Resources

For crisis situations:

If you, or someone you know, are experiencing emotional distress or a mental health crisis, please reach out to any of the following resources.

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

  • 1-800-273- TALK (8255)

• Crisis Text Line:

  • Text MN to 741741 or visit: https://www.crisistextline.org/

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

  • Call or Text 988

  • Chat at https://988lifeline.org

Suicide loss websites:

• Contact Dr. Deb Semmelroth at drdeb@selahgrief.net

  • Monthly online support group and in-person support group located in Duluth, MN

• Other online support groups

  • https://www.ericshouse.org/ (located in AZ, focus on drug overdose, suicide, and alcohol-related deaths)

• American Association of Suicidology

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention AFSP

  • State Fact Sheets

• Center for Disease Control - Facts About Suicide

• Suicide Prevention Resource Center

• Zero Suicide

  • They have a listserv - active nationally and they share information

• Defense Suicide Prevention Office

  • If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the Veteran/Military Crisis Line for immediate assistance. Dial 988 then press 1

• Military OneSource Survivor Benefits • Military OneSource

• The Jed Foundation (for college-age population)

• The Trevor Project (focus on LGBTQ youth)

  • Estimate of How Often LGBTQ Youth Attempt Suicide in the U.S.

• Suicide Awareness of Voices Education

• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (supports military families)

• Coalition of Clinician Survivors

  • Specifically for clinicians who have experienced the suicide loss of a client or family member (support groups available as well)

• Minnesota Suicide Prevention State Plan - MN Dept. of Health 2023-2027 (postvention is part of this plan as well)

Other websites:

• GRASP - Grief Recovery after a Substance Passing

• Brighter Days Family Grief Center (located in Eden Prairie, MN)

  • Free services, including legal consultation and support groups

• Pet Loss Grief Support Community Resources at Rainbow Bridge

• Grief.com

  • David Kessler’s peer support training and online support groups

Suicide Loss Books:

• Finding your way after the suicide of someone you love. Biebnel, D. & Foster, S. (2005). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

• Standing in the shadow: Help and encouragement for suicide survivors. Cerza-Kolf, J. (2002). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

• Grief after suicide: Understanding the consequences and caring for the survivors. Jordan, J. (2014). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Grp. (research-based and academic)

• Bruised & wounded: Struggling to Understand Suicide. Rolheiser, R. (2018). (author is a priest)

• Understanding your suicide grief: Ten touchstones for finding hope and healing your heart. Wolfelt, A. (2009). Fort Collins, CO: Companion Press (added is a journal & support group facilitation guide)

• Lament for a Son. Wolterstorff, N. (1987) (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. Eerdman Publishing; ISBN 978-0802802941)

Non-suicide loss grief books:

• Saturday night widows: The adventures of six friends remaking their lives. Aikman, B. (2013). New York: Crown Pub.

  • A nice novel about six newly bereaved widows - addressing some tough issues through the beauty of a story and would be helpful for the right person

• It’s OK that you’re NOT OK: Meeting grief and loss in a culture that doesn’t understand. Devine, M. (2017). Boulder, CO: Sounds True.

• Motherless Daughter. Edelman, H. (2014).

• Yoga for grief and loss. Helbert, K. (2016). London: UK

• Unattended sorrow: Recovering from loss and reviving the heart. Levine, S. (2019). Rhinebeck, NY: Monkfish Book Pub.

  • Beautifully written

• Attachment-informed grief therapy: The clinician's guide to foundations and applications. Kosminsky, P. & Joran, J. (2016) New York, NY: Routledge.

  • Academic

• From grief to healing: A holistic guide to rebuilding mind, body, & spirit after loss. Mackenzie, A. (2022). Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Pub.

• Merin and her very bright star: A story of resiliency. Mier, L. (2021) Independently published/New Beginnings.

  • A beautiful book for children’s grief - nice read to children

• Techniques of grief therapy: Assessment and intervention. Neimeyer, R. (Ed). (2016). New York, NY: Routledge

  • Excellent academic text

• Mindfulness & grief: With guided meditations to calm your mind and restore your spirit. Stang, H. (2018). New York, NY: CICO Books

  • Has some nice guided meditations

• Finding meaning: The sixth stage of grief. Kessler, D. (2019). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

  • Also has a Facebook page titled Grief: Releasing pain, remembering love, and finding meaning.

• Lament for a son. Wolterstorff, N. (1987) Eerdmans Publishing.

  • Beautifully written - I received this book and savored it

Neuroscience of Grief Books:

• The grieving brain: The surprising science of how we learn from love and loss. O’Connor, M.F. (2022). New York, NY: Harper-Collins Pub.

  • Excellent author - has many podcasts

Child loss:

• MISS Foundation (Dr. Cacciatore)

• The TEARS Foundation

  • Loss of baby

• The Compassionate Friends

  • For parents, siblings and grandparents

Children's Grief Websites:

• National Alliance for Children's Grief

• The Dougy Center

  • For children and families

Child loss books:

• Bearing the unbearable: Love, loss, and the heartbreaking path of grief. Cacciatore, J. (2017). Somerville, MA: Wisdom Pub.

  • My favorite

• Choosing to see. Chapman, B. (2010). Grand Rapids, MI: Revell Pub.

  • Christian focus

• What God is honored here? Gibney, S & Yang, KK., Ed. (2019) Mpls, MN: U of MN Press.

  • Beautiful writings on miscarriage and infant loss by and for Native women and women of color

Sibling Loss:

• Rock on: Mining for joy in the deep river of sibling grief. Casey, S. (2020).

Trauma:

• The heart of trauma: Healing the embodied brain in the context of relationships. Badenoch, B. (2018). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.

• Trauma and the struggle to open up: From avoidance to recovery and growth. Muller, R. (2018). New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.

  • For clinicians - well done and keeps one’s interest from front to back

• The post-traumatic growth guidebook. Schwartz, A. (2020). Eau Claire, WI: PESI Pub.

  • One of my favorite people - she also has a blog that is excellent

Podcasts:

• Grief Refuge

• Dougy Center podcast: Grief Out Loud Podcast

• Facing Our Grief - All There Is with Anderson Cooper

  • Beautiful podcast episode

• All There Is with Anderson Cooper Podcast Series

• From Grief to Growth

• Untethered: Healing the Pain from a Sudden Death

  • A promising set of guests being interviewed

Movies:

• The Rabbit Hole (2010). Starring Nicole Kidman - on child loss

• 64 Movies About Grief and Loss

  • Offers a collection of old and new suggested by their audience

Grief Education:

• Center for Loss and Life Transition (Dr. Wolfelt)

  • Classes held in CO & AZ

• Center for Prolonged Grief Disorder

  • Section for professionals as well as clients

• Hospice Foundation of America

  • Cost to join is $50/year. excellent webinars (CEUs) and information

• Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC)

  • May receive CEUs & certification

• Portland Institute for Loss and Transition

  • Excellent researched based education. May receive CEUs as well as certifications

• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (military)

• What's your grief (resource by professionals)

• The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Implement the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention

• Video: Loss, Grief, and the Quest for Meaning | TAPS Institute

• Becoming Grief-Informed: A Call to Action

  • Excellent paper authored by Schuuram & Mitchell (2020)

COVID-19 Loss:

• The pandemic grief project

  • Helping health professionals & scholars identify people suffering from COVID-19 grief. Includes an assessment scale as well.

Misc.:

Interesting analogy of looking at what we hope for and what may happen in grief if we seek