At this time I am not accepting clients through this practice BUT
If you are looking for Therapy or are a past client you can find me at Lark & Raven Wellness
Grief Resources
Find a list of books, support groups, social media related to grief and bereavement. In-person support groups and resources are located in the Calgary Alberta Canada area.
Books
Picture Books for Children up to age 7
by Glenn Ringtved, Charlotte Pardi, et al.
Focus: Death comes to visit grandmother
by Patrice Karst and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
Focus: Continuing bond or connection
by Britta Teckentrup
Focus: death of a friend and mourning
My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon
by Angie Lucas and Birgitta Sif
Focus: Death of mother and the grief after
Luna's Red Hat: An Illustrated Storybook to Help Children Cope with Loss and Suicide
By Emmi Smid
Focus: Death and Suicide
I Miss You: A First Look at Death
by Pat Thomas and Leslie Harker
Focus: pet loss
When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death
by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings
by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey
Focus: Emotions
by Oliver Jeffers
Focus: Grief
The Invisible Leash: An Invisible String Story About the Loss of a Pet
by Patrice Karst and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
Focus: Pet Loss
Youth Fiction
by John David Anderson
Focus: End of life and illness.
Ms. Bixby unexpectedly announces that she is very sick and won’t be able to finish the school year, they come up with a plan.
by Kacen Callender
“Twelve-year-old Kingston James is sure his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly. When Khalid unexpectedly passed away, he shed what was his first skin for another to live down by the bayou in their small Louisiana town. Khalid still visits in dreams, and King must keep these secrets to himself as he watches grief transform his family.”
by Tae Keller
“When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni's Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now, the tigers want it back.”
Older Teens & Adult Fiction
by Jason Reynolds
“Matt wears a black suit every day. No, not because his mom died—although she did, and it sucks. But he wears the suit for his gig at the local funeral home, which pays way better than the Cluck Bucket, and he needs the income since his dad can’t handle the bills (or anything, really) on his own.”
by Justin A. Reynolds
The Astonishing Color of After
by Emily X.R. Pan
“Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.”
by Tyler Feder
“Part poignant cancer memoir and part humorous reflection on a motherless life, this debut graphic novel is extraordinarily comforting and engaging.”
Youth (Non fiction)
Straight Talk about Death for Teenagers: How to Cope with Losing Someone You Love
By Earl A. Grollman
Teen Grief: Caring for the Grieving Teenage Heart
Gary Roe
Adult (Non Fiction)
Focus on general topic of Grief
Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief
by David Kessler
It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand
by Megan Devine and Mark Nepo
Focus on Parents helping Children:
When a Parent is Sick: Helping Parents Explain Serious Illness to Children
By Joan Hamilton
A Parents Guide to Raising Grieving Children
By Phyilis Silverman
Support Resources in Calgary area
Adult Grief Supports
AHS Adult Grief Support
Provides limited 6 sessions for adult grievers. A waitlist is usually in place and service may be over the phone depending on Covid restrictions.
http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/programs/ps-1026229-grief-support-calgary-brochure.pdf
Hospice Calgary (Sage Centre)
Living with illness support group
Centre for Suicide Prevention
Call – 1.833.456.4566
Text- 45645
https://www.suicideinfo.ca/
CMHA- Calgary
https://cmha.calgary.ab.ca/individual-family-support/counselling/
Through our Suicide Bereavement Counselling, individuals are supported through one-to-one interactions to learn coping strategies to stay well after the loss of their loved one.
The Grief and Loss Program is for those struggling with death and non-death grief and loss experiences such as job loss, managing anxiety and fear, and making meaning after loss.
Wellspring (cancer)
Wellspring Calgary is a warm and welcoming community that provides a comprehensive range of support, resources and programs so anyone living with cancer and the people who care for them can improve the quality of their lives.
Child and parent group that discusses living with cancer in the family.
https://wellspringcalgary.ca/portfolio/childrens-and-parents-program/
Alberta Hospice Palliative Care Association Programs
You’re Not Alone
https://ahpca.ca/youre-not-alone-grief-connection/
Free, ongoing support with a trained volunteer is available.
You’re Not Alone – Grief Connection (YNA) matches grieving adults with trained volunteers who have had a similar grief experience.
Once matched, the grieving participant and trained volunteer meet regularly by telephone for up to a year, if needed. The match is confidential; this is a safe space for the participant to speak openly about what they are experiencing.
Living Every Season Program
A support program for Albertans with life-limiting illness.
The Living Every Season program provides safe, confidential support in a social setting designed for adults who are living with a life-limiting illness.
The regular, interactive sessions of the Living Every Season program create an empathetic community for participants to connect with others, learn from speakers and continue to live a good life while also living with a terminal diagnosis. A life-limiting diagnosis can bring feelings of fear and isolation. The Living Every Season program is here to help.
Caring Beyond - parent support group
Caring Beyond offers peer support to parents who have lost a baby due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, neonatal death and termination due to poor prenatal diagnosis. We believe all losses to be equal regardless of circumstance or gestation. All of these babies were loved and wanted. We also provide information on various medical treatments and processes.
Child Loss - Adult Support
Alberta Children’s Hospital – Grief Support Service
Bereavement counselling and ongoing support following the death of a child.
This program is available to provide ongoing support to families when a child dies. Bereavement support is offered in many ways to fit the unique needs of a family, such as individual, family and group counselling, resources/education and referrals to community agencies.
To find out more about this program, call 403-955-5463 or 403-955-5474.
Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Centre
Compassionate Friends of Canada
The Compassionate Friends offers support in the grief and trauma which follows the death of a child; no matter the age or cause. Peer supportive groups.
Children/Youth Support Groups
Bernie's Buddies
https://www.berniesbuddies.ca/
“Bernie's Buddies Workshops integrate a peer support environment where youth interact with other youth who've experienced a death loss in their lives. They participate together in a therapy dog visit, yoga exercise movement and mindfulness, and creative grief conversation to help each other find community while navigating emotions after a life-altering loss.
Rainbows Canada
Groups for all ages to explore grief and loss. Volunteer run.
Children's Grief Centre
Provides 6 sessions of grief counselling for children and youth struggling with a death. Counselling is not trauma specific.
Children's Grief Group
Adolescent Grief Group
Carya
Provider of family and child counselling - groups and individual counselling are offered.
Websites
https://www.virtualhospice.ca/
A resource for everyone with questions about palliative care, death process, grief and for all ages.
A resource to share grief experiences but also to learn about grief. They have grief education for professionals and grievers, as well a supportive book that offers guidance when in mourning.
https://www.childrenandyouthgriefnetwork.com/resources/
Great toolkits for families, teachers, and support workers, information on all things related to child and youth grief. Even info on how to talk to children about MAID.
https://compassionatealberta.ca/
Palliative care supports and resources.
Movies
Big Hero 6
Soul
Onward
Coco
Up
Stepmom
WandaVision
Surviving Death – documentary on Netflix talks about beliefs in life after death.
Social Media Accounts
TikTok
@dr.sammywinemaker a palliative care Dr.
@hospicenursejulie a palliative care nurse
Podcasts