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Recommended Reading
Most of us are not prepared to plan and carry out a funeral ceremony for the death of someone we love. And so much of the information available on this critically important subject fails to focus on what is most important: having a personalized, meaningful funeral that helps families and friends begin mourning after the death of someone they love
In addition to the information contained on this website, a list of recommended readings is provided below to help you understand your choices and allow you to plan the most meaningful funeral for your loved one.
General Grief
I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping, and Healing After the Sudden Death of a Loved One
Written by: Brook Noel & Pamela Blair, Ph.D.
Remembering Well: Rituals for Celebrating Life and Mourning Death
Written by: Sarah York
Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss, and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief
Written by: Joanna Cacciatore
It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand
Written by: Megan Devine
Good Grief: A Companion for Every Loss
Written by: Granger E. Westberg
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Losing a Parent
The Orphaned Adult: Understanding And Coping With Grief And Change After The Death Of Our Parents
Written by: Alexander Levy
Healing After the Loss of Your Mother: A Grief & Comfort Manual
Written by: Elaine Mallon
Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss
Written by: Hope Edelman
The Fatherless Daughter Project: Understanding Our Losses and Reclaiming Our Lives
Written by: Denna Babul RN & Karin Luise
Loss of a Parent: Adult Grief When Parents Die (Healing from the Loss of a Parent)
Written by: Theresa Jackson
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Losing a Child
Beyond Tears: Living After Losing a Child
Written by: Ellen Mitchell
Shattered: Surviving the Loss of a Child (Good Grief Series)
Written by: Gary Roe
Gone but Not Lost: Grieving the Death of a Child
Written by: David W. Wiersbe
The Unspeakable Loss: How Do You Live After a Child Dies?
Written by: Ellen Mitchell
Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss
Written by: Rachel Lewis
The Miscarriage Map: What To Expect When You Are No Longer Expecting
Written by: Dr. Sunita Osborn
The Brink of Being: Talking About Miscarriage
Written by: Julia Bueno
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Losing a Significant Other
The Hot Young Widows Club: Lessons on Survival from the Front Lines of Grief
Written by: Nora McInerny
The Tender Scar: Life After the Death of a Spouse
Written by: Richard L. Mabry
I'm Grieving as Fast as I Can: How Young Widows and Widowers Can Cope and Heal
Written by: Linda Feinberg
Getting to the Other Side of Grief: Overcoming the Loss of a Spouse
Written by: Susan J. Zonnebelt-Smeenge & Robert C. De Vries
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Losing a Sibling
SURVIVING THE DEATH OF A SIBLING: Living Through Grief When an Adult Brother or Sister Dies
Written by: Nora McInerny
Empty Room: Understanding Sibling Loss
Written by: Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn
Sibling Grief: Healing After the Death of a Sister or Brother
Written by: P. Gill White
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For Grieving Kids
The Invisible String
Written by: Patrice Karst
I’ll Always Love You
Written by: Hans Wilhelm
The Memory Box
Written by: Joanna Rowland
Lost in the Clouds: A gentle story to help children understand death and grief
Written by: Christine Harder Tangvald
Someone I Love Died
Written by: Rachel Lewis
My Sibling Still: for those who've lost a sibling to miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death
Written by: Megan Lacourrege
Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children
Written by: Bryan Mellonie & Robert Ingpen
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Suicide Loss
Touched by Suicide: Hope and Healing After Loss
Written by: Michael F. Myers & Carla Fine
Aftermath: Picking Up the Pieces After a Suicide
Written by: Gary Roe
The Sudden Loss Survival Guide: Seven Essential Practices for Healing Grief (Bereavement, Suicide, Mourning)
Written by: Chelsea Hanson
Dying to Be Free: A Healing Guide for Families After a Suicide
Written by: Beverly Cobain & Jean Larch
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Recommended Links
Someone you loved has died. You are beginning a journey that is often frightening, painful, and sometimes lonely. No words, written or spoken, can take away the pain you now feel.
The following organizations are additional sources of information, education, and referral that may bring you some comfort and encouragement as you make a commitment to help yourself heal.
Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. -Warren Buffet
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National Self-Help Organizations and Support Groups
American Association of Suicidology
Information and resources; referrals to suicide survivor groups
Center for Loss and Life Transition
Resources, education and training, and referral for bereaved families; provides a certificate program in Death and Grief studies for bereavement professionals
The Compassionate Friends
Information and resources for bereaved families who have experienced the death of a child
The Dougy Center
Information, education, referral, and support for children and families; publishes a national directory of support programs for bereaved children
Share
Pregnancy and infant loss support
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
Education, resources, and advocacy for bereaved families
Parents of Murdered Children, Inc
Information, resources, and support for bereaved families
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
A resource of suicide bereavement support groups and community suicide prevention efforts.
After A Suicide Resource Directory: Coping with Grief, Trauma, and Distress
A comprehensive list of suicide grief sources.
Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing
Connecting those who have lost someone due to substance use and addiction.
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
Public education about suicide and guides for survivors navigating grief.
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Local to Michigan
Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids Grief Support
Support groups including cancer support, youth programs, and social activities.
Ele’s Place
A Grand Rapids program dedicated to helping children and teens cope with grief.
Widowed Person’s Service
A Grand Rapids peer support organization offering support groups, social events, and resources.
