I don’t want to say the wrong thing

The thought of wanting to help someone who is grieving is often daunting. You may feel under pressure to ‘get it right’. This is natural.

Don’t let your fears about saying or doing the wrong thing stop you from reaching out because the worst thing that could possibly happen, has happened.

Let them know that you’re there to listen but also offer to help in practical ways. And don’t always wait for them to ask for a chat or for them to ask for help with shopping because they can’t face going out.

Resisit the tempation to tell them how strong they are being. They may well be, but this then may stop them to appear vunerable or upset in the future.

If you feel the help they need is something you can’t fully give, then refer them to someone else or another organisation.

Remember that everyone grieves differently, in different ways and for different lengths of time.