Grief is a universal experience, yet it can feel deeply personal and isolating. National Grief and Bereavement Day is an opportunity to remind communities across Ontario that grief is a natural, human response to loss and that no one should have to navigate it alone.
Grief describes the internal experience of loss. It includes the emotions, thoughts and physical responses that follow the death of someone meaningful. Bereavement is a little different. It’s the period of adjustment after that loss. It’s important to remember that there is no “right” way to grieve and no timeline for how long it lasts. The process is lifelong, evolving as people move through milestones, anniversaries and daily life without their loved one.
While many people receive strong support in the first weeks and months following a death, that support often fades as time passes. But grief doesn’t follow a schedule. Reaching out later (say in the months, years and anniversaries that follow) matters just as much.
Below are practical ways to support someone who is grieving, adapted from What Can I Say or Do? (CMHA Bereavement Services). The full guide is available at: https://cmhabereavement.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/What-Can-I-Say-or-Do.pdf
