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Where to Find Grief Support Options for Widows

Grief Support for Widows

Grief support was a lifeline for my family in the early weeks and months after my husband’s death. I was fortunate to find widow and widowers’ support groups in my area, including a local grief support program that offered family services for children and teens.

For two years, my kids and I attended bi-monthly grief support meetings, where they connected with other children who had lost a parent. It was a turning point for us—a way to escape the isolation of grief and learn that we were not alone.

While support groups won’t erase the pain, they offer a safe space to share your journey, validate your emotions, and discover healthy coping mechanisms. If you’re looking to connect with others who understand, explore these widow and widowers support groups to find comfort, community, and healing.

NATIONAL BEREAVEMENT RESOURCE GUIDE

Elna is a public, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to provide comfort, hope, and healing to families affected by loss and addiction.

The whole website is chock-full of grief support options for widows of all age ranges and issues. I am amazed at the breadth and depth of information available.

But the most valuable thing I found was the National Bereavement Resource Guide that compiles grief organizations by state and local resources.

Just click on your region/state and view a PDF of grief organizations and grief camps right in your area.

The Action Plan Every Widow Needs

Do you need a checklist for the newly widowed?

If you’re a recent widow whose overwhelm is at an all-time high because you struggle with indecision about what post-death tasks to complete first, when to complete them and how to get it all done, don’t worry. This course can help!

Learn more

BEST WIDOW AND WIDOWERS SUPPORT GROUPS TO JOIN TODAY

Soaring Spirits International

Soaring Spirits International connects widowed people worldwide with support groups and resources. If you’re looking for a community, they have regional events and online widow support groups. Also, the entire website is a plethora of information for widows. So don’t just stop at the grief support options. Check out all the widow resources and ways to get involved. However, if you can’t find a regional grief support option, considering starting a chapter yourself!
🔗 Check out Soaring Spirits International

Hope for Widows Foundation Support Groups

Hope for Widows Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting widows through online peer support groups, resources, and community programs. Their private Facebook support group offers a safe, judgment-free space where widows can connect, share their grief, and find encouragement from others who truly understand. Hope for Widows also provides grants, blog content, and special initiatives to help widows navigate life after loss.
🔗 Learn more about Hope for Widows Foundation

National Widowers’ Organization

The National Widowers’ Organization focuses on helping men navigate grief. Their support groups provide a safe space for widowers to share their experiences.
🔗 Explore the National Widowers’ Organization

GriefShare

GriefShare offers structured faith-based support groups nationwide. If you’re looking for a group that provides practical guidance through grief, this may be a great option.
🔗 Find a GriefShare group near you

Meetup – Local Widow & Widower Groups

Meetup hosts various widow and widowers support groups, including activity-based meetups. To clarify, grief support doesn’t have to be people sitting around a table talking. You might find a grief support group that takes hikes. Or likes to golf. You might find a grief walking group, a discussion circle, or even a widow travel group! Realistically, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can always start your own meetup.
🔗 Search for widow support groups on Meetup

BEST LOCAL WIDOW AND WIDOWERS SUPPORT GROUPS

Hospice

Most hospices provide grief support groups and are even open to those who never used hospice services. A quick Google search of “hospice near me” should point you in the right direction of a local hospice organization in your area.

For example, I found the Hospice of Michigan during a Google search and I clicked on the link for Patients and Loved Ones. The Grief Support link under the Services section listed a whole host of grief support groups offered in my area including one specific to those who like to crochet. I don’t crochet but I’d be glad to find a crochet grief support group if I did!

Easter Seals

What most people know is that Easter Seals provides services to children and adults with disabilities or special needs. However, what most people don’t know is their Mental Health services offer grief resources and referrals to services like cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy, interpersonal therapy, and support groups.

Some Easter Seals locations, like the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in Michigan, offer mental health services to people in crisis or who have experienced trauma, including children. Don’t think their services are limited to people with disabilities. The Easter Seals contact I spoke to in Michigan said their services would be a good fit for widows and children who lost a parent.

If you’re having trouble finding suitable grief support and/or therapy options, contact your local Easter Seals. They’ll help you learn about all of the services and resources available to you. They can help you regardless of ability to pay or insurance status.

Local Youth Assistance Programs

Many schools partner with local youth assistance groups to provide confidential, short-term, family-centered counseling and referral services for young people and their families.

To list, services typically offered by youth assistance groups include improving communication between parents and their children, understanding child development, and enhancing parenting skills. The referral services from a licensed social worker can help you figure out what program is best for your family.

Additionally, these services can be beneficial to solo-parent widows who need a little extra help and support for kids with grief or non-grief related issues. Youth Assistant Programs offer many options for helping parents deal with children’s not-so-good behavior like substance abuse, truancy, or incorrigibility.

Specifically, reach out to your school district or specific county government office to learn more about youth assistance programs in your area.

Funeral home

I found a grief counselor through the local funeral home we used for my husband’s memorial services. Her services helped me tremendously before my husband died. I needed help figuring out how to tell our kids their dad was terminal. She was an invaluable resource with over 20 years of experience in death and dying who helped me specifically with what to say and do. Undoubtedly, I’m sure your local funeral home has a wealth of information at the ready for you regarding grief resources. I mean, they’re in the death business. They are a good source of information.

Hospital

Hospitals are a wealth of information for grief support groups. They provide resources to reach just about every age and/or type of loss imaginable because they are a huge part of every community. While viewing a hospital website, search for resources under “spiritual support” or “support groups” or “grief support.” You’re sure to find a suitable group that fits your specific needs.

Churches

You don’t have to be a member of a church to attend a grief support group there. Many churches make rooms available to hold meetings for area groups and organizations but the meetings are non-denominational. For example, the local grief support group my kids and I attended was conducted in several rooms of a local Baptist church. But the meeting itself was not religiously based and had nothing to do with the Baptist church or its tenets.

FAQ

1. What are the best widow and widowers support groups?

The best support groups for widows and widowers include:

2. Are there widow and widowers support groups near me?

Yes! Many local and online support groups exist. Search for:

  • Hospice grief support groups (check your local hospice website).
  • Church-based support groups (even if you’re not religious).
  • Community center grief programs (often listed on city or county websites).
  • Meetup.com for local widow and widower gatherings.

3. How do I find online support groups for widows and widowers?

Several organizations provide virtual widow support groups, including:

4. What are the benefits of joining a widow and widower support group?

Support groups provide:

  • Emotional validation – Connecting with others who understand.
  • Coping strategies – Learning ways to manage grief.
  • Reduced isolation – Meeting people in similar situations.
  • A safe space to share – Expressing grief without judgment.

5. Can I start my own widow and widowers support group?

Yes! If no local group fits your needs, consider:

  • Creating a Meetup group for widows/widowers in your area.
  • Partnering with a church, hospice, or community center to start a group.
  • Joining Soaring Spirits International to start a regional chapter.

WIDOW WRAP UP

I urge you to get out and seek the company of other grievers who can sympathize with you and who understand your current state of mind.

When you talk to other folks who have gone through similar pain, it makes your grief less isolating. You learn you’re not alone in your feelings or your situation. Someone somewhere has gone through something very similar to you.

I think it helps to seek out those people and assist each other through our hardest, darkest days.

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2 Comments

  1. I found a grief support group today through this article and am hoping it will be helpful to me and my son. Thank you.

    While not a support group, one resource I have found and highly recommend is the book “Grief Day by Day” by Jan Warner. It has been a blessing during these early days of grief (my husband, Donald, died on April 22, 2021).

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