Healing Poems for Grieving Parents of Suicide Loss
Summary
“Healing Poems for Grieving Parents of Suicide Loss” by Beth Brown explores the profound emotions of losing a child to suicide through heartfelt poetry. The poems capture feelings of longing, love, and helplessness, offering hope to grieving parents. The book also includes additional resources to support healing.
Key Takeaways
- Healing Poems for Grieving Parents of Suicide Loss explores the profound emotions of losing a child through heartfelt poetry.
- Beth Brown, the author, shares her personal journey of grief and healing through her poems.
- Each poem captures various feelings like longing, love, and helplessness, offering hope to grieving parents.
- The article includes additional resources to support healing, enhancing its value for readers.
- Overall, the poems provide a strong connection to the author’s deep sorrow while conveying messages of love and remembrance.
Introduction: Find Hope Here
Healing Poems for Grieving Parents of Suicide Loss evokes strong emotions and conveys the deep pain of losing a child through heartfelt poetry. Each poem captures the pain, love, and longing associated with child loss. The imagery and metaphors convey the depth of the author’s emotions, creating a powerful and moving experience for the reader.
Healing Poems for Grieving Parents of Suicide Loss provides a strong connection to the author’s personal grief, offering hope and healing through poetry. The inclusion of additional resources for help and healing supports the post’s theme and enhances its value for readers.
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Table of Contents
Healing Through Poetry: Grieving a Child’s Loss to Suicide
Healing Through Poetry: Grieving a Child’s Loss to Suicide explores the challenging journey of healing after the heartbreaking loss of a child to suicide. Heartfelt poems and evocative visuals create a soothing experience, inviting readers to connect with the deep emotions in each verse. This blend of poetry and photography from the author’s gardens fosters an emotional bond, offering comfort to those with similar experiences while encouraging them to acknowledge their pain, cherish memories, and seek healing amid despair.
He Left Too Soon
He left too soon—
Lifting life from June,
Casting torrents of rain
His absence—
Breath of pain whose exhale can only bring
Heart heaving, this beating of tears
Breaking loose—
All hell in earth's upturned rupture,
Death shoveling shadows over me
As I bend to lay flowers on his name—
Inscribed and bronzed,
A permanence come to stay
My love laced now with pain—
Standing over my son's grave,
Death's Derecho come to stay in my shadow.
Beth Brown, copyright 2021, "He Left Too Soon" Poem: A Mother's Deep Sorrow
Explore the compelling tale that inspired the poem, "He Left too Soon," here: Derecho: A Storm Out of Nowhere - Grief Poem "He Left Too Soon"
“He Left Too Soon”: A Mother’s Deep Sorrow
“He Left Too Soon” Poem: A Mother’s Deep Sorrow “He Left Too Soon” Poem: A Mother’s Deep Sorrow is a poignant poem that bravely addresses the profound sorrow and anguish that comes with losing a beloved child to suicide. The poem aims to express the deep and complex emotions of grief, loss, and yearning, capturing the overwhelming turmoil that families face during such an unimaginable tragedy. The inspiration for the poem, “He Left Too Soon,” delves into the profound depths of early, acute grief following the heartbreaking loss of my son to suicide. This piece encapsulates themes of grief, mourning, remembrance, and the enduring love that persists even in the face of overwhelming sorrow.
Derecho: A Storm Out of Nowhere–Grief Poem: “He Left Too Soon”
Derecho: A Storm Out of Nowhere–Grief Poem: “He Left Too Soon” skillfully intertwines the sorrow stemming from the loss of her son to suicide with the tumult wrought by a powerful Derecho storm that occurred on the day of his funeral. Included in her publication, Bury My Heart: 19 Poems for Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide, the poem that was inspired by the Derecho, “He Left Too Soon,” explores the profound grief and emotional turmoil she experienced. Through her eloquent writing, Brown aspires to offer solace to those enduring similar tragedies, thereby shedding light on the fragility of life and the enduring strength of love amidst sorrow.
“On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings”: Grieving a Child’s Suicide
“On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings” Poem: Grieving a Child’s Suicide explores the profound grief of losing a child to suicide. The author, Beth Brown, reflects on the painful memories of her son Dylan’s life, his love for music, and the helplessness she felt in his final days. The poem “On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings” juxtaposes the beauty of Dylan’s childhood memories with the devastating reality of his tragic end.
Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon (excerpt)
But oh my son, if I’d only known
I’d have reached right in to your dark night’s soul–
I would have held on,
I would have clutched you,
I would have never let you go
But you told me
“Mom I love you”
Oh my child, if I’d only known.
Beth Brown, excerpt from "Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon": A Poem About Losing a Child to Suicide
“Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon”: A Poem About Losing My Son to Suicide
“Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon”: A Poem About Losing My Son to Suicide captures the profound sorrow of losing a child to suicide. Through vivid imagery, it honors the enduring love between parent and child, providing solace and hope for reunion. The poem is a poignant tribute to Brown’s son, Dylan, where the author remembers her son’s growing-up years, both cherished memories and moments where “If I’d Only Known” echo in her refrain. A powerful poem for parents who have lost a child to suicide.
The Emotional Depth of “Beat Still My Heart”: A Powerful Elegy
The Emotional Depth of ‘Beat Still My Heart’: A Powerful Elegy explores the deep emotional journey of losing a child to suicide. This poignant reflection through poetry captures the sorrow and despair of such a loss, blending personal experiences with universal themes of love and remembrance.The author navigates grief with verses that resonate, inviting readers to confront raw emotions and unanswered questions. Vivid imagery of a shipwreck in a storm encapsulates the unbearable loss, making the elegy a powerful tribute to a tragic experience.
“Sorrow Buried in Love”: A Poem for Grieving Parents
“Sorrow Buried in Love”: A Poem for Grieving Parents explores the heart-wrenching journey of a parent grappling with the profound loss of a child to suicide. While friends and family often offer encouragement towards healing, those who have walked this painful path understand how overwhelming these expectations can be. Moving forward is not just about progressing in life; it also involves cherishing and carrying our child’s memory within us, honoring their presence in all we do.
“Bury My Heart”: A Grief Poem of Unimaginable Loss
Bury My Heart: A Grief Poem of Unimaginable Loss is a poignant poem that captures the deep sorrow of losing a child, an agonizing experience that many parents fear but few can truly comprehend until faced with such a heartbreaking reality. It weaves themes of grief, hope, and healing into a tapestry of emotions, allowing readers to navigate their own journeys of despair and recovery. The poem provides not only an outlet for those grappling with this unimaginable pain but also serves as a powerful reminder that they are not alone in their struggles.
“He Left Too Soon” Poem: A Mother’s Deep Sorrow
“He Left Too Soon” Poem: A Mother’s Deep Sorrow is a deeply moving poem that captures the profound feelings of early, acute grief that follow the unimaginable loss of a child to the heartbreaking tragedy of suicide. The evocative verses resonate with the themes of grief, mourning, and loss, portraying the complex emotions that envelop a mother’s heart in such a profoundly difficult time.
Haunted by Guilt in Grief Poem: “Still from Sky I’m Falling”
Haunted by Guilt in Grief Poem: “Still from Sky I’m Falling“ shares a profoundly personal journey through the heart-wrenching experience of grief and guilt following the tragic loss of a child to suicide, featuring the poignant poem “Still from Sky I’m Falling.” Interlacing the deep sorrow of loss with the haunting feelings of remorse, the author creates a poem deep with heartfelt reflections that offer a glimpse into the overwhelming emotional struggle and the fragile path towards healing that follow such an unimaginable tragedy.
“Shaped by Love and This Grief Come to Stay”: A Poem on Suicide Loss
“Shaped by Love and This Grief Come to Stay”: A Poem on Suicide Loss examines the profound connection between love and grief experienced after the heartbreaking loss of her son to suicide. The poem beautifully conveys the author’s steadfast commitment to honor her journey of grief, affirming her right to experience her emotions fully and illustrating the deep intertwining of love and sorrow. Through evocative imagery, “Shaped by Love and This Grief Come to Stay” poignantly expresses the complicated feelings that accompany such a significant and painful loss.
If only a mother’s love could have saved you,
Could have heard in the dark your heart’s cry,
She could have saved you yet both together,
Falling stars in a moonless sky.
Beth Brown, “If Only a Mother’s Love Could Have Saved You”: A Poem on Grieving a Child's Suicide, My Forever Son
“If Only a Mother’s Love Could Have Saved You”: Powerful Poem
If Only a Mother’s Love Could Have Saved You: Powerful Poem explores the deep emotional pain of losing a child to suicide. The author conveys their experience through poignant verses that depict the raw essence of grief, reflecting the complex emotions of sorrow and longing. The heartfelt language serves as a reminder of enduring love in the face of unimaginable loss.
When Love Isn’t Enough: “Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand”
When Love Isn’t Enough: “Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand” explores the complexities of suicide and includes a compassionate treatise written by the author, “Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand,” challenging the notion that it is a choice. The treatise, “Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand,” emphasizes the inevitability of death, regardless of the cause, and the limitations of love in preventing it. The author of the treatise “Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand” and this article, “When Love Isn’t Enough,” Beth Brown shares her personal journey of grief after losing her son to suicide, finding solace in writing and nature photography.
Resources and Support for Grieving Parents of Suicide Loss
Helpful Resources for Navigating Guilt and Self-Blame in Grief
These Helpful Resources for Navigating Guilt and Self-Blame in Grief offer invaluable support for parents grappling with the profound grief of losing a child to suicide. Rich in compassion and understanding, they provide personal narratives, expert insights on grief, and essential strategies for healing.
Navigating Grief After Losing a Child to Suicide: Essential Resources
Navigating Grief After Losing a Child to Suicide: Essential Resources provides a compassionate guide to support parents through the pain of losing a child to suicide. It explores the journey of grief, the importance of support networks, and self-care during this difficult time. The guide offers suggestions for honoring a child’s memory, creating a meaningful legacy to provide solace amidst heartache.
Coping with Guilt After Losing a Child to Suicide
Coping with Guilt After Losing a Child to Suicide is a heartfelt exploration of the overwhelming emotions that parents face after the tragic loss of a child to suicide. It delicately unravels the deep feelings of grief, guilt, and despair that can engulf those grappling with such an unimaginable sorrow. Through intimate personal stories and touching quotes, it provides a compassionate perspective that aims to comfort and support parents on their difficult healing journey.
Self-Blame and Guilt: I Couldn’t Save My Son
Self Blame and Guilt: I Couldn’t Save My Son is a deeply emotional narrative that explores feelings of self-blame and guilt after the loss of a son. This poignant story guides readers through the tumultuous emotions parents face, sharing the author’s deep sorrow and questioning what could have been done differently. It emphasizes the need for support and understanding during the arduous healing journey.
“That All of Love Could Sweep Time Back”: Poem on Guilt in Grief
“That All of Love Could Sweep Time Back”: Poem on Guilt in Grief is a powerful poem that reflects the overwhelming “could’ve, should’ve, would’ve” guilt parents experience after losing a child to suicide. The poetic language directly addresses the haunting “What If?” and “Why Didn’t I See?” questions that plague those left behind, emphasizing the helplessness and regret that linger after such a tragic loss. The poem serves as a conduit for healing and self-forgiveness, exploring the possibility of moving beyond guilt and embracing acceptance, allowing love to shine through even the darkest of times.
Haunted by Guilt in Grief Poem: “Still from Sky I’m Falling”
Haunted by Guilt in Grief Poem: “Still from Sky I’m Falling” is a poignant poem that captures the intense emotions of grief and guilt after losing a child to suicide. The verses convey heartbreak and the struggle to find solace, using nature as a symbol for the grief journey. Vivid imagery of hawks circling above parallels feelings of despair, evoking a sense of helplessness in processing pain. Every line resonates with the weight of memories and the ache of loss, inviting readers to reflect on their own experiences with grief.
Parents of Suicides: An Online Support Group for Parents Who Lose a Child to Suicide
Suicide is the anchor point on a continuum of suicidal thoughts & behaviors. This continuum is one that ranges from risk-taking behaviors at one end, extends through different degrees & types of suicidal thinking, & ends with suicide attempts and suicide.
Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison, National Library of Medicine
Parents of Suicides is a dedicated international online closed email group where parents who have lost a child to suicide come together to offer support, hope, and healing. Join a Community of Understanding. Parents of Suicides (PoS) provides a safe space for sharing experiences, coping mechanisms, and emotional support. You are not alone in this journey. Together, we can find strength and solace.
Professional Resources and Support
Parents of Suicides is a compassionate, international online community for parents who have tragically lost a child to suicide, providing a safe space for support, connection, and resources to aid in their healing journey.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a compassionate nonprofit organization devoted to saving lives and offering hope to individuals and families impacted by the profound pain of suicide.
Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors offers compassionate healing support for those navigating the profound shock, heart-wrenching grief, and intricate emotions that arise from losing a cherished loved one to suicide.
The American Association of Suicidology is a compassionate membership organization dedicated to deepening our understanding of suicide and working tirelessly to prevent it, fostering hope and healing for those affected.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Suicide Research Center is dedicated to conducting compassionate research focused on understanding and reducing suicidal behaviors, as well as providing valuable insights to prevent the profound pain of suicide.
Mayo Clinic offers compassionate insights into the profound sorrow of losing a loved one to suicide, helping us navigate the complex emotions that accompany such grief and providing guidance on finding solace and support during this incredibly challenging time.
The Compassionate Friends provide invaluable Grief Resources & Support Groups for Parents and Families navigating the profound heartache of losing a child, offering comfort and connection during an incredibly difficult time.
Parents of Suicides: An Online Support Group for Parents Who Lose a Child to Suicide
Suicide is the anchor point on a continuum of suicidal thoughts & behaviors. This continuum is one that ranges from risk-taking behaviors at one end, extends through different degrees & types of suicidal thinking, & ends with suicide attempts and suicide.
Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison, National Library of Medicine
Parents of Suicides is a dedicated international online closed email group where parents who have lost a child to suicide come together to offer support, hope, and healing. Join a Community of Understanding. Parents of Suicides (PoS) provides a safe space for sharing experiences, coping mechanisms, and emotional support. You are not alone in this journey. Together, we can find strength and solace.
What to Say to Parents Who Lose a Child to Suicide
What to Say to Parents Who Lose a Child to Suicide provides compassionate insights for supporting grieving parents during their unimaginable loss. The author’s personal stories create an emotional connection, highlighting the raw pain of such tragedy. By incorporating expert quotes and external resources, the article enhances credibility and emphasizes the need to break the stigma surrounding suicide, encouraging open discussions. Additionally, the practical suggestions for supporting grieving parents serve as a gentle guide through a difficult time.
Surviving the Suicide of Your Child: Support, Resources, Hope
Surviving the Suicide of Your Child: Support, Resources, Hope is about surviving the suicide of a child, offering a comprehensive resource for parents dealing with the deeply challenging experience. Personal stories, resource recommendations, and support options make it a valuable source of comfort and guidance for those in need. Author Beth Brown shares her personal journey and lists various support groups, resources, books, and poems related to grief after suicide loss. The content is well-organized, informative, and offers valuable resources for those going through a similar experience. It creates a sense of community and understanding for those dealing with such a tragic loss.
Healing Through Poetry: Grieving a Child’s Loss to Suicide
Healing Through Poetry: Grieving a Child’s Loss to Suicide navigates the difficult path of healing after losing a child to suicide. Heartfelt poems and evocative visuals create a soothing experience, inviting readers to connect with the raw emotions within each verse. This combination enhances emotional connection, providing solace to those who have faced similar struggles and offering a safe space for reflection. Through heartfelt words and imagery, the post encourages the grieving to acknowledge their pain, embrace memories, and seek healing and hope amidst despair.
Carrying Ache and Love: Healing Longterm Grief After Suicide Loss
Carrying Ache and Love: Healing Longterm Grief After Suicide Loss shares the author’s deep sorrow and ache from losing her son to suicide, gently exploring the complexities of grief and the lasting love she holds for him. She expresses the intense pain and hopelessness of early grief, highlighting the profound need for support and understanding during such a challenging time. In her search for solace, she discovered the healing power of support groups and research, finding a compassionate community of bereaved parents who helped her navigate the difficult journey of grief.
The Magnolia Tree: A Symbol of Grief and Resilience
The Magnolia Tree: A Symbol of Grief and Resilience explores the profound grief following the loss of a child to suicide, beautifully illustrated through the photography of a Magnolia tree that symbolizes the cyclical nature of grief. The author reflects on cherished memories—echoes of joy—while also acknowledging the deep pain of loss, represented as shadows that linger. The Magnolia tree’s resilience through changing seasons serves as a poignant metaphor for the author’s personal journey toward hope and understanding.
Healing Words: Download 3 Compassionate Poems for Grieving Parents
Healing Poems for Coping with the Loss of a Child to Suicide
If Only a Mother’s Love Could Have Saved You
If Only a Mother's Love Could Have Saved You
Bones bear girth where once,
Wisdom birthed you.
Love shaped curves
That held me (and you)—too.
If only a mother's love could have saved you,
Been there to catch your heart’s fall,
She could have stopped tears spilled by the heavens,
To where now and forever, you forever now reside.
Your descent of life hers, labored love borne,
On wings beating too wildly and too soon your own.
Your beat of heart hers now her own to live on,
Sick pulse of ache holding death in her arms.
Oh my heart and oh my son,
Without you life empties, yet love forever beats on.
And so now, my forever, “Why?” replete in my soul,
Which has always—and still, child—
Moved in grooves you made whole.
If only a mother’s love could have saved you,
Could have heard in the dark your heart’s cry,
She could have saved you yet both together,
Falling stars in a moonless sky.
© Beth Brown, 2022, If Only a Mother's Love Could Have Saved You
He Left Too Soon
He Left Too Soon
He left too soon—
Lifting life from June,
Casting torrents of rain.
His absence—
Breath of pain whose exhale can only bring
Heart heaving, this beating of tears.
Breaking loose—
All hell in earth's upturned rupture,
Death shoveling shadows over me.
As I bend to lay flowers on his name—
Inscribed and bronzed,
A permanence come to stay,
My love laced now with pain
Standing over my son's grave,
Death's Derecho forever laid in my shadow.
©Beth Brown, 2021, He Left Too Soon
All Rights Reserved
That All of Love Could Sweep Time Back
That All of Love Could Sweep Time Back
Should've, would've, could've,
If I'd only come to see,
That might I future forward live
To see all eternity.
That I might know when, and where somehow,
And here and now then see,
To erase the dark and stay the day
To bring back you to me.
If only and what if now child,
And why couldn't I just see,
To hold you close forever
Clutch you tight, just you and me.
That darkness might not permeate
My heart now and yours then,
That all of love could sweep time back
And bring back you again.
©Beth Brown, 2021
All Rights Reserved
Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon
Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon
Once upon a blue-sky moon,
We sailed our ships in your bedroom,
With stars for light, we fled the dark
But the lightening flashed,
And the blue sky arced.
You tucked away your childhood dreams
On wings that soared beyond infinity,
Your love in me and me in you,
But out of reach, beyond what I could do.
I launched your dreams,
You took great flight
On wings alone you soared too high,
But you found ways to onward flee
To galaxies beyond my means.
I watched you drift through hazy sky,
And chalked it up to a teenage angst,
But oh my son, if I’d only known
I’d have reached right in to your dark night’s soul--
I would have held on,
I would have clutched you,
I would have never let you go
But you told me
“Mom I love you”
Oh my child, if I’d only known.
So I kissed you and I held you,
And I said goodbye,
Not knowing, blue-star moon,
I would lose you that night.
You lived, you breathed, alive in pain
Through storm-dark nights and cloudy haze,
But I didn’t know what I couldn’t see,
The damage done beyond my means.
My sky is dark, my nights deep blue
My winter’s come, my star’s with you,
Without you here, I cannot fly
My wings you clipped
When you took your life.
And I live on and onward flee
Towards you my son and to infinity,
Where dreams come true and you live on,
And we fly again around planets and sun.
With stars that glow against the moon,
Your love in me and me in you.
I will hold you,
You will clutch me,
We will never let go,
And you’ll tell me,
“Mom, I love you”
And tears from earth will overflow,
And I’ll know then, blue sky-moon,
To never ever let you go.
© Beth Brown, 2021
All rights reserve, Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon
If Earth Were Sky (And Sky Above)
If Earth Were Sky (And Sky Above)
If earth were sky and sky above,
Then heart could hold this ache of love,
Suspended, like rain, in clouds wanting to fall,
But bound to sun’s joy because heart touches all.
I fall ‘ere so slowly most cannot yet tell,
My pain lives so deep and my heart goes through hell.
I crawl more than walk through days such as these,
Heavy with sorrow, wanting only ache relieved.
And yet truly what is can’t be undone,
I’ve lost my life in the loss of my son.
For seven years counting this marking of time
Having lost in him life, both his then and mine.
I stay hollow inside though try as I might,
Come to from the damage of my now soiled life.
I’d rather be still with my son by my side,
My heart filled with love and my joy still alive.
©Beth Brown, 2021, If Earth Were Sky (And Sky Above)
All Rights Reserved
My Child on Earth Above In Heaven’s Care-A Lullaby for My Son
My Child on Earth Above in Heaven's Care
As I tuck you in, I lay me down
As I hold you now, I lift my arms
As I fall asleep, I pray for you
My child, my love, my heart, I’m with you too
My child, my love, my heart, May God keep and love you
And you will be forevermore
Safe from this world and so adored
And God will be your comforter
And I will always thank God for rescuing you
And I will always praise God for loving you too
And so I live my life in memory
Surrendering to God, what now must be
But here on earth I know the angels sing
When I hear your voice I know God’s listening
And I will always be your mother here
And I will speak your name for all to hear
And God will be with you ’til I get there
My child on earth above in heaven’s care
My child on earth above in heaven’s care-
Beth Brown, "As I Tuck You In," My Forever Son
Poems and Stories of Love and Loss
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“Bury My Heart”: A Grief Poem of Unimaginable Loss
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Derecho: A Storm Out of Nowhere – Grief Poem “He Left Too Soon”
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“On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings”: A Poem on the Devastating Loss of a Child to Suicide Summary The poem “On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings” in the post, “On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings”: A Poem on Grieving a Child’s Suicide explores the profound grief of losing a child to suicide. The author, Beth…
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Tillers of the Earth and Tenders of the Soil: A Poem of Love and Loss
Tillers of the Earth and Tenders of the Soil: A Poem of Love and Loss Summary “Tillers of the Earth and Tenders of the Soil”: A Poem of Love and Loss is a heartfelt reflection on the themes of love and loss, born from the deep and painful grief of the author following the heartbreaking…
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A Grandmother’s Love Held Together the Family Table
A Grandmother’s Love Held Together the Family Table Summary “A Grandmother’s Love Held Together the Family Table” is a heartwarming story about a family’s enduring love, symbolized by a family table. The table, originally purchased by the grandmother, becomes a sacred space where the family gathers, sharing laughter, joy, and celebrations. The narrative explores the…
Read MoreA Poem of Love, Loss, and Hope: Tillers of the Earth and Tenders of the Soil
Tillers of the Earth and Tenders of the Soil We are the tillers of the earth and the tenders of the soil. These trees and plants and water garden were here before us, and they will be here after we go. We take care of them that they might take care of us and that love might be this caring for one another. We are the tillers of the earth and the wakers of the soil. How wonderful to see purple this late in the fall and orange on the kindling. Insects swarm madly. What are they doing? Where are they going? Where go all of us when stand we no longer (further) on grounds hallowed and loved? We are all tired of blooming, and so rest we now where hallowed love lies and dreams live on even past this point where we are one. We sit, we watch, we wait, for time has a way of catching us all a little off guard and unwilling to wield yield. Tired I rest, tired I fall, and so wonder when, then, I can no longer be this tiller of earth, tender of soil? When no longer I can mother these roots, bark, leaves, budding and blooming, where then must I go? Where must I be when all that mothers me isn’t any more green and growing? Where must we be when tender no more this sky-earth reach where love in-between sends nights' sky sleep songs to ease her sorrow? That always we could be crickets at dusk and water-lilies opening. That always we could be skimming iridescent hues past this pain of knowing that even seasons lose their way. That Sun-sky could hold ache of us now–tangled branches caught in January, berries spindled against stark limbs. © Beth Brown, 2021 All Rights Reserved
Professional Resources
Online Directory for Coping with Grief, Trauma, and Distress
After A Suicide Resource Directory: Coping with Grief, Trauma, and Distress
http://www.personalgriefcoach.net
This online directory links people who are grieving after a suicide death to resources and information.
Alliance of Hope for Suicide Survivors
http://www.allianceofhope.org
This organization for survivors of suicide loss provides information sheets, a blog, and a community forum through which survivors can share with each other.
Friends for Survival
http://www.friendsforsurvival.org
This organization is for suicide loss survivors and professionals who work with them. It produces a monthly newsletter and runs the Suicide Loss Helpline (1-800-646-7322). It also published Pathways to Purpose and Hope, a guide to building a community-based suicide survivor support program.
HEARTBEAT: Grief Support Following Suicide
http://heartbeatsurvivorsaftersuicide.org
This organization has chapters providing support groups for survivors of suicide loss in Colorado and some other states. Its website provides information sheets for survivors and a leader’s guide on how to start a new chapter of HEARTBEAT.
Resources and Support Groups
Parents of Suicides and Friends & Families of Suicides (POS-FFOS)
http://www.pos-ffos.com
This website provides a public message board called Suicide Grief Support Forum, a listserv for parents, a separate listserv for others, and an online chat room for survivors of suicide loss.
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
https://www.taps.org/suicide
This organization provides resources and programs for people grieving the loss of a loved one who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces or as a result of their service. It has special resources and programs for suicide loss survivors.
United Survivors
https://unitesurvivors.org/
This organization is a place where people who have experienced suicide loss, suicide attempts, and suicidal thoughts and feelings, and their friends and families, can connect to use their lived experience to advocate for policy, systems, and cultural change.
Professional Organizations
American Association of Suicidology
suicidology.org • (202) 237-2280
Promotes public awareness, education and training for professionals, and sponsors an annual Healing After Suicide conference for suicide loss survivors. In addition to the conference, they offer a coping with suicide grief handbook by Jeffrey Jackson. This booklet is also available in Spanish.
The Compassionate Friends
compassionatefriends.org • (877) 969-0010
Offers resources for families after the death of a child. They sponsor support groups, newsletters and online support groups throughout the country, as well as an annual national conference for bereaved families.
The Dougy Center
The National Center for Grieving Children & Families
dougy.org • (503) 775-5683
Publishes extensive resources for helping children and teens who are grieving a death including death by suicide. Resources include the “Children, Teens and Suicide Loss” booklet created in partnership with AFSP. This booklet is also available in Spanish.
Link’s National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention and Aftercare
thelink.org/nrc-for-suicide-prevention-aftercar • 404-256-2919
Dedicated to reaching out to those whose lives have been impacted by suicide and connecting them to available resources.
Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS)
taps.org/suicide • (800) 959-TAPS (8277)
Provides comfort, care and resources to all those grieving the death of a military loved one through a national peer support network and connection to grief resources, all at no cost to surviving families and loved ones.
LOSS
losscs.org
Offers support groups, remembrance events, companioning, suicide postvention and prevention education, and training to other communities interested in developing or enhancing their suicide postvention and prevention efforts.
Online resources
Alliance of Hope
allianceofhope.org
Provides a 24/7 online forum for suicide loss survivors.
Help Guide
helpguide.org
Provides resources and tips for how to navigate the loss of someone to suicide.
Parents of Suicides (POS) – Friends and Families of Suicides (FFOS)
pos-ffos.com
An internet community to connect parents, friends, and family that have lost someone to suicide.
SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
save.org/programs/suicide-loss-support • (952) 946-7998
Hosts resources for suicide loss survivor including a support group database, newsletter, survivor conference and the Named Memorial Program, which offers a special way to honor your loved one.
Siblings Survivors of Suicide Loss
siblingsurvivors.com
Provides resources and a platform to connect with others that have lost a sibling to suicide.
Finding professional care and support
Find a mental health provider
- afsp.org/FindAMentalHealthProfessional
- findtreatment.samhsa.gov
- mentalhealthamerica.net/finding-help
- inclusivetherapists.com
- afsp.org/suicide-bereavement-trained-clinicians
Find a provider for prolonged grief
Find additional resources for marginalized communities
Crisis Services
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
988lifeline.org
Call or text 988 (press 1 for Veterans, 2 for Spanish, 3 for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults) or chat 988lifeline.org
A 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service available to anyone in suicidal crisis. You will be routed to the closest possible crisis center in your area. With crisis centers across the country, their mission is to provide immediate assistance to anyone seeking mental health services. Call for yourself, or someone you care about. Your call is free and confidential.
Crisis Text Line
crisistextline.org
Text TALK to 741-741 for English
Text AYUDA to 741-741 for Spanish
Provides free, text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need, 24/7.
Support Groups
- Alliance for Hope for suicide loss survivors – https://forum.allianceofhope.org/forums/-/list
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – https://afsp.org/find-a-support-group
- American Society of Suicidology – https://suicidology.org/resources/suicide-loss-survivors/
- British Columbia Bereavement Helpline, Suicide Grief Support – https://bcbh.ca/grief-support/suicide-grief-support/
- Coalition of Clinician-Survivors – https://www.cliniciansurvivor.org/#
- Community Support After Suicide (Peachtree Comprehensive Health) – https://www.pchprofessionals.com/community-support-after-suicide
- Compassionate Friends Loss to Suicide group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/tcflosstosuicide
- Emotions Matter Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) Loss Group – https://emotionsmatterbpd.org/bpd-loss-group (note that not all losses are suicide, though many are. All losses have a connection to BPD.)
- Friends and Families of Suicide (FFOS) – https://www.pos-ffos.com/groups/ffos.htm
- Friends for Survival – https://friendsforsurvival.org/
- Heartbeat: Grief Support Following Suicide – https://www.heartbeatsurvivorsaftersuicide.org/services
- Helping Parents Heal: Special Interest Group -Moving Forward After Suicide – https://www.helpingparentsheal.org/affiliate-groups/special-interest-groups/ (note that Helping Parents Heal “goes a step beyond other groups by allowing the open discussion of spiritual experiences and afterlife evidence—in a non-dogmatic way. HPH affiliate groups welcome everyone regardless of religious or non-religious background and encourage open dialog.”)
- Long Island Survivors of Suicide – https://lisos.org/
- The Lounge – https://www.workingonmygrief.com/about-4
- Parents of Suicide (POS) – https://www.pos-ffos.com/groups/pos.htm
- Sail to Heal – https://www.sail2heal.org/
- Smile through the Storms – https://www.smilethroughthestorms.com/
- Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) – https://save.org/save-support-groups/
- Working on My Grief – https://www.workingonmygrief.com/
Books for Understanding Suicide And Mental Health
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness
Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., Alfred A. Knopf, 1995. In this memoir, an international authority on Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder describes her own struggle since adolescence with the disorder, and how it has shaped her life.
Darkness Visible
William Styron, Random House, 1990. A powerful and moving first-hand account of what depression feels like to the sufferer.
Devastating Losses: How Parents Cope with the Death of a Child to Suicide or Drugs
William Feigelman, Ph.D., John Jordan, Ph.D., John McIntosh, Ph.D., Beverly Feigelman, LCSW, Springer Publishing, 2012. This book provides useful avenues for future research on suicide loss and offers new insights into the grief process that follows the death of a child, both in the short term and years after a loss. Please note that, given its academic tone, the book is better suited to clinicians and educators than to recently bereaved lay readers.
Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide
Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., Alfred A. Knopf, 1999. Kay Redfield Jamison’s in-depth psychological and scientific exploration of suicide traces the network of reasons underlying suicide, including the factors that interact to cause suicide, and outlines the evolving treatments available through modern medicine.
The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression
Andrew Solomon, Scribner, 2001.Winner of the National Book Award, this book shares the author’s story of chronic depression, and places depression in a broader social context.
Why People Die by Suicide
Thomas Joiner, Ph.D., Harvard University Press, 2005.
Drawing on extensive clinical and epidemiological evidence, as well as personal experience, the author, who lost his father to suicide, identifies three factors that mark those most at risk of considering, attempting, or dying by suicide.
Recommended Reading
Book Recommendation: ‘A Handbook for Coping with Suicide Grief’ by Jeffrey Jackson, providing support for survivors of suicide loss, My Forever Son
Books
- Beal, Karyl Chastain (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018). Faces of Suicide, Volumes One to Five.
- Brown, Beth (2023) Bury My Heart: 19 Poems for Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide
- Cacciatore, Joanne (2017). Bearing the Unbearable. Wisdom Publications.
- Clark, Ann (2020). Gone to Suicide. A mom’s truth on heartbreak, transformation and prevention. Iuniverse.
- Collins, Eileen Vorbach (2023). Love in the Archives. a patchwork of true stories about suicide loss. Apprentice House Press.
- Cross, Tracey (2013). Suicide among gifted children and adolescents. Understanding the suicidal mind. Prufrock Press.
- Dougy Center, The (2001). After a Suicide: An Activity Book for Grieving Kids. Dougy Center.
- Estes, Clarissa Pinkola (1988). The Faithful Gardener. HarperCollinsSanFrancisco.
- Fine, Carla (1997). No Time to Say Goodbye. Surviving the suicide of a loved one. Broadway Books.
- Heilmann, Lena M.Q. (2019). Still with Us. Voices of Sibling Suicide Loss Survivors. BDI Publishers.
- Hickman, Martha Whitmore (1994). Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations For Working Through Grief. William Morrow Paperbacks
- Jamison, Kay Redfield (2000). Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide. Vintage.
- Johnson, Julie Tallard (1994). Hidden Victims, Hidden Healers. An eight-stage healing process for families and friends of the mentally ill. Pema Publications.
- Joiner, Thomas (2005). Why People Die by Suicide. Harvard University Press
- Joiner, Thomas (2010). Myths About Suicide. Harvard University Press.
- Kushner, Harold S. (2004). When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Anchor Books
- O’Connor, Mary-Francis (2022). The Grieving Brain. HarperOne.
- Rasmussen, Christina (2019). Second Firsts. Hay House Inc.
- Shapiro, Larry (2020). Brain Pain. Giving insight to children who have lost a family member or a loved one to suicide. Safe Haven Books.
- Wickersham, Julie (2009). The Suicide Index: Putting My Father’s Death in Order. Mariner Books.
Memorial Sites
- Faces of Suicide – memorial site for those who died by suicide – https://www.facesofsuicide.com/
- Suicide Memorial Wall – tribute site for those who died by suicide – https://www.suicidememorialwall.com/
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