Glossary
Peer support group
A group of people who share a similar loss and meet to support each other, often free and led by trained facilitators.
A peer support group is a group of people who have lived through a similar loss and meet regularly to support each other, in person or online. Groups are often free and are usually led by trained facilitators, clinicians or volunteers who have experienced loss themselves. The American Psychiatric Association (opens in a new tab) says bereavement support groups and peer support can be a useful source of connection, help people feel less alone, and may help avoid the isolation that raises the risk of prolonged grief.
Examples for siblings and families:
- The Compassionate Friends (opens in a new tab) offers free chapter meetings for families after a child dies; adult siblings are welcome at any chapter, and some chapters run groups for teens;
- COPE (opens in a new tab) runs free clinician-led groups for adults whose brother or sister died, in New York City, on Long Island and online;
- SAMHIN (opens in a new tab) runs a free online grief group for South Asian people.
It's fine to try a group and decide it isn't for you, or to wait until you're ready. Children have their own options, such as grief groups and grief camps. See where to find grief support and the Grief support navigator.
What you can do today: look up one support group near you and note its next meeting date.