Sadly, families, and friends and our community at large continue to mourn the loss of people whom they love, lived with, worked with or have been part of their lives in some form or shape.
The reaction to hearing about this loss and coping with the shock, sadness and grief following any death varies greatly from person to person.
The initial feeling of shock and overwhelming grief or sadness is a natural human response to loss, and everyone’s experience of it is different .
Some people navigate their way through grief and loss without needing professional support, whilst others might benefit from learning more about what is happening for them and might need some help along the way. This could be seeking counselling, seeking additional resources of just speaking to a helpline when they need it. The bottom line is, although we might all feel sad, we all process death, loss, and grief differently.
Many people don’t know how to respond to grief, whether it is their own or others.
These are some resources available that can be helpful in many ways. These include information:
That might be helpful to those supporting loved ones.
Understanding our own reactions
Doing things that might be helpful.
Seeking and finding support if needed.
Griefline
Call 1300 845 745 - griefline.org.au
Griefline offers a multitude of specific resources about tips and tools to manage your grief as well as free phone support, 7 days per week via phone. For 18 years an older
If you are a resident of NSW, you are able to access free counselling sessions through the Integrating Grief Program.
No medical referral is necessary and sessions are scheduled with a qualified counsellor who has undertaken specialised training in grief and bereavement. The service is available via telephone or online video conferencing between 9am and 5pm weekdays.
I you need assistance please contact the program intake counsellor by calling (02) 8043 4965 or email intake@griefline.org.au
fact sheets and resources
National Association of Grief and Loss (NALAG) NSW provides a free grief support service across NSW, delivered by their team of trained volunteers and staff.
Their website (nalag.org.au) has extensive resources on a range of topics, including this factsheet on sudden and unexpected death:
Lifeline Loss and Grief General Resource (lifeline.org.au)
Supporting a young person: headspace.org.au/explore-topics/supporting-a-young-person/grief-and-loss/
You can also visit our helplines page for a list of 24/7 helplines and counselling - denimentalhealth.org.au/helplines
