Grief support
Dealing with the death of a loved one is difficult. Grief support offers counseling, comfort, and education to help provide a safe space for expressing emotions and connecting with others. If you're struggling, don't be afraid to ask for help.
Urgent help
If you need urgent help, please contact the support lines below. Don't hesitate to reach out. Help is available.
Emergency or immediate risk: 000
24/7 Lifeline crisis support: 13 11 14
24/7 Kids Helpline (ages 5-25): 1800 551 800
Grief support lines
If you or someone you know is going through grief, remember that seeking support is a crucial part of the healing process. Whether through professional help, peer support groups, or personal reflection, these resources can offer valuable guidance.
These partner organisations may be able to provide additional support or resources.
Grief support lines
Grief Australia: 1800 642 066 http://www.grief.org.au/External site
Miscarriage Information Support Service Inc. (MISS) - https://www.miss.org.au/External site
The Compassionate Friends Victoria: 1300 064 068 (24/7 grief support line) https://www.compassionatefriendsvictoria.org.au/External site
Griefline: 1300 845 745 (Mon - Fri, 8am - 8pm) https://griefline.org.au/External site
Standby Support After Suicide: 1300 727 247 https://standbysupport.com.au/External site
Office of Australian War Graves: 1800 838 372 (Mon - Fri, 8:30am - 5pm) https://www.dva.gov.au/wargravesExternal site
RSL Victoria https://rslvic.com.au/External site
Blue Ribbon Foundation: (03) 9555 8000 https://remember.org.au/External site
Red Nose Grief and Loss: 1300 308 307 (24/7 grief and loss support line) https://rednosegriefandloss.org.au/External site
“[Grief] is the normal, natural and inevitable response to loss, and it can affect every part of our life, including our thoughts, behaviours, beliefs, feelings, physical health and our relationships with others.”
Community Care & Wellbeing Program
SMCT proudly supports our community through innovative and inclusive programs like the Community Care & Wellbeing (CCW) program. This program aims to help people through grief by providing:
- tools and resources
- wellbeing activities
- general-interest activities
- a safe space to connect our community to a broader support network
You are not alone in your journey through grief. If you are currently experiencing grief and are looking for more immediate support, "Navigating Grief," is a monthly small group session facilitated by a counsellor designed to create a safe space to share tools and support each other. Contact us to register now.
Recommended articles
Creating community and connection: Grieving Together Grief Retreat
- 12 September 2024
The annual retreat intends to bring together people to gain greater knowledge and understanding of grief and how to process it.
- Community Care & Wellbeing Program
- Events
5 reasons to try yoga or mindfulness to help you cope with grief
- 30 March 2022
For Carmel Arnold an out-of-the-blue encounter with yoga as a teenager was all she needed to fuel a lifelong passion.
Supporting community together: Miscarriage Information Support Service
- 8 October 2024
Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) has collaborated with Miscarriage Information Support Service (MISS) for many years, co-hosting events and creating an inclusive space to acknowledge miscarriage and early-pregnancy loss.
- Events
Dying to Know at SMCT
- 24 August 2023
In August, SMCT partnered with Grief Australia to host a ‘Death Café’ style event in honour of Dying to Know Day.
- Community Care & Wellbeing Program
10 ways to cope with your loved one's first anniversary of death
Small things like a song or a memory trip us up, and then there’s the big one—your loved one’s first anniversary of death.
How to support a grieving colleague
Supporting your grieving colleague can help make a very difficult time easier, but it can be very hard to know what to say or how to help. These are our tips.
Be kind to yourself
- 26 March 2025
Here are a few ways that you can begin to self-care and refill your cup. You can only be there for others when you yourself are ok.
Flowers and their meaning – one for every occasion
We dive into some of the meanings of different flowers so you can give an extra special flower arrangement for your next occasion.
Books to support the grieving process
“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.” ~ Mortimer J. Adler
Books to support the grieving process
- Dying to Know: Bringing Death to Life – Andrew Anastasios
- Coping with Grief - Mal & Dianne McKissock
- Stuck for Words - What to Say to Someone Who Is Grieving - Doris Zagdanski
- After Life, After You – S.K. Reid
Podcasts to support the grieving process
These podcasts speak about preparing for the grief process, how to process grief, and share the story of someone who has experienced their own grief.
Podcasts to support the grieving process
- Podcast: Unlocking Us – Brené BrownExternal site, Episode: David Kessler and Brené on Grief and Finding MeaningExternal site
- Podcast: ABC Conversations with Richard Fidler, Sarah KanowskiExternal site, Episode: Author Cheryl Strayed's journey of grief through the American wildExternal site
- Podcast: The Thing About Advanced CancerExternal site, Episode: Caring for Someone in Their Last MonthsExternal site
- Podcast: Conscious ConvosExternal site, Episode EP17. Dealing with Death, Dying & Grief with Christina ReevesExternal site
- Podcast: Beautiful grief, Episode: Ep.02 Behind beautiful grief: Healing through connection
- Podcast: Hong Kong ConfidentialExternal site, Episode: Grappling with griefExternal site
- Podcast: The On Being ShowExternal site, Episode: Living the Questions; It's really settling in now, the losses large and smallExternal site. Episode: On Being with Krista Tippett. Pauline Boss: Navigating Loss Without ClosureExternal site
- Podcast: Thoughtful Travel Podcast, Episode: On Grief and Travel | Episode: Grief, Travel and Change
Customer stories
Embracing normality during grief: How the Start Family honour Matthew Start
- 7 August 2024
Phill and Sharon Start, share with us their experience after losing their eldest son, Matthew ‘Starty’ Start, to bowel cancer in 2016.
- Customer stories
Home is where the heart is present – Te Okatai’s Story
- 20 October 2023
Te “Tai” Okatai’s grief and healing journey has not been easy as she continues to learn how to navigate the loss of her husband, best friend, and confidante, Musician Tom Lindsay.
- Customer stories
Reflection by the lake: In memory of Delores Stanley
- 11 May 2023
“We’ve come here tonight to celebrate and bring all our food because we wanted to sit with her [Delores] and celebrate tonight,” she says.
- Customer stories
Denis McCormack’s story: Finding a forever resting place for your loved ones
- 17 July 2023
‘There’s a feeling that you’re in the present but you’re also in a sacred place,’ Denis reflects.
- Customer stories