Resources
Grief
The fundamentals of proper funeral etiquette are crucial to knowing how to communicate properly with the deceased person’s grieving family, while exuding dignity and respect during the funeral service.
Here are some tips from the Canadian Mental Health Association to help you through your journey:
Connect with caring and supportive people. This might include loved ones, neighbours, and co-workers. It could also include a bereavement support group or community organization.
Let yourself feel sadness, anger, or whatever you need to feel. Find healthy ways to share your feelings and express yourself, such as talking with friends or writing in a journal.
Give yourself enough time. Everyone reacts differently to a loss and there is no normal grieving period.
Holidays and other important days can be very hard. It may be helpful to plan ahead and think about new traditions or celebrations that support healing.
Recognize that your life has changed. You may feel less engaged with work or relationships for some time. This is a natural part of loss and grief.
Reach out for help. Loved ones may want to give you privacy and may not feel comfortable asking you how you’re doing, so don’t be afraid to ask for their support.
Think about waiting before making major life decisions. You may feel differently as your feelings of grief lose their intensity, and the changes may add to the stress you’re already experiencing.
Make a new beginning. As the feelings of grief become less intense, return to interests and activities you may have dropped and think about trying something new.
Take care of your physical health. Be aware of any physical signs of stress or illness, and speak with your doctor if you feel that your grief is affecting your health.
Work through difficult feelings like bitterness and blame. These feelings can make it harder to move forward in your life.
Offer support to other loved ones who are grieving. Reaching out to others may be helpful in your own journey.
Be honest with young people about what has happened and about how you feel, and encourage them to share their feelings, too.
Contact one of our locations to start planning.