Bereavement Council
There is no pain like that of losing a child. The staff of the Children’s Hospital at Providence offer our sincere condolences to you and your family. This poem from Dr. Ruth Hitchcock best expresses our feelings:
I can’t say anything that will make things better,
but I can be there with you and share your anger,
the pain, and the bewilderment.
Most of all, I can let you know that I care
and that I won’t abandon you.
Through the Bereavement Council at the Children’s Hospital at Providence, we are here to support you during this difficult time. The Bereavement Council is an integrated program made up of caregivers from a variety of disciplines. You can turn to us for resources that may help you and your family find peace as you grieve the loss of your precious child.
Please reach out to us at 907-212-3344. We are always here to offer comfort and support.
The Bereavement Council can connect you to grief support groups in the Anchorage area and throughout Alaska. When you’re ready, and if you’re interested, we can help you find an appropriate support group near you.
A support group can give you comfort, as you connect with others who have also lost a child. When you meet others with a shared experience, you may find relief knowing that you’re not alone in your grief.
Providence Hospice offers grief support groups based on the book Understanding Your Grief by Alan Wolfelt. Facilitated by grief counselors, groups offer safe space for sharing stories and bonding with others who have experienced the death of a loved one. Groups last eight weeks and are offered several times per year. For more information: 907-212-4418.
Hospice of Anchorage provides a monthly Good Grief support group. This informal, drop-in group is peer led, providing opportunities to meet others who have experienced loss and to share memories in a safe space. For more information: hospiceofanchorage.org or 907-561-5322.
Forget Me Not Grief Center of Alaska offers groups for children, teens, and families grieving the death of loved ones. Peer-driven support groups are offered twice monthly with participants divided into groups based on age and developmental stage. For more information: forgetmenot.griefcenter@gmail.com or griefcenterak.com
AK Afterglow offers comprehensive grief support for families who have experienced the loss of a pregnancy or death of a child, which may include support groups and/or one-on-one support. For more information: akafterglow.org or contact Kim Hatt at 907-529-4289.
Support Group for Grieving Parents is a monthly peer-led group open to any parent who has experienced the death of a child. Parents can expect to find compassionate community, emotional support, and confidential space. For more information: katemraz907@yahoo.com or 907-230-4064.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group, led by Alaska Police and Fire Chaplains’ Ministries, meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Groups support the family and friends of those who have died by suicide, helping them to find relief and understanding. For more information: 907272-3100.
Southcentral Foundation hosts a weekly Grief and Loss Learning Circle. Connect with Native community, and express thoughts and feelings with peers who understand loss. Offered in person and virtual. For more information: southcentralfoundation.com/family-wellness-warriors-nuiju/learning-circles/ or 907-729-5440.
Mat-Su Grief Support is for anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. It is a place for listening and sharing coping strategies for working through grief. The group meets every Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church. For more information: matsugriefsupport.com or call Karl and Joyce at 907373-0842.
Foundation Health Partners Hospice Services offers community-wide support groups for those grieving the death of a loved one, including groups specifically for women and men. Individual companioning on the grief journey is also available. For more information: bereavement@foundationhealth.org or 907-458-3090.
UAF Student Health and Counseling Center offers virtual support groups for any UA student, staff, or faculty member who has experienced loss. Group members will be able to connect, share and support each other as they move through grief. For more information: uaf.edu/chc/services/groups.php
Delta Presbyterian – Faith Lutheran Church offers GriefShare groups in Delta Junction (see reverse.) When groups are not running, Rev. Rich Mauer is available as a grief coach for anyone in the community. Contact mauer@wildak.net or 907-388-9685.
Peninsula Community Health Services sponsors support groups in Soldotna using the Grief Recovery Method. For more information, contact Gail Kennedy at gail.griefrecovery@gmail.com or 907-602-9944.
Hospice of the Central Peninsula offers grief support groups and bereavement services in Soldotna for community members in need of such support, including Camp Mend-A-Heart for children ages 6 to 13. For more information: www.hospiceofsoldotna.com or 907262-0453.
Hospice of Homer offers peer support groups to all individuals coping with grief, as well as a facilitated group specifically for widows/widowers. They also offer one-on-one support for anyone suffering loss and experiencing bereavement, and a correspondence program with letters to provide comfort, guidance, and gentle companionship. For more information: www.hospiceofhomer.org or 907-235-6899.
Hospice and Palliative Care of Kodiak offers grief support groups for adults who have experienced the loss of a loved one, as well as walking groups, workshops utilizing arts and movement to process grief, and a support program focused on child loss. For more information: www.hpck.org or 907-512-0600.
Bartlett Regional Hospital offers various grief support groups in Juneau, including a Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Group. Offering peer support with professional facilitation, these groups provide safe space to share and listen, to connect and learn together. For more information: www.bartletthospital.org/calendar/
Hospice of Haines offers a series of grief groups each fall, as well as monthly meetings throughout the year. They also provide one-on-one support and grief companions, including support for bereaved children and teens. For more information: www.hospiceofhaines.org or 907-766-3929.
PeaceHealth Ketchikan Hospice offers community bereavement services. For more information, call 907-228-7600.
The ANTHC Behavioral Wellness Clinic offers group counseling via telehealth to Alaska Native adults located anywhere in the state. This includes a weekly drop-in group on Grief, Loss and Bereavement. For more information: www.anthc.org/bhwc or 907-729-2492.
Victims For Justice holds a monthly support group for those who have lost loved ones to homicide anywhere in Alaska. Groups are held via Zoom on the second Tuesday of each month. For more information: info@victimsforjustice.org or 907-278-0977.
GriefShare is a Christ-centered grief support ministry designed to facilitate connection, recovery, and rebuilding after loss. Groups meet weekly in Anchorage, Aniak, Eagle River, Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Naknek, North Pole, Salcha, Skagway, Sleetmute, Valdez and Wasilla. For more information: www.griefshare.org
Postpartum Support International offers a wide variety of free, virtual support groups, including groups focused on pregnancy loss, infant loss, and parenting after loss. Groups are also offered in Spanish. For more information: postpartum.net/get-help/psi-online-support-meetings
The internet can also be a good place to seek solace when you’re grieving. We recommend the following online resources:
Bereaved Families of Ontario
A Canadian-based site, it provides support for people who have lost an immediate family member, including an infant. Monthly articles, newsletters and a resource guide are available.
Bereaved Parents of the USA
Bereaved Parents is a nationwide organization designed to aid and support bereaved parents and their families.
Centering and Grief Digest Magazine
A nonprofit organization providing supportive grief literature on all aspects of loss.
The Compassionate Friends
A national parent-to-parent support group. The mission of The Compassionate Friends is to assist families in the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child and to provide information to help others be supportive.
Babyloss
A site providing information, support and forums for women and their partners who have experienced the loss of a baby.
First Candle
First Candle is a national nonprofit committed to the elimination of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and stillbirth through education, advocacy and research while providing compassionate support to bereaved families.
HAND: Helping After Neonatal Death
HAND is a nonprofit volunteer group founded in the early 1980s to provide support and information to bereaved parents, their families and friends following a miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn death.
Hannah's Prayer Ministries
Hannah's Prayer Ministries desires to provide Christian-based support and encouragement to couples around the world who are struggling with the pain of fertility challenges, including infertility, pregnancy loss and early infant death.
MISS Foundation
The mission of the MISS Foundation is to allow a safe haven for parents to share their grief after the death of a child. The MISS Foundation provides support to parents enduring the tragedy of stillbirth, neonatal death and infant death from any cause, including SIDS, congenital anomalies or trisomy 13. Grief education for parents and professionals is the main focus.
M.E.N.D.: Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death
M.E.N.D. is a Christian nonprofit corporation with a purpose to reach out to those who have lost a child due to miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant death and offer a way to share experiences and information through meetings, a bi-monthly newsletter and a website.
SIDS Network
This site has information, education and support tools regarding SIDS.
SPALS: Subsequent Pregnancy After a Loss Support
SPALS is a group of people who have experienced the loss of a child due to miscarriage, elective termination, stillbirth, neonatal death, sudden infant death or accidental death.
SOFT: Support Organization for Trisomy 18, 13 and Related Disorders
SOFT provides support to families with a child born with a trisomy chromosome disorder. This organization published a regular newsletter, provides information on the care their children may need and offers support when their child dies.