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How can you go about helping those who grieve? Megan Devine, grief advocate and author of, It’s OK That You’re Not OK says that many people are uncomfortable with bereavement. “Grief is a natural response to death and loss — it’s not an illness to be cured or a problem to be solved,” she writes. Below are six tips for ways you can help those are struggling with loss.

Grief Comes from Many Sources

I’ve always found it helpful to remember that grief can happen even if nobody dies. A job loss, a divorce, infertility, a move across the country. These are all examples of situations that can cause grief.  And so, it is important that when your friend is suffering to remember – grief is a normal outgrowth of many of life’s circumstance

Tips for Helping Those Who Grieve

1. Listen to their story.
2. Don’t give advice or try to “fix-it” for the person.
3. Remember that grief is a journey that takes time.
4. Don’t interpose your own story unless asked.  This is not about you.
5. Avoid using cliches like, “God doesn’t promise us a rose garden.”
6. View our grief archives for stories on how others have helped the bereaved walk their grief journey.

May you find these tips useful the next time you encounter a grieving friend.