Grief and Support
There is no single right way to grieve. Grief can show up in your feelings, your body, and your everyday life, and it can change from one day to the next. Support is available, in many forms, whenever you want it. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Grief doesn’t look the same for everyone
You may feel deeply sad. You may feel numb. You may feel angry, relieved, distracted, exhausted, or fine for a while. None of these means you’re grieving “wrong.”
- Sadness, anger, guilt
- Relief or numbness
- Anxiety, loneliness
- Tiredness
- Changes in sleep
- Changes in appetite
- Confusion
- Trouble concentrating
- Waves of emotion that arrive without warning
Grief can come in waves
Grief isn’t a straight line. It can ease and then return with an anniversary, a birthday, a holiday, a familiar place, a song, or an ordinary routine.
You don’t have to be finished grieving by a certain date.
A hard day weeks or months from now doesn’t mean you’ve failed to move forward. It means you’re still grieving someone who mattered.
What might help right now
Small things, not fixes. Take what feels useful and leave the rest.
- Stay connected
- Let trusted people know what you need, even if it’s just company.
- Accept practical help
- Meals, childcare, errands, or someone sitting with you can matter.
- Keep simple routines
- Rest when you can, eat and drink regularly, keep the routines that steady you.
- Talk about them, if you want to
- Sharing memories and saying their name can be a comfort. It’s also okay to wait.
- Take one thing at a time
- Many tasks can wait. See what can wait.
Comfort comes from different places for different people: family and friends, faith communities, hospice bereavement programs, grief support groups, counselors and therapists, and community resources.
Grief support groups and help in Utah
211 Utah
A free, confidential service from the United Ways of Utah that connects you with local resources, including grief support near you.
Dial 211 or 888-826-9790, daily 8:30 a.m.–4:45 p.m. Text your ZIP code to 801-845-2211 (weekdays).
211utah.org →Caring Connections
Eight-week grief support groups from the University of Utah College of Nursing, in person and online. Registration required. The fee is $50, and scholarships are available.
801-585-9522
nursing.utah.edu →The Sharing Place
Grief support groups for children and teens ages 3–18, with separate groups for parents and caregivers. No charges are billed for services.
thesharingplace.org →Hospice bereavement support
Medicare-certified hospices must offer bereavement support to the family for up to a year after the death. Call the hospice and ask what it offers.
When you may want more support
If grief is making it very hard to get through the day, or you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or more and more alone, talking with a counselor, therapist, or your doctor may help. You don’t have to wait for a crisis.
The Utah Warm Line offers a listening ear from trained peer specialists: 1-833-SPEAKUT (1-833-773-2588) or 801-587-1055, 8 a.m.–11 p.m. daily.
911 if someone is in immediate danger. 988: call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, free and confidential, any time. In Utah, calls reach the Utah Crisis Line. SafeUT: students, parents, and educators can chat with a licensed counselor through the SafeUT app or safeut.org.
Grief itself isn’t a crisis. These are here if things become too heavy to carry alone.
Want help with the practical side?
Your Wayfinder Plan can help organize what needs attention and what can wait, so you have more room for everything else.
Build My Wayfinder Plan- 211 Utah numbers and hours: 211utah.org.
- Caring Connections: University of Utah College of Nursing, Grief Support Groups.
- The Sharing Place: Our Mission; Our Impact.
- 988 in Utah and the Utah Warm Line: Utah Department of Health and Human Services, 988 FAQ; Huntsman Mental Health Institute.
- SafeUT: safeut.org.
- Hospice bereavement services: 42 CFR 418.64 (Medicare hospice conditions of participation).
This page offers general information and support resources. It is not medical, mental-health, or crisis counseling.