Grief Resources & Support: Books and Community Help for Navigating Loss

There is no single roadmap for grief, but support matters. Having language, community, and resources can help you feel less alone as you move through loss at your own pace. Below is a curated list of grief resources, books, and support organizations that many people have found meaningful while navigating their healing journey.

Grief Books by Black and Brown Authors

Representation matters in grief. These books explore loss through cultural, racial, and lived experience lenses that are often missing from mainstream grief literature.

• Notes on Grief by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

• Grieving While Black by Breeshia Wade

These works speak to the intersection of grief, identity, and systemic realities, offering validation and depth for readers who may not see themselves reflected elsewhere.

Foundational Books on Grief and Loss

The following books provide insight into the emotional, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of grief. Some are reflective, others practical, and many blend both.

• Bearing the Unbearable

• On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

• Honoring Grief

• Getting to the Other Side of Grief: Overcoming the Loss of a Spouse

• Traveling Through Grief by Zonnebelt-Smeege and DeVries

• Good Grief by Westberg

• When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner

• How Can It Be Right When Everything Is Wrong? by Lewis Smedes

• How to Survive the Loss of Love by Bloomfield, Colgrove, and McWilliams

These books can help normalize grief responses, offer reassurance, and remind you that what you’re feeling is not a failure—it’s human.

Support for Bereaved Parents

Grief after the loss of a child is profound and life-altering. These resources are specifically designed for parents navigating this unique pain.

• When the Bough Breaks: Forever After the Death of a Son or Daughter by Judith Bernstein

• Through the Eyes of a Dove – a book for bereaved parents

These works acknowledge the depth of parental grief while offering gentle companionship through unimaginable loss.

Grief Counseling & Therapy Resources

For those seeking clinical insight or professional guidance, these books explore grief through a therapeutic lens.

• Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy by J. William Worden

Grief therapy can be especially helpful when loss feels consuming, prolonged, or intertwined with trauma.

Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support (Massachusetts)

Pregnancy and infant loss can be deeply isolating, often surrounded by silence or misunderstanding. These organizations offer compassionate support and community.

• Empty Arms Bereavement – Western Massachusetts-based pregnancy and infant loss support

• Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support (national organization) – available throughout Massachusetts

Connecting with others who understand this kind of loss can be a powerful step toward healing.

A Gentle Reminder

Grief has no timeline. There is no “right” way to mourn, no finish line to cross. Seeking support—through books, therapy, or community—is not a sign of weakness. It is an act of care.

If you are struggling with grief and feel unsure where to begin, working with a therapist can help you process your loss in a way that honors both your pain and your capacity to heal. You do not have to carry this alone.

If you would like support navigating grief, loss, or major life transitions, professional guidance can provide a safe place to breathe, feel, and begin again—slowly, gently, and on your own terms.