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To the Newly Bereaved

When your child has died, suddenly it seems like all meaning has been drained from your existence. When you wake in the morning, it’s difficult to get out of bed, much less live a “normal” life. All that was right with the world now seems wrong and you’re wondering when, or if, you’ll ever feel better. We’ve been there ourselves and understand some of the pain you are feeling right now.

We are truly glad that you have found us but profoundly saddened by the reason. We know that you are trying to find your way in a bewildering experience for which no one can truly be prepared.

When you’re newly bereaved, suddenly you find yourself on an emotional roller-coaster where you have no idea what to expect next. Here are thoughts on some of what you may be experiencing or feeling (many will also apply to bereaved siblings and grandparents):

Psychological

Emotional

Physical

Family & Social

Finding the “New Me”
When you’re newly bereaved, you don’t see how you can put one foot in front of the other, much less survive this loss. You’ll never “recover” from your loss nor will you ever find that elusive “closure” they talk of on TV—but eventually you will find the “new me.” You will never be the same person you were before your child died. It may be hard to believe now, but in time and with the hard work of grieving, you will one day think about the good memories of when your child lived more so than the unspeakable memories of how your child died. You will even smile and, yes, laugh again someday—as hard to believe as that may seem.

When attending a meeting of The Compassionate Friends, you will be able to listen and learn from others who are further down the grief road than you. They will have made it through that first birthday, first death anniversary, first holiday, and so many other firsts that you have not yet reached. You will learn coping skills from other bereaved parents who, like you, never thought they’d survive. There are no strangers at TCF meetings—only friends you have yet to meet.

More than 50,000 people a month find the support they are seeking through meetings of The Compassionate Friends. Please check our Chapter Locator on our national website for the nearest TCF Chapter. Or call the National Office toll free at 877-969-0010 and we’ll be happy to give you a referral to the closest chapter. We have many other ways of providing support including our national website, Online Support Community including the addition of many closed Facebook groups; our national magazine We Need Not Walk Alone, available online; our monthly online e-newsletter which talks about the organization and its events; our TCF/USA open Facebook page with over 250,000 members; our Worldwide Candle Lighting the second Sunday of each December; and our annual national conference which includes our Walk to Remember. We will be here as long as you need us. Even though you are newly bereaved and the road is long, we invite you to walk with us for as long as the journey takes.

This brochure sponsored by Richard and Bonnie Szczepaniak
in loving memory of
Bradley Scott Szczepaniak and
Angela Dawn Szczepaniak-Kendall

© 2016 The Compassionate Friends, USA

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