How to support someone who's grieving

Sometimes, an added sadness to grief itself is that we may feel quite alone and isolated as a result of it. The people we expected to show up for us in our hour of need can sometimes seem to inexplicably distance themselves, causing us to worry that we are a burden.

The reality is that many people don’t know how to respond; they might assume we need space or feel terrified of saying the wrong thing. In addition, the culture we live in often avoids talking about death, and loss forces people to confront their fears.

If someone you know is grieving, show up for them. You don’t have to get it right all the time, you don’t have to know or understand exactly how they are feeling - in fact you can’t, because it’s an entirely unique and personal experience. Let them feel how they feel, make space for what comes up without judgement and without giving into the urge to offer solutions and platitudes. Anything you can do to make a grieving person feel less alone might be appreciated more than you can ever know.