Free self-help resources for grief and loss
Grief is not a problem to fix. It is what love does when someone, or something, is lost. There is no correct order of feelings and no deadline.
Grieving from abroad brings its own weight. You may have missed the last weeks, the funeral, or the rituals your family keeps, and the people around you may not know the person you lost.
The resources here focus on understanding grief and finding ways to carry it. Most come from bereavement charities and NHS services. Some include practical help for the weeks after a death, and some offer information in other languages. There are also pages in German and Dutch.
Structured therapy approaches have less to say about ordinary grief, so this list leans on information, reflection and connection rather than workbooks.
For some people grief stays intense for a very long time and makes daily life very hard. If that sounds like you, or if you have thoughts of ending your life, please speak to a GP or a crisis line. Talking to a counsellor can also help, at any stage.
Understanding grief (Cruse)
Cruse Bereavement Support · Website · psychoeducation · English, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Tamil, Ukrainian, Urdu, Welsh
Clear pages on the effects of grief, common experiences and ways of managing day to day, plus tips for supporting others. Key information is also available as PDFs in 13 other languages, including Tamil, Hindi and Polish.
The UK's leading bereavement charity, with decades of experience.
For: Anyone grieving, and people supporting someone who is · Free to read online; copyright Cruse Bereavement Support.
Grief support (Sue Ryder)
Sue Ryder · Website · psychoeducation · English
Information and advice on coping with grief, supporting someone else and dealing with practical matters after a death. The charity also lists its own grief support services.
An established UK palliative care and bereavement charity.
For: People who are bereaved, or supporting someone who is · Free to read online; copyright Sue Ryder.
Grief after bereavement or loss
NHS England · Website · psychoeducation · English
A short NHS page on common feelings after a loss and things that can help, such as talking and keeping a routine. It also explains prolonged grief and when to see a GP.
Clear and trustworthy, with sensible guidance on when to seek more help.
For: Anyone wanting a short, reliable overview · Free to read online; copyright NHS England.
Bereavement and grief self-help guide
NHS inform (NHS 24, Scotland) · Guide · mixed · English
An online guide in steps that explains common reactions to bereavement and offers practical ways of coping. Free with no sign-up.
From a national NHS service and written for self-help.
For: Adults who want a guide they can work through at their own pace · Free to read online; copyright NHS 24.
Bereavement guide (CNTW)
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust · Guide · mixed · English, British Sign Language
A booklet on bereavement written by NHS clinical psychologists. It is available as a leaflet, an easy read version, audio and a BSL video.
Gentle, short and in formats that suit people who find reading hard while grieving.
For: Adults who want a short booklet, or would rather listen · Free to download; printed copies are sold to support the Trust's charity.
Grief worksheets
Therapist Aid · Worksheet · mixed · English, Spanish
Printable reflection and writing exercises for grief, such as remembering the person and noticing what helps. Some have Spanish versions.
Gentle, clinician-made prompts that work alone or with a counsellor.
For: People who find it helps to write about their loss · Standard PDFs free to download; copyright Therapist Aid LLC. A paid professional plan adds fillable versions.
Trauer bewältigen
Gesundheitsportal, Austrian Federal Ministry of Health · Website · psychoeducation · German
A German page on how grief can feel and what helps. It also points to support services in Austria.
Official public information in German.
For: German speakers, especially in Austria · Free to read online; copyright of the publisher.
Rouw: hoe leer je leven met verlies?
Thuisarts.nl (Dutch College of General Practitioners) · Website · psychoeducation · Dutch
Plain Dutch pages on living with loss and what can help. They also explain when it makes sense to see a GP.
Based on the guidelines Dutch GPs use.
For: Dutch speakers, and expats in the Netherlands who read Dutch · Free to read online; copyright Thuisarts.nl.
Verdriet
Trimbos-instituut (funded by the Dutch Ministry of Health) · Website · mixed · Dutch
A Dutch page on sadness and loss with practical ways to cope day to day. Part of the national mental health institute's self-help site.
Publicly funded and from a national institute.
For: Dutch speakers dealing with sadness or loss · Free to read online; copyright Trimbos-instituut.
Questions people ask
How long does grief last?
There is no set time. Grief often softens slowly and comes back in waves, around anniversaries or in unexpected moments. For some people it stays very intense for a long time and makes daily life hard. The NHS calls this prolonged grief, and it is a good reason to talk to a GP or counsellor.
How can I grieve when I live far from my family?
Distance can make grief lonelier, especially if you could not be there at the end or at the funeral. It may help to create your own small ritual, to share memories with family by phone or video, and to tell at least one person near you what has happened. Cruse also has information in several languages.
Is there a right way to grieve?
No. People grieve in different ways, shaped by personality, culture, faith and the relationship they had. Some cry often, some keep busy, some feel numb or even relieved. All of these can be part of grief. The resources here describe common experiences without asking you to follow a set path.