Grief and Bereavement

Grief is a natural response to losing someone important, and everyone experiences it differently. Support is available for individuals and families, including:

• individual counselling
• support groups
• educational resources
• referrals to additional services

Trained social workers and palliative care team members provide emotional support and guidance to help families navigate the grieving process.

Everyone will experience grief differently.  How you grieve will depend on many things including your personality, your history of coping with loss and the relationship you had with the person who died. There are no timelines for grief; your grief journey may be shorter or longer than you or others expected.

Our bereavement team helps people manage grief in a healthy, constructive way. We also provide support as you navigate the pain caused by loss and reinvest in activities to adjust to life changes. Our services are available to people 18 years of age and older.

• Assist in managing grief constructively and creatively, providing guidance through the grief process.
• Help individuals acknowledge and accept the reality of an anticipated death, and the dying or death of a loved one.
• Help individuals self-manage emotional, spiritual, psychological pain caused by an anticipated loss, or by the death of a loved one(s).
• Collaborate with health-care professionals and community resources when needed.
• Assist individuals in reinvesting their energy in other relationships and activities to adjust to new life changes.

Supporting you or your loved ones through loss

When you are grieving, you may want and need support from others.  Support may come from a variety of sources including family, friends, community groups, faith groups and formal grief and bereavement groups.  If you are concerned about your grief, you can seek professional support and counselling.

There are many grief and bereavement services available through NL Health Services, including individual and group counselling, education sessions, information materials and support groups.

Speak to your doctor or health-care provider to learn more.

• Self referrals, or referrals through a health-care professional, family or others, with an individual’s consent are all accepted.
• Referral form: Ch-1300 Grief and Bereavement Referral Form.
• Telephone: 709-777-6959 or 709-777-8940
• Fax: 709-777-7612

• Telephone: 709-784-5224
• Email: spiritualhealth@nlhealthservices.ca

Regional Grief Consultant:

Reach out to Mental Health and Addictions Department or call: