COVID-19 RESOURCES

​“If you are very new to the tragedy of suicide loss, despair may be your companion. We hope you find some time to rest your burden and share it with those of us who need no explanation. There is no map on this path to becoming whole. It is the most painful of journeys — full of twists and turns, bruised hearts and misunderstandings.
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​Small wonders appear on this path but we may be too sore or fragile to recognize them. But there will be a day when you can look back and know that they were there. We share your loneliness. We share your sorrow. We share your questions. We honor those we love who have been lost to suicide. May the radiance and beauty of their lives never be defined by their deaths.

…As fellow survivors of suicide, we urge you to remember these few but important things:
  • You are not alone.
  • There are resources and people to support you.
  • There is no universal time frame for healing, but you will move forward from the place where you are now.
  • We wish you strength and courage as you travel through your grieving and your healing.”
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Survival Council
While there is no right or wrong way to grieve, you may need help from others.

Grief from a suicide loss is unique and complicated. You may experience intense feelings of shock, despair, fear, anger, relief, guilt, or shame. These feelings are normal, even if they are directed at the person who died and do not mean you did not love them.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention provides practical information for suicide loss survivors, including questions you might have in the immediate aftermath of your loss, resources for survivors, and strategies for taking care of yourself.

While there is no right or wrong way to grieve, sometimes the grief can be so overpowering it becomes unhealthy and you may need help from a grief counselor or support group. Children also grieve differently than adults and may need specialized help to cope with the loss in a way that is developmentally appropriate for their age. Suicide grief support groups allow you to share your story and talk openly about suicide with people who really understand. It’s important you reach out for support and help if you are struggling with the loss.

​Find a Grief Support Group

​The death of a loved one by suicide presents special problems in grieving, such as experiencing more shock, a greater sense of injustice, more guilt and blame, and a heightened sense of helplessness which all complicate the healing process. A safe place exists for adult survivors of suicide loss (families and loved ones of suicide victims) to share their loss with others who are experiencing similar thoughts and feelings.
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There are many options for grief support and education. The Tahoe Truckee Suicide Prevention Coalition Coalition makes the support group listings for suicide loss survivors as a public service and does not run, recommend, endorse, or fund any of the groups listed below. We do not monitor individual groups and only update information as it is made available to us by the sponsoring organization. Some of these organizations offer suicide loss grief support groups while others are more generalized bereavement support groups. You may also find suicide loss support groups on social media. We encourage you to reach out to as many support groups as you need until finding one that you feel comfortable with. 
Crisis Support Services of Nevada - SOSL 
  • Location: Reno, Nevada (confidential location & virtual during Covid-19 Pandemic)
  • Group facilitator is a peer. Group is for adults.
  • Currently accepting new loss survivors.
  • Meetings: first and third Monday evenings from 6-8.
  • No charge for attendance.
  • Have questions? Reach out - Janett Massolo, 775-784-8085

Healing Conversations

​Healing Conversations gives those who have lost someone to suicide the opportunity to talk with experienced volunteers. AFSP's trained volunteers have experienced suicide loss themselves, and know firsthand the pain associated with this type of loss. They can help provide guidance and empathy, and share useful community resources. Conversations are made available in person, on the phone or by video chat.

Grief Consultation

The National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention and Aftercare (NRC) is a leading resource in the country for suicide prevention and aftercare. It is dedicated to reaching out to those whose lives have been impacted by suicide and connecting them to available resources. Families who have experienced a loss through suicide receive unparalleled support while they grieve. 

Bereavement - Therapy

Those who have lost a loved one to suicide will want to meet with a clinician who is knowledgeable about bereavement after suicide and able to provide grief therapy for survivors.

Click Here for a National Bereavement Trained Clinicians

Click Here for Local Truckee/North Lake Tahoe Providers

Resources to Download in English

Recursos en Español Para Descargar

Covid-19 Resources

​Strategies and Tips for Effective Postvention Response in a Virtual World
​Experiencing Loss in Isolation
​Reminders for Suicide Postvention in the Time of Coronavirus
When your world is already upside down

Toolkits

Organizations

Managing Survivor Grief
As with any sudden or unexpected death, those who have lost a loved one to death by suicide (often called survivors of suicide) have not had time to say goodbye. This suddenness, coupled with the violence of a death by suicide and common misunderstanding and stigma surrounding the death, can greatly intensify, complicate, and extend the time of the grief process. It is important to remember and know that it may be normal for survivors to face guilt about being unable to save the life of their loved one and spend time asking “why” their loved one took their own life before being able to move forward in the grief process.

It is also important to know that survivors may be at increased risk of death by suicide themselves so it is important to ensure that professional mental health support is readily available if needed. In fact, surviving a suicide event is considered a risk factor for heightened risk for suicide. Anyone who believes or suspects that they are facing Complicated Grief and/or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is encouraged to get professional mental health support.

Different Types of Grief - Generally there are three different types of grief related to suicide. These are:
  • Normal Grief: According to the Mayo Clinic, normal grief can be described as a period of sorrow, numbness, guilt and/or anger, followed by a gradual fading of these feelings as the loss grows and the person is able move forward.
  • Complicated Grief: Compounds the above and involves a more complicated, painful and debilitating process. The painful emotions are so intense and are so long lasting and severe that there is difficulty in accepting the death and returning to day-to-day activities.
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Survivors of a death by suicide, especially if they were the party that discovered the body of the deceased, may be at an increased risk for PTSD. The Menninger Clinic has defined PTSD as “a disorder that develops after traumatic stress. The hallmark of PTSD is re-experiencing the trauma in response to reminders through symptoms such as flashbacks and nightmares.” 
Melancholy, a sculpture created by Albert Gyorgy, portrays the void that grief leaves us with. 
​International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day
A day designated when the friends and family of those who have died by suicide can join together for healing and support. 
Date: Saturday before American Thanksgiving

Healing After Suicide Loss Annual Conference
If you are a suicide survivor who would like to learn new ways to navigate your grief journey, or how to articulate the deep sorrow in the wake of loss, the Healing After Suicide Loss Conference offers workshops to help with just that. Leaders in the field of suicidology will facilitate workshops and sharing sessions at the day-long conference,
Grief Resources: 
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