Donor Alliance does not offer counseling services, but we can provide you with information and tools to help find grief support for you or someone in your family. The information listed below is meant to give you a starting point and is not a recommendation for the organizations, individuals or promotions you may encounter. Unless specifically noted, all services are available nationally.
If you would like specific information about resources and support in your area, please complete this form, or contact the Aftercare Team.
Email: familysupport@donoralliance.org
Direct: 303-370-2737
Toll free: 888-868-4747
Online Grief Webinars for Donor Families
As a Donor Alliance donor family, you have access to a library of free grief support webinars, both live and previously recorded. Topics include everything from navigating grief and parenting while grieving to creative expression for coping with loss, managing holidays and special days, and more.
Webinars are brought to you by our friends at What’s Your Grief. To see what’s available, visit: http://donorfamilygriefsupport.org/donoralliance.
Counselor and Therapist Directories
The three organizations listed below maintain websites for counseling professionals to pay to advertise their services. The credentials of the professions were verified when originally listed, but it is still recommended that you confirm accreditation before you start working with a counselor.
- Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists) – Robust list of counselors with a unique option to search by insurance provider.
- GoodTherapy.org (goodtherapy.org) – Offers user-friendly search tools and information on processing and treating grief and other issues.
- Theravive (theravive.org) – Diverse set of listings for in person, online, and over the phone counseling.
Online Communities & Resources
Online grief resources offer education, online support groups, and the ability to search for local groups. These sites can convey valuable information, but should not be considered a substitute for professional grief and mental health care.
- Center for Loss and Life Transition (centerforloss.com) – Based in Fort Collins, CO, this private network offers information regarding grief and loss.
- What’s Your Grief? (whatsyourgrief.com) – Through blog entries and podcasts, grief education and practical advice is offered for everything from finding a support group to books and music about grief.
- AARP Grief and Loss (aarp.org/families/grief_loss) – Offers grief and loss support and information for bereaved adults and their families.
- Compassionate Friends (compassionatefriends.org) – Provides support to bereaved families after the death of a child.
- Carson J. Spencer Foundation (carsonjspencer.org) – Offers support to people bereaved by suicide, delivers suicide prevention programs, and coaches young leaders to develop social enterprises for mental health promotion and suicide prevention. Based in Denver, CO.
- The Healing Home Retreat (https://thehealinghomeretreat.org) – The Healing Home Retreat fosters a community of healing and support that enhances the growth and well-being of bereaved Mothers through our weekend retreats, helping them grow forward in their journey. Together we can start the process of healing one Mama at a time, building our strength through sisterhood, and furthering the cause by helping the families left behind.
Resources for Children & Teenagers
Like the resources for adults listed above, the following resources are not meant to be a replacement for professional care. It is advised that any material provided to a child or teenager be reviewed first by their parent or guardian.
- The National Alliance for Grieving Children (https://childrengrieve.org/) – Raises awareness about the needs of children and teens who are grieving a death and provides education and resources for anyone who supports them.
- Family Lives On (familyliveson.org) – Supports children and teens whose mother or father has died by continuing traditions they shared with their deceased parent. The program is national and available for free to children and teens between 3 and 18.
- Hope’s Heroes (hopesheroes.org) – An interactive online storybook for young children that describes tissue donation and transplantation.
- The Dougy Center (dougy.org) – Provides support for children, teens, young adults, and their families grieving a death.
- Judi’s House (judishouse.org) – Based in Denver, CO, Judi’s House offers services for children, teens, young adults, and their adult caregivers who have lost a loved one. It is open to the public and free of charge.
For specific information about resources and support in your area for children and teens, please complete this form.
Other
- Hospices (hospicedirectory.org) – Hospices provide end of life care to patients, but they also provide grief support services to their patients’ family members and to others in their communities.
- Hospitals – Some hospitals provide grief support groups, and may be able to recommend local counselors and organizations.
- Funeral Homes – Funeral homes can also be a resource to find grief support in the communities they serve.
- Graduate School and Seminaries – Experienced graduate and doctoral students training to be counselors can provide grief counseling. Their work is supervised by licensed professionals, and rates are usually significantly prorated. Counseling can be offered to students of the school and/or to the community.
- Insurance Provider – Counseling services could be a part of your health insurance coverage. Contact your insurance provider to inquire about this.
- Employer’s EAP – If your employer has an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) short-term counseling or recommendations for counselors may be available to you.