Grief Resources

Grief is a deeply personal and often overwhelming experience that can affect every part of our lives—emotionally, physically, cognitively, and socially. Whether the loss is recent or long past, it’s common to feel isolated, disoriented, or unsure how to move forward. This collection of resources—books, websites, and talks—has been carefully curated to provide comfort, insight, and practical support. It includes perspectives from leading grief experts, therapists, neuroscientists, and individuals who have walked the path of loss themselves. These tools are intended to meet you where you are, offering gentle guidance through the unpredictable landscape of mourning and healing.

📚 Books on Grief

1. The Grieving Brain – Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor
   A neuroscience-based look at how our brains cope with loss.

2. The Grieving Body – Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor
   Explores the physiological experience of grief.

3. Grief Is Love – Marisa Renee Lee
   A compassionate guide to living with grief instead of "getting over" it.

4. It’s OK That You’re Not OK – Megan Devine
   Validates the grief experience and challenges toxic positivity around loss.

5. Can Anyone Tell Me – Meghan Riordan Jarvis
   Essential Questions about grief and loss.

6. The After Grief – Hope Edelman
   Explores how grief evolves long after the initial loss.

7. The Anatomy of Grief – Dorothy P. Holinger
   Investigates how grief manifests in the brain, heart, and body.

🌐 Websites and Online Resources

1. David Kessler – Free Grief Resources
   Offers articles, videos, and tools from one of the most prominent grief educators.

2. Refuge in Grief – Megan Devine
   Practical tools and compassionate support for people in grief.

3. Speaking Grief
   Public media initiative offering resources, stories, and a grief community.

4. Meghan Riordan Jarvis – Website Resources
   Book links, podcast, and links to grief-support organizations.

5. What's Your Grief
   Offers articles, online courses, and a podcast focused on grief education.

6. Modern Loss
   Real-world, candid content about navigating grief and resilience.

7. Center for Loss & Life Transition – Dr. Alan Wolfelt
   Offers books and training in grief support, especially for professionals.

🎥 TED Talks and YouTube Videos

1. How Grief Helped Me Become a Better Caregiver – Hui-wen Sato

   A Personal story about grief transforming her caregiving approach.

2. Scared to Death and Showing Up Anyway: The Heroism of Being There with Grief and Grievers – Katy Friedman Miller
   A powerful talk about showing up in the face of discomfort.

3. Grief is a Series of Responses – Joe Primo
   Explores grief as a nonlinear process, not a checklist of stages.

4. We Don’t “Move On” from Grief – We Move Forward With It – Nora McInerny
   A heartfelt TEDx talk that normalizes ongoing grief.

5. What Makes Grief So Different from Other Emotions – Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor
   Explains how grief uniquely affects the brain and our sense of self.

Grief has no fixed timeline, and healing doesn't mean forgetting—it's about learning to carry your loss in a way that honors your love and your life. The resources in this guide are not meant to “fix” grief but to help you understand it, process it, and feel less alone in it. Whether you are supporting someone who is grieving or are grieving yourself, these books, websites, and talks offer varied entry points into that journey. If you're struggling or feeling stuck, don't hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional, grief counselor, or support group. You don’t have to go through this alone—help is here, and healing is possible.