Grief Resources

Dr. Alan Wolfelt offers a comprehensive library of articles and book excerpts about grief for bereaved families, children, teens and caregivers. Articles are also available for assistance in creating a meaningful Eulogy and service of remembrance.

Free resource of videos to help you understand and move through grief. Work through these videos at your own pace finding comfort from grief specialists and those who have 'been there'.

We’re glad you’ve found this space. YouthGrief.ca has been developed — from content to art to design — by grieving youth, for grieving youth. It shares wisdom, experiences and advice from more than 30 young people who’ve been there, and know what it’s like to grieve when someone you care about has died.

Topics include:
What I’m going through - Grief and what it's like - Missing and remembering people - Family and relatives - Friends and people around you - School and everything that comes with it - Advice from youth to youth - Supporting grieving young people

How to talk with kids and teens about serious illness, dying and death. What do I tell the kids? How do I support them?
KidsGrief.ca is a free online resource that helps parents support their children when someone in their life is dying or has died. It equips parents with the words and confidence needed to help children grieve life’s losses in healthy ways.

Sunday, December 1, 2024 2:00 pm
Springfield Funeral Home
2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna

A time for quiet reflection, hope and healing. Make time to remember loved ones through music, a candle-lighting ceremony and photo tribute. Hear from others who have journeyed through grief after the loss of a loved one and how they reached out to find support while moving forward.

Reception and light refreshments to follow.

Location: Trinity Church, The Refinery - Family Room
Friday November 29, 2024 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Facilitators: Heidi McLaughlin and Joanne Bonk

This two hour event will help you anticipate and navigate the emotional jungle you may find yourself in during the holiday season.
You will find help on:
- Preparing for holidays by planning ahead, considering your traditions and responding to invitations
- Getting through the day, facing the pain, how to remember your loved one and dealing with your emotions.
You will receive a small booklet with a wealth of knowledge and ideas for Surviving the Holidays.

A day to honor, respect and advocate for those experiencing grief, bereavement, anticipatory grief and chronic sorrow.

Option 1 Memory Walk - 1 pm to 2 pm
Join us at Mission Creek EECO centre for a short walk along the greenway to honor and remember our loved ones.
Option 2 Memory Talk - 1 pm to 2 pm
We invite you to join us a Mission Creek Alliance Church to gather and share stories and memories about loved ones we have lost.
At 2:00 pm all participants are invited to gather at Mission Creek Alliance Church for refreshments and a special memorial activity.
No cost to attend. Registration is required to confirm numbers.
For more information contact Andi Harvey, Bereavement Services Coordinator, andi@hospicecoha.org or 250-765-5511 ext 106.

GriefShare is a faith based small group study, meeting over a 13 week period designed for individuals after the loss of a loved one. This new edition of GriefShare includes topics such as Is This Normal?, Self-Care, Grief & Your Household, Hope & Resilience, What Do I Live For Now and much more.

Springfield Funeral Home recognizes GriefShare as a program with direction and purpose for those on a grief journey, offering healing and hope and has sponsored the course at many local churches, joining a network of thousands of grief recovery support groups meeting around the world. Please contact Joanne Bonk at 250 860 7077 or griefcare@springfieldfuneralhome.com if you have any questions about this support group or if you are interested in hosting this program at your church in the Central Okanagan, sponsored by Springfield Funeral Home.



Location: Trinity Church
Refinery - Family room
1905 Springfield Road, Kelowna
Dates: Tuesday Sept 17 to December 10
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:45 pm
Facilitators: Heidi McLaughlin and Joanne Bonk

Location: Willow Park Church
Room 212
439 Hwy 33, Kelowna
Dates: Wednesday Sept 4 to Nov 27
Time: 10:20am to 12:30 pm
Facilitators: Jean Witt

Location: Emmanuel Church
2600 Hebert Road, West Kelowna
Dates: Tuesday October 1 to December 24
Time: 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Facilitators: Ken and Heather Cooper

Grieving with Great HOPE is a bereavement resource for Catholic parishes and people who are mourning the loss of a loved one. Grieving with Great HOPE combines workshops, self study and personal journaling.
This 5 week support group is designed to help transform your grief journey through prayerful reflection, practical learning and personal fellowship.

Next session date: to be determined

Losing a spouse brings a unique kind of pain. People who are widowed haven’t just lost a loved one—they’ve lost an entire lifestyle. Loss of a Spouse is a two-hour GriefShare seminar specifically designed for spouses who have lost their loved one. This series is video based offering advice from well-known professional counselors, pastors, men and women who have been recently widowed and have found help and encouragement. The video will be followed by a discussion time and each participant will receive a helpful guide containing exercises to read, work through and apply to their personal situation.

Topics include: what should I expect in the days after the loss, the surprising emotional, physical and spiritual effects of grief, why it won’t always hurt and much more.

Springfield Funeral Home recognizes Loss of a Spouse as a program with direction and purpose for those on a grief journey offering healing and hope and has sponsored this course joining a network of thousands of grief recovery support groups meeting around the world. Please contact Joanne Bonk at 250 860 7077 for more information.

Next session date: TBD
Facilitators: Heidi McLaughlin and Joanne Bonk

Think of your grief as a wilderness—a vast, inhospitable forest. You must journey through this wilderness. To find your way out, you must become acquainted with its terrain and learn to follow the sometimes hard-to-find trail that leads to healing.

HOPE IN GRIEF
Mission Creek Alliance Church
Starting October 3, 2024 1:30 - 3:00
Contact Lorna Bohn 250-870-7049 to register

Central Okanagan Hospice Association (COHA) has a variety of bereavement programs including Spousal Loss groups, Mixed Loss groups, Bereaved Parents groups and Grief and Yoga groups; one on one support, walking groups, meditation and more. COHA offers support to help anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. All programs are offered in a safe and respectful space to share, listen and receive compassionate support from others.

Traumatic Loss Group
Eight weeks starting October 9, 2024 to November 27, 202
Wednesdays from 10:00am to 12:00 Noon

Spousal Loss Grief Group
Eight weeks starting October 15, 2024 to December 3, 2024
Tuesdays from 10:00am to 12:00 Noon

Evening Adult Grief Group
Eight weeks starting October 15, 2024 to December 3, 2024
Tuesdays from 5:15pm to 7:15pm

Children’s Grief Support Group
October 16, 2024 to December 4, 2024
Wednesday’s from 4:00pm – 5:30pm at COHA August Centre
Children between the ages of 6-12

To register for support groups or for more information please contact Andi Harvey, Grief Support Coordinator, at 250.763.5511 or email andi@hospicecoha.org for more information.

Suite 200 – 1890 Cooper Road, Kelowna, BC V1Y 8B7
Mon – Thurs 8:00am – 4:00pm and Fri 8:00am – 1:00pm

Grief Support Group
Bi-weekly Ongoing - 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. No Charge
Location: Winfield United Church, 3751 Woodsdale Rd, Lake Country
Call: 778-215-5247 for more information
This group is open to anyone who has or is suffering from loss. Losing a loved one, going through a divorce/separation, recently diagnosed with an illness ... we have different situations that causes us to grieve. Join us and others as we support and work through this experience.

Moms Stop The Harm (MSTH) is a network of Canadian families whose loved ones have died from drug related harm, or who are struggling with substance use. Moms Stop the Harm wants to educate the public through their stories and advocacy hoping to reduce the misconceptions related to substance use and ensure that individuals get the support and treatment they rightfully deserve.

HEALING HEARTS is a free peer facilitated bereavement support group for individuals, families and friends who have lost loved ones to help them cope with the journey from grief to healing. Healing Hearts can help support individuals in feeling less isolated as you meet other individuals who have experienced a similar loss. For inquires and registration please email: KelownaHealingHearts@gmail.com

HOLDING HOPE is a free peer led support group for families impacted by substance use. Holding Hope groups offer support for families and individuals with loved one living with problematic substance use. For more information or to register please email: holdinghopekelowna@gmail.com

The Compassionate Friends group meets monthly at First United Church, 721 Bernard Ave. and offers support in the grief and trauma which follows the death of a child; no matter the age or cause. They understand that people cannot be hurried through grief and the pain cannot be just taken away. They will help grieving parents understand more about this life altering experience. This meeting is geared for adults and children are not encouraged to attend. Monthly meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month from 7:00 – 9:00 pm and although designed as drop in it is encouraged that new people call Linda at 250.807.2487 or send an email to kelowna@TCFCanada.net to let her know you will be attending.

Soaring Spirits provides widowed people with the chance to meet socially by creating a local community of widowed friends. Groups are lead by volunteer facilitators who plan outings twice a month. The aim is to assist widowed people in getting back out into the world with a group of understanding friends by their side.
FaceBook - Soaring Spirits Regional Group Central Okanagan
Michelle - Call or text: 431-301-3901
At the website below, enter "Kelowna" into the "Find regional events near you" field.

Clair Jantzen helps the bereaved understand grief as an important part of finding themselves again. People who have experienced the loss of a loved one, look to reclaim their lives again. Clair shows clients how they can use their pain and tears as a catalyst into a healthy, hope-filled future.

As a Grief & Loss Counselor, Educator and Author, Clair offers over 30 years’ experience, counselling those who have suffered loss. www.clairjantzen.ca

Here are links to two of his videos:

The Butterfly Run Kelowna & Hopeful Pathways Counselling are pleased to offer a grief support group for those who have experienced pregnancy loss of any type. This group intends to provide a safe and compassionate space to support families as they navigate their loss.

OKANAGAN PERINATAL LOSS GRIEF SUPPORT
Fall 2024 Dates: Oct 10, Oct 24, Nov 7, Nov 21, Dec 5 - Thursdays - 5pm to 6pm
This group is free to join, facilitated by Dr. Zoe Sehn, Registered Clinical Counsellor
Email to register: counselling@hopefulpathways.com

OKANAGAN PEER SUPPORT
Bereaved Mamas - Sound Meditation and Community Connections
Location: Our Yoga Space - 2pm to 4pm - Oct 26, Nov 23 and Dec 14

BCBH is a non-profit, free, and confidential service that connects the public to grief support services within the province of BC. Whether you are looking for bereavement support groups, community events, information on BC Bereavement Day, information on how to donate or to volunteer with us you will find it here. Please call the BC Bereavement Helpline and speak with one of our caring volunteers for information on our bereavement support groups, agencies, and peer-based support.
Your call is free, confidential, and anonymous. We will help you find the most appropriate support for your specific type of loss.
Call the Helpline at 604-738-9950, Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm
Toll free 1-877-779-2223 or email contact@bcbh.ca

At ESTATE READY we understand the difficulty of organizing and distributing a lifetime of belongings during a time of grief.
Let us shoulder the tasks of immediate needs, preparing an inventory, organization of belongings, maintenance, cleaning and act as contact for Real Estate, Home Staging and Contractors.
Practical and efficient help - when you need it.

The Central Okanagan Hospice Association (COHA) annually presents the Butterfly Effect, typically held in June. The community is encouraged to join us in coming together to remember, connect and celebrate. The magnificent release of the butterflies is an opportunity for our community to release a butterfly in honour and memory of a loved one who has died.

The Butterfly Effect is a meaningful remembrance is for all ages. More information will be posted mid 2024.