower Arrangements
Learn about flower arrangements for a funeral. We explain symbolism, colour, etiquette, and selecting the right blooms.
Condolences to Use When Someone's Father or Mother Dies
Learn what to say when a friend, coworker, or relative has lost their father or mother. In this guide, there are examples of condolences you can give to help you provide comfort and support after the death of a person's parent.
Navigating Widowhood with Jody LaVoie
In this blog, we speak to Life Coach Jody LaVoie about navigating grief and widowhood, after losing a spouse.
What to Say in a Funeral Thank You Note
Learn how to compose a thank you letter to send to people who supported you when and after a loved one died, including funeral attendees. Examples are provided.
Funeral Etiquette: An Attendee's Guide to End-of-Life Events
This funeral etiquette guide will help you understand what behavior and conduct are acceptable and expected of attendees at end of life events.
7 Modern Grief Resources to Help You Cope With Loss
10 modern resources to help you through grief and managing the feelings that accompany loss.
What to Say When Someone Dies: Words to Say to a Grieving Person at Funeral
Learn what to say when someone dies so that it is comforting to the family or friends of the deceased person. Tips also include what not to say and what to say at a funeral to to someone who is grieving.
Recognizing the Signs and Stages of Dying with Linda Hochstetler
To obtain a better understanding of the signs and stages of dying, we interviewed Linda Hochstetler author of 21 Days to Die: The Canadian Guide to End-of-Life
Using Your Grief to Define You? Here’s Why You Shouldn’t
After experiencing loss, it is easy to let your grief define you. Here are some reasons why you shouldn't
How Will Grief Play a Role in My Dating Life?
This blog discusses how to navigate dating and relationships with grief.
Navigating Anniversaries After a Loss
Learn about how loss impacts how we celebrate or don't celebrate anniversaries
Grief Support in Ontario, a Curated Resource List by Eirene.ca
Grief support in Ontario is widely available. This page contains an extensive list of resources available to Ontarians.
Giving Grief a Voice: How Journaling Helped Me Process Grief
How writing can help manage grief after experiencing a loss.
Types of Grief: The Many Variations of Emotional Response to Loss
Grief is a complex emotional response to loss. It can manifest in many different ways. Here's a breakdown of the different types of grief.
Three Ways Anxiety Can Strike After a Loss
Many people experience heightened anxiety after a loss. Here is our advice on how to help manage death-related anxiety.
Caregivers Need Care Too: How To Look After Yourself
In Canada there is a significant portion of the population who are caregivers, providing “roughly 75 percent of all patient care in Canada.
True or False: Navigating Spirituality and Religion in the Face of Death
When faced with death, whether it’s the loss of a loved one or coming to terms with your own mortality, odds are the topics of religion and spirituality will come into play – even for the non-religious.
The Cost of Being a Caregiver: Seen and Unseen Costs of Caring for Loved Ones
How caring for your loved ones can sometimes come with unforeseen emotional, mental, and financial costs.
What to Say to Someone Who’s Lost a Loved One
Knowing what to say to someone to comfort them after a loss can be challenging, that's why we asked what you should and shouldn't say.
When You’re Grief-Adjacent: How to Support A Friend Through the Death of a Loved One
While there are of course no “rules” and what works for one griver might not suit the next, there are a few considerations we’ve found to be particularly helpful and relevant when supporting a friend through the death of a loved one.
Resources and Tips on How To Talk To Kids About Death
Children will likely ask many questions and sometimes the same questions over and over again. It’s best to answer honestly, giving information in a way that is appropriate for the age of the child.
How to Deal with Grief at Work after a Loss
Returning to work after the loss of a loved one can be one of the most difficult parts of the grieving process.
The Weight of our Worth: Measuring the Merits of a Life after Loss
In this blog, we discuss how oftentimes we stigmatize death when it is caused by drugs or alcohol.
8 Questions Children May Ask About Death and Dying (And How to Answer)
Tips and tricks when answering the questions that may come up and we also wanted to provide you with an overview of some questions you may hear from a child.
‘I Still Feel Guilty’ - Here’s How (and Why) Grief Can Harbour Guilt
As it turns out, grief and guilt go hand-in-hand almost as much as grief and sadness.
How To Be With Our Own Grief
We want grief to follow a timeline, which is basically the opposite of what it actually does. The more we understand this and alter our beliefs and expectations about grief, the more we can move through our own unique healing process.
The Role that Counselling Plays in the Grief Journey
In this latest instalment, we speak with Claire Molloy and Philip Robbins of Therapy Alliance to discuss the role that counselling plays in the grief journey.
Grieving the Death of a Beloved Pet: Why We Should Take Pet Loss Seriously
The grief felt for a pet's death can be just as strong and painful as the grief felt for the death of a significant person in our lives.
How to Set Boundaries When You’re Grieving (for yourself and for your friends)
How to Set Boundaries When You’re Grieving (for yourself and for your friends)
The Impact of Practicing Dying Every Day: A Healthy Exercise
The truth is, there are so few things in life that are guaranteed as death. It is inevitable, and as much as we would like to ignore it, it won’t just disappear. That’s why practicing dying can help.
Overcoming Death Denial with Loved Ones: How To Talk About Death
We currently live in a society that denies death, meaning we do not like to think about, talk about or acknowledge death and dying in any significant way. How do you navigate this space with loved ones? Our blog can help you manage this.
What it’s Like to Lose a Parent in Your Early 20s
We are never really prepared for what life brings us, especially when it comes to death, but what if we simply had more conversations around the end of life?
Cleaning Out Your Emotional Attic Before You Die: Secrets and Reconciliations
Cleaning your emotional closet is the act of reconciling any loose ends that may be unravelled upon your death.
How Death & Dinner Go Together: Talking About Death Means Talking About Life
What is Death over Dinner and how can it help you come to terms with your end of life? Our blog shares how - and teaches you how you can host your own death over dinner event.
Let’s Talk About Death & Dying, Baby - What is the Positive Death Movement?
At the core of the positive death movement is the commitment to put the person back into the centre of the experience.
How Funerals and Grief are Changing During a Pandemic
As many are faced with what to do when we can’t gather, not only are mourners dealing with death, but also not being able to access what’s needed most: human touch, connection, and community support.
3 Ways to Deal with the Impending Loss of a Loved One
Death from something as profound and long-lasting as a terminal illness can be a slow process: something gradual, which in itself is harrowing. All we can do is prepare until the time comes and say goodbye for the final time.
How Art Therapy Helps Process Grief, Loss and Manage Symptoms
There are numerous forms of therapy to help you move forward from grief and loss, and art therapy is one of them.
How Teachers Can Talk to Children About Death and Grief
If you're a teacher, it's important to learn how to talk to your students about death and grief. This guide will help you understand the best ways to support grieving students and their families.
What is an Ethical Will and How Do I Write One?
An Ethical Will is a document that you write for your loved ones containing the wisdom you have gathered throughout your life for after you die. Here is everything you need to know about them.
Family Heirlooms: Let Them Go or Cherish as a Treasured Keepsake?
Here is a great guide to managing family heirlooms when a loved one passes away.
What is the Pan-Death Movement? The 7 Stages of a Pan-Death Process
Pan-death has been renamed DWENA which stands for Deathcare, Wholistic, Ecological and/or Natural Alternatives. Here's everything you need to know.
Heather Taylor's Journey to Bring Peace and Assistance to Those Grieving
In this latest edition, we chat with Nurse Entrepreneur, Heather Taylor, the CEO of After A Loss, an organization that provides practical grief assistance to individuals and their families. Join us as we chat with Heather about her work in the space.
Managing the Grief Process: A Deep Dive into Sudden Temporary Upsurge of Grief
Everyone’s grieving process is different, and truthfully, the concept of “closure” isn’t applicable at all when it comes to loss. Grief is a complex, ever-evolving emotion and while we may manage our emotions as time goes on, moments that bring on a STUG are absolutely normal.
How to Say Goodbye to a Senior Loved One and Prepare for Goodbye
End of life discussions are not easy. As challenging as it may be to have these conversations with your loved ones, no matter where they are in their life, it will be worth it to help them find peace at the end of their life, as well as help you manage the loss once they have passed.
The Unique Experience of Twins Dealing with Grief: Survivor's Guilt and Support Groups
In this edition of, Intimate Conversations on Death, we spend time chatting with Beverley Smyk of The Twinless Twins Support Group International, to learn about new perspectives and offer new ways of navigating and discussing death.
Why Linda Hochstetler Brought Death Cafes to Toronto
In this edition of, Intimate Conversations on Death, we spend time chatting with Linda Hochstetler, to learn about new perspectives and offer new ways of navigating and discussing death.
What is Grief? Demystifying Common Myths Associated with Coping with Loss
There is no “one size fits all” way to cope with loss. In this blog, we debunk some of the most common myths that are associated with grief. Read on to learn more about this complex experience.
Expressing Love and Comfort to a Dying Loved One: How to Have Meaningful Discussions
When discussing the end of life with your loved one, try and focus on their specific needs. Each person needs different considerations and will be comforted by different things. Here are tips on things you can say.
Debunking the Stages of Grief: Why the Five Stages of Grief Don't Exist
Grief is a complex creature and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all way to manage or get through it. Grief is a natural and universal process. Far from being negative, grieving is the way we heal. It takes time and effort. Learn more about grief here.
8 Ways to Process Grief During the Pandemic: A Helpful Guide to Taking Care of Yourself through COVID-19
For better or for worse, the last three months have put life in perspective, and we at Eirene are here to help you manage and prepare for the new, extra complexity that now comes from a world stricken by COVID-19.
What to Say to a Grieving Friend (when you don’t know what to say)
Here are some ways you can be supportive or present for those in your life who are in the midst of their grieving process or have just experienced a loss.