Community Grief Services
Immediate Support
Reach Out 24/7: If you feel that you might benefit from more immediate support please consider connecting with the Reach Out Program which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Reach Out 24/7 support line via webchat (https://reachout247.ca/) or by telephone 519-433-2023 (toll-free 1-866-933-2023).
24/7 Support Line – CMHA Thames Valley
The Support Line provides confidential listening and support to individuals 16+ any time of day or night. Whether you are anxious, depressed, lonely, overwhelmed or just need to talk something through with someone, you will find a supportive and caring person at our end of the line.
Call 519-601-8055
CMHA Mental Health and Addictions Walk-in Centres
https://cmhatv.ca/find-help/in-person-walk-in-options/
Medical / Employment-Related Support
We always recommend that you discuss your circumstances with your doctor so they are aware of what you are going through. They can assist with monitoring your mental health and possibly provide referrals and suggestions to other counselling professionals.
TeleCBT is a Canadian online counselling service that specializes in the use of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Requires a referral from a physician.
Do you have supports available through your workplace? It is worthwhile to see if your employer will assist with the costs of individual counselling and/or if they offer an EAP (Employee Assistance Program.) The EAP program may not be able to provide grief specific support, but often can provide some initial general support which you may find helpful.
Additional Group Support Options
If our group options don’t appear to be a fit for your situation, consider contacting one of the following.
Journey Through Loss
Website: journeythroughloss.ca
Phone: 519-782-5515
Group Grief Support at Forest Lawn Funeral Home in London
Anyone in the community is welcome to attend.
Call 519-455-9343 to RSVP before attending.
St. Joseph’s Hospice – Sarnia
If you are from the Sarnia Lambton Community we recommend connecting with St. Joseph’s Hospice Resource Centre who offer a variety of helpful resources and groups.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 519-337-0537 x 126
Community & Supportive Care Programs – St. Joseph’s Hospice of London
https://www.sjhospicelondon.com/hospice-programs
For those who have experienced a loss due to illness within two years, and are a resident of London, eighteen years and older.
Contact: [email protected]
Phone: 519-931-3474
Caring Hearts Support Network (Woodstock)
https://www.caringheartssupportnetwork.com/grief-support
[email protected]
519-536-3370
Gilda’s Club
Cancer Support Groups for adults, teens, and kids (includes bereavement groups)
https://www.gildasclubtoronto.org/our-programs
Call 1-416-214-9898
Email [email protected]
Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network (PAIL) – offers a variety of virtual peer-support services and a variety of online resources. There are general groups as well as groups that are loss specific such as 1st Trimester, 2nd Trimester, 3rd Trimester, Pregnancy Termination, Infant/Neonatal Death, and SIDS.
This organization is based in Toronto and provides services to parents and family members who are residents of Ontario.
General Website: https://pailnetwork.sunnybrook.ca/
List of Groups & Supports: https://pailnetwork.sunnybrook.ca/programs-for-parents/
PAIL Network also creates booklets and handouts that may provide additional information about the unique grief and care needs that often accompany pregnancy and infant loss. Booklets are free to families. To access the booklets, please visit: https://pailnetwork.sunnybrook.ca/resource-library/
Baby’s Breath Canada – Baby’s Breath is Canada’s only national foundation focused on SIDS, and more recently also dedicated to reducing all sudden and unexpected infant deaths including stillbirths.
For more information, and to request a Bereavement Package, please visit: https://www.babysbreathcanada.ca/
Suicide Loss / Loss by Overdose Support
CMHA Thames Valley
Bereavement Services through CMHA Thames Valley are available to anyone grieving the loss of a loved one as a result of suicide or an overdose.
Website: https://cmhatv.ca/
Email: [email protected]
Heartache 2 Hope
Heartache2Hope offers support to survivors of suicide loss in Halton and the surrounding communities.
Phone: 905.599.HOPE (4673)
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://heartache2hope.com/
9-8-8 Canada’s Suicide Crisis Helpline
Call or text 9-8-8
Visit https://988.ca/
MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying Death) Support
Bridge C-14
Offers Support Groups for Individuals Grieving a MAiD Death.
General Website: www.bridgec14.org
Link to Bridge C-14 Support Options: www.bridgec14.org/maid-family-meetups
Email for more information: [email protected]
Individual Grief Counselling
We do not provide clinical counselling or therapy; if you are interested in this type of support we suggest contacting the following organizations or therapists that specialize in grief and bereavement support:
Daya Counselling Centre
Website: dayacounselling.on.ca
Phone: (519) 434-0077
Family Service Thames Valley
Website: https://fstv.ca/counselling-services/
Phone: 519-433-0183
Offers a free single-session 60 minute counselling session.
Inner Sojourn (Patti Broadfoot) RSW
Website: https://www.innersojourn.net/services
Phone: (226) 270-5028
Email: [email protected]
Irish Dhindsa (RP, Q)
Website: https://irishoakwellness.com/
Phone: (289) 799-3226
Melissa Krawecki, RSW, RP, M.p.ED., B.A., D.S.W.
https://www.krawecki.com/
519-914-3390
Grief Support for Kids and Teens
VON Kid’s Circle – provides grief support to the youngest members of our community. They help children and teens aged 4 through 12 who are experiencing the death of a loved one.
VON Teen Circle – available to clients between 13 and 18 years old.
VON offers age-appropriate bereavement support activities and education that help the child grieve while giving them the tools needed for healthy grieving. They focus on the unique needs of each child, providing no-cost group support in an environment where they can feel safe to share their feelings.
Families can choose to have visits take place at the child’s school, in hospital, at home or in a child-friendly space at the VON office.
Call 519-659-2273 for more information.
Centre for Grief and Healing
Offers up to 12 individual peer support sessions for children and youth ages 6-17.
Phone: 905-848-4337
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.bereavedfamilies.ca/childrenteensandyouth
Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, multilingual and confidential support to help all young people Feel Out Loud.
Call 1-800-668-6868 (24/7)
Text CONNECT to 686868
Live Chat: kidshelpphone.ca/live-chat-counselling (7PM-midnight ET)
Website: www.kidshelpphone.ca/
Lighthouse for Grieving Children & Families
Lighthouse peer support groups are offered for children, youth and young adults ages 3-24 years, at no cost to families. Grief-related themes are explored through talk circles, games, expressive arts activities, and play, led by professional staff and trained volunteers.
Lighthouse offers online support groups for those who cannot attend in-person or who would prefer to participate from home.
https://lighthousegriefsupport.org/
905-337-2333
[email protected]
Child Life Services
Emma Corke, B.A, MSc, CCLS
Certified Child Life Specialist
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sousa-associates.com
Cell Phone Number: (519) 870-2907
Offers various grief-specific interventions and strategies to children ages 0-17 and their parents or caregivers.
Homicide Loss Support
- Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime
Offers a virtual monthly Homicide Support Group
https://crcvc.ca/how-we-help/homicide-support-group/
To sign up, please email [email protected] or call, toll-free, at 1-877-232-2610.
Support for Seniors
CMHA Friendly Callers
The Friendly Callers Seniors Support Program and Friendly Callers 2SLGBTQ+ Seniors Support Program supports older adults in communities across Middlesex, including London, Elgin, and Oxford Counties. The program participants are matched with a trained volunteer who will provide weekly check-ins, supportive listening and assist with access to community and social support. Support is available in English and French.
https://cmhatv.ca/friendly-callers/
519-434-9191 x2223
Tel-Check (Family Counselling Centre Sarnia-Lambton)
Tel-Check is a phone check-in service that provides a daily telephone call to older adults, seniors, and persons with disabilities.
These calls provide folks with social connection, emotional support and can help ensure their safety by providing medication reminders and daily reasons to answer the phone.
Call 519-336-3000.
Pet Loss Support
Ontario Pet Loss – virtual pet loss peer support groups – https://ontariopetloss.org/
Pet Loss and Grief Support Resources –
https://www.pawswithwingslondon.com/grief-resource