Grief & Bereavement Resources

Loss and grief have a large impact on people’s lives. We offer a variety of supportive and therapeutic services to help you cope and carry on with life.

• CentraCare Health Home Care & Hospice
• Coborn Cancer Center
• St. Cloud Hospital Behavioral Health Services
• St. Cloud Hospital Palliative Care
• St. Cloud Hospital Spiritual Care Services
  • End-of-Life Decisions (PDF)
• St. Cloud Hospital Stephen Ministry
• St. Cloud Hospital Women & Children’s Center
  • Perinatal Loss Bereavement Services: Ongoing support for families experiencing miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or newborn death.
  • Perinatal Loss Bereavement Support Group
  • Pediatric Bereavement Services: Assistance through communication, support and grief materials for the dying child and family experiencing this devastating event.

• 24-Hour-A-Day Crisis Line
  • Adult Mental Health 320-253-5555 or 800-635-8008
• Befrienders and Stephen Ministry Trained lay people from area churches enter into caring relationships with others at times of special needs. Ministry to the elderly, seriously ill, and to those who have experienced loss through death, unemployment or other crises. Contact your church for information about Befrienders or Stephen Ministry.
• Caritas Mental Health Clinic St. Cloud Catholic Charities Caritas Mental Health Clinic is an outpatient counseling and behavioral health facility that offers individual, couple and family grief counseling by licensed therapists at several locations in Central Minnesota 320-650-1660
• Project Rachel Project Rachel is the name of the Catholic Church's healing ministry to those who have been involved in abortion. Project Rachel operates as a network of healing composed of specially-trained caregivers to provide direct care to women, men and adolescents who have been touched by an abortion loss, enabling them to grieve, receive forgiveness, and find peace.
• The Compassionate Friends The mission of The Compassionate Friends is to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive.
• Whitney Senior Center Whitney Senior Center is a community-oriented organization providing a variety of social and educational opportunities for citizens, predominately age 55 and over, in the St. Cloud metropolitan area.

• Alliance of Hope for Suicide Survivors - It is the aim of Alliance of Hope to ensure that no survivor of suicide goes without the support they need. Since our founding, we have helped thousands of survivors from many cultures and faith traditions all over the world.
• American Cancer Society - Coping With the Loss of a Loved One - Articles on the grieving process, including the stages of grief, tips on how to take care of yourself, and suggestions for helping someone who is grieving. Also includes information on complicated grief. Includes resources for children who are grieving and for parents and families who have lost a child.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) - is the leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy, and to reaching out to people with mental disorders and those impacted by suicide.
• American Hospice Foundation - Provides helpful articles on working through grief, grief at work, and numerous resources for children who are grieving.
• Center for Loss - Articles for adults, teens, and children which provide insights into grief and the grieving process as well as tips and suggestions to cope with grief and loss.
• Children’s Grief Connection - Children's Grief Connection, formerly known as Camp Amanda - Minnesota, is a nonprofit organization providing grief programs for children and teens in partnership with funeral directors.
• Health Care Directives - Information - Information and online forms from the Minnesota Board on Aging –Information and suggestions for completing Health Care Directives. Links to printable versions of Health Care Directives.
• Honoring Choices - Honoring Choices Minnesota hopes to inspire and support many community-based conversations regarding end-of-life care planning. We urge Minnesotans seeking to start such conversations in their family, faith, cultural or community group to use this "toolkit" of video, text and web-links to support these conversations.
• Hospice Foundation of America - Provides numerous articles on the grief process as well as coping with grief and loss, including normal grief reactions, helping children heal after loss, and grief and the holidays. Also includes links to finding support groups and a monthly newsletter.
• Light the Legacy - Light The Legacy is a community-based organization dedicated to working collaboratively with the community to improve end-of-life care for the people of Central Minnesota.
• National Cancer Institute - Grief, Bereavement, and Coping with Loss - This site describes loss, grief, and bereavement; the stages of grief; and methods for coping with grief. Includes information on anticipatory and complicated grief. Also includes sections on children and grief.
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization - Links to answers to frequently asked questions related to grief, information on the types of grief, and practical tips for grieving during the holidays. The site also includes information on supporting a family member or friend who is grieving as well as support for grieving caregivers. There is also information on grief in the workplace and grief after trauma or disasters.
• Smile Again Ministries - Smile Again Ministries helps families deal with the grief of losing a child.
• Social Workers: Help Starts Here - In thousands of ways, social workers help people help themselves. People of every age, from every background, in every corner of the country – wherever we’re needed – starting here and now. Welcome to your source for professional advice, inspiring stories – even a social worker directory.
• Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) - SAVE is a website whose mission is to prevent suicide through public awareness and education, reduce stigma and serve as a resource to those touched by suicide.
• Survivors of Suicide - The purpose of the Survivors of Suicide web site is to help those who have lost a loved one to suicide resolve their grief and pain in their own personal way.

"After the Darkest Hour" by Kathleen Brehony
A book about how our suffering brings us to wisdom.

"Fall of Freddie the Leaf" by Leo Buscaglia
A story of life for all ages.

"Grandad’s Prayers of the Earth" by Douglas Wood (Candlewick Press, 1999)
This is a picture book that remembers the life of one boy’s Grandfather, his hero. Appropriate for all ages, 5 years+.

"Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations for Working Through Grief" by Martha Whitmore Hickman

"Healing Your Grieving Heart 100 Practical Ideas" by Alan Wolfelt
This book offers 100 practical here-and-now suggestions for helping yourself mourn so that you may live well and love well again.

"Hope for the Flowers" by Trina Paulus (Paulist Press, 1972)
This is a story for all ages and focuses on life and gives hope to all who may have lost a loved one.

"The Gift of a Memory" by Marianne Richmond (Waldman House Press, Inc., 2000)
This picture book focuses on the general loss of a special life. Appropriate for all ages 10 years+. The book includes beautiful artwork on each page, a legacy page, and a journal page, inviting friends and family to record memories.

"The Land Beyond Forever" by Tracy Flynn Bowe (Three Sisters Publishing House, Ltd., 2006)
The author notes, “[This book] is a story about family, hope, joy, and resurrection.” The story reminds the reader that we are never left alone on earth, because the spirits of our loved ones are forever with us. This book is appropriate for all ages looking to understand the serious illness or death of a loved one.

"The Next Place" by Warren Hanson (Waldman House Press, Inc., 1997)
This picture book is a celebration of life and the journey to everlasting life. The topic is general loss of a loved one. Appropriate for all ages, 8 years+.

"Fall of Freddie the Leaf" by Leo Buscaglia
A story of life for all ages.

"Grandad’s Prayers of the Earth" by Douglas Wood (Candlewick Press, 1999)
This is a picture book that remembers the life of one boy’s Grandfather, his hero. Appropriate for all ages, 5 years+.

"Hope for the Flowers" by Trina Paulus (Paulist Press, 1972)
This is a story for all ages and focuses on life and gives hope to all who may have lost a loved one.

"If Nathan Were Here" by Mary Bahr (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2000)
This picture book tells the story of a young boy who is grieving the loss of his best friend. This book is appropriate for all ages, specifically children who have lost a friend.

"Jungle Journey" by Barbara Betker McIntyre (Traverse Publishing Company, 2000)
This picture book tells an inspiring story of animals journeying through the jungle after the loss of their beloved friend. The book aims to continue the process of healthy childhood development after a loss. This book may be appropriate for all ages, but specifically for children who have lost a loved one.

"The Gift of a Memory" by Marianne Richmond (Waldman House Press, Inc., 2000)
This picture book focuses on the general loss of a special life. Appropriate for all ages 10 years+. The book includes beautiful artwork on each page, a legacy page, and a journal page, inviting friends and family to record memories.

"The Land Beyond Forever" by Tracy Flynn Bowe (Three Sisters Publishing House, Ltd., 2006)
The author notes, “[This book] is a story about family, hope, joy, and resurrection.” The story reminds the reader that we are never left alone on earth, because the spirits of our loved ones are forever with us. This book is appropriate for all ages looking to understand the serious illness or death of a loved one.

"The Next Place" by Warren Hanson (Waldman House Press, Inc., 1997)
This picture book is a celebration of life and the journey to everlasting life. The topic is general loss of a loved one. Appropriate for all ages, 8 years+.

"What’s Heaven?" by Maria Shriver
Nice book for children when they are facing the death of some one they love.

"When Someone has a Very Serious Illness" by Marge Heegaard (Woodland Press, 1991)
The author states, “This book will help families communicate and evaluate a child’s understanding and feelings about family change while teaching basic concepts of illness and healthy coping skills.” This book is intended for children to express emotions about serious illness through art, in order to develop healthy coping skills.

"When Someone Very Special Dies" by Marge Heegaard (Woodland Press, 1988)
This is a book for children, 6-12 years, designed to teach children about death. In this book children are encouraged to draw pictures to illustrate their own story, recognize and express emotions, and communicate openly. This book helps adults realize the unhealthy misunderstandings a child may have about death.

"Caregiving: A Step-by-Step Resource for Caring for the Person with Cancer at Home" by Peter S. Houts, PhD & Julia A. Bucher, RN, PhD (American Cancer Society, 2000)
This is an easy to use guide for caregivers including information on cancer treatments, managing care, emotional and physical conditions, checklists, questions to ask, signs and symptoms, and additional available resources. There is a glossary of terms, an index, and a section to take notes. This book guides the caregiver through dealing with the possible situations and conditions that may arise from caring for a person with cancer. This is a practical book for adult caregivers.

"Self-Care for Caregivers: A Twelve Step Approach" by Pat Samples, Diane Larsen & Marvin Larsen (Paradise Publishing, 1998)
The authors share how to balance the special needs of their loved ones they care for and their own self-care through easy to follow steps. This book uses the personal stories of the authors to demonstrate how to break free of the stress and pain felt after taking on the responsibilities of others. It also helps caregivers find strength in order to continue to provide loving support. This book is for all caregivers.

"Taking Time: Support for People with Cancer and the People Who Care About Them" by National Institutes of Health & National Cancer Institute (National Cancer Institute, 1990)
This book is for all those affected by cancer, either personally or through a loved one. The book progresses from sharing the diagnosis, living with the cancer, and the years after. The book includes a list of information and resources for those diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones. This is aimed at an adult population.