Local Organizations for Suicide Survivors
• Cedar Valley Hospice [link]
• Continuous Care Suppprt Groups [Phone 319-505-3048]
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention/Survivors Support Group [link]
National Organizations for Suicide Survivors
• Alliance of Hope for Suicide Survivors [link]
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention [link]
• Open to Hope—Finding Hope After Loss [link]
• Suicide.org [link]
Red Bird Ministries [link]
• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors [link]
• Help for Survivors. Mary's Shortcut blog [link]
Online Resources for Suicide Survivors
• Interview with Fr. Ron Rolheiser [link]
• Archive of Fr. Rolheiser’s weekly syndicated columns about suicide [link]
• "The Aftermath of a Suicide". Jill Smoot. Open to Hope. February, 2016 [link]
• Catholic Resources for Suicide Survivors. BustedHalo. [link]
• "The Church’s View of Suicide". Kimberly Heatherington. Our Sunday Visitor. February 2007
[link]
• "Coping With the Loss of a Teen by Suicide". Gloria Horsley. Open to Hope. January, 2018 [link]
• "Depression and Suicide--A Catholic Perspective". Aaron Keriaty. National Catholic Register.
Oct. 11, 2014. [link]
• "Divine Mercy After Suicide". Fr. Chris Altar. DivineMercy.org [link]
• "Experiencing Suicide Bereavement with the Help of the Sacraments." Christine Grant. BustedHalo.
March 10, 2021. [link]
• "Four Things That Need to Be Said About Suicide." Fr. Ronald Rolheiser. June 20, 2022. [link]
• "Grief Doesn't Have Five Stages". Suchandrika Chakrabarti. Unconventional Wisdom. Sept. 5, 2018.
[link]
• "Grieving a Loved One's Loss to Suicide". Bishop John Dolan. Busted Halo. [link]
• "Help for Those Grieving a Suicide". Family Life [link]
• "How Are You Doing?—A Family’s Way of Checking In". Stewart Farrell. Tragedy Assistance
Program for Survivors. April 2018 [link]
• "How to Move Through Grief As Grief Moves Through You." Elizabeth Gilbert. BrainPickings
[link]
• "How to Move Through Grief As Grief Moves Through You." Elizabeth Gilbert. TED Interview
[link]
• How the Church's Presence Helps survivors cope. Kevin Beck. Where Peter Is. 11.09.23 [link]
• "Is Suicide a Sin?" Scott Alessi. U.S. Catholic. October 2014 [link]
• "It's OK to Be Angry With God". J. Todd Billings. Christianity Today. December 28, 2018. [link]
• "Mercy for Suicide Victims". Msgr. M. Francis Mannion. Our Sunday Visitor. November 2011
[link]
• "On Suicide and Despair". Fr. Ronald Rolheiser. [link]
• "Prayer Journey Through Grief." Elizabeth Elliott. BustedHalo. Nov. 4, 2013. [link]
• "Sheryl Sandberg's Advice for Grieving". Rebecca Rosen. The Atlantic. April 28,2017. [link]
• "Seven Things to Know About Suicide." Fr. Ronald Rolheiser. St. Anthony Messenger. [link]
• "Surviving Suicide". Scott Alessi. U.S. Catholic. October 2014.
• Three Strategies for Coping With Sorrow and Tragedy. Lucy Hone. Idea.Ted.com [link]
• "Understanding Suicide. Rebecca Rosen. [link]
• "What Needs to Be Said Over and Over About Suicide." Fr. Ronald Rolheiser. [link]
• We're Learning a Lot About Suicide. The New York Times [link]
• What You Tell the Children Is Important. Jesse Bering. Aeon. February 14, 2019 [link]
Resources for Family and Friends
• Q&A--What You Should Know About Grief [link]
• "Coping With A Suicide--Catholic Teaching and Pastoral Response". Archdiocese of
Indianapolis. [link]
• "Divine Mercy After Suicide." Fr. Chris Altar MIC. DivineMercy.org. [link]
• "Dos and Don'ts for Comforting Grieving Families After a Suicide". Dawn Anderson. The
Christian Post. [link]
• "Five Things You Should Never Say to Someone Who's Grieving." Gemma Hartley. Aleteia. May,
2018 [link]
• "Friends Through It All." Andy Otto. BustedHalo. September 11, 2017 [link]
• "God's Purpose In Your Pain. Rick Warren. Plough. 03.03.23 [link]
• "Helping a Suicide Survivor Heal." Dr. Alan Wolfelt. Center for Loss and Life Transition. April,
2016 [link]
• "How Not to Help a Friend in Sorrow." Maria Popaova. Brain Pickings. 12.20.20 [link]a
• How to Console a Suicide Survivor in Despair. David Brooks. The New York Times. 02.09.23
[link]
• "How to Cope With Grief" Interview with Emily Adams. August, 2018. [link]
• "Reaching Out to Survivors of Suicide". Mary Arrington. CBN [link]
• "Suicide and the Grieving People in the Pews". Letitia Adams. Our Sunday Visitor January 16,
2019 [link]
• "What to Say and Not to Say to Someone Who's Grieving.:" The New York Times. 02.17.19 [link]
• "What To Say to Someone Who Lost a Parent or Loved One." Matt Berical. Fatherly. 01.17.20
[link]
• What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say--In Times of Grief, Heartache and Crisis. H.
Norman Wright. Harvest House. 2014 [link]
• "Why Suicide Death Is Different." Victor M. Parachin. The Priest. November 2015 [link]
Published Resources for Adult Survivors
• After Suicide (Christian Care Books). John H. Hewitt. Westminister/John Knox Press. 1980
[link]
• After Suicide--There's Still Hope for Them and You. Fr. Christ Alar. Marian Press. 2019. [link]
• And She Was a Christian--Why Do Believers Commit Suicide? Peter Preus. Northwestern. 2011
[link]
• Bruised and Wounded--Struggling to Understand Suicide. Fr. Ron Rolheiser. Paraclete Press.
2017 [link]
• A Fierce Goodbye--Living in the Shadow of Suicide. C. Lloyd and Gwendolyn Carr. Herald
Press. 2004. [link]
• Forgiveness Is a Choice: A Step-By-Step Process for Resolving Anger and Restoring Hope.
Robert Enright. American Psychological Assn. 2001 [link]
• The Forgiving Life--A Pathway to Overcoming Resentment and Creating a Legacy of Love.
Robert Enright. American Psychological Assn. 2012 [link]
• Healing Your Suicide Grief--Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart. Alan D. Wolfelt. Companion Press 2009 [link]
• Live and Forget--Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve. Lewis B. Smedes. HarperOne. 2007.
[link]
• Aftershock—Help, Hope and Healing in the Aftermath of a Suicide. Candy Neely Arlington.
B&H Books. 2003 [link]
• Bruised and Wounded—Struggling to Understand Suicide. Fr. Ron Rolheiser. Paraclete Press.
2017 [link]
• The Cure for Sorrow--A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief. Jan Richardson. Wanton Gospeller
Press. 2016 [link]
• Dying to Be Free—A Healing Guide for Families After a Suicide. Beverly Cobain. Hazelton. 2005
[link]
• Facing Forgiveness--A Catholic's Guide to Letting Go of Anger and Welcoming Reconciliation.
Loughlan Sofield. Ave Maria Press. 2007 [link]
• The Forgiveness Book. Alice Camille and Paul Boudreau. ACTA Publications. 2008. [link]
• Fierce Goodbye—Living in the Shadow of Suicide. G. Lloyd Carr. Herald Press. 2004 [link]
• Finding Peace Without All the Pieces—After a Loved One’s Suicide. LaRita Archibold. Book
Baby. 2011 [link]
• Forgiveness--A Catholic Approach. R. Scott Hurd. Pauline Books. 2011 [link]
• The Geography of God's Mercy. Patrick Hannon. ACTA Publications. 2007 [link]
• The Gift of Second—Healing from the Impact of Suicide. Brandy Lidbeck. Gift Publishers. 2016
[link]
• God Is Enough—Losing My Husband to Suicide. M.E. Lewis. Bublish. 2017 [link]
• God Knows You're Grieving. Joan Guntzelman. Ave Maria Press. 2001 [link]
• Good Grief. Granger Westberg. Fortress Press. 2010 [link]
• Grieving A Suicide—A Loved One’s Search for Comfort, Answers and Hope. Albert Hsu. IVP
Books. 2017 [link]
• How to Survive Your Child's Suicide. Louisa Langford. Right to the Heart Press. 2013 [link]
• It's OK That You're Not OK. Megan Devine.Sounds True. 2017. [link]
• Journey Through the Shadows—Hope for Healing After Some You Love Has Died by Suicide.
DVD. Paraclete Press. 2011 [link]
• May You Find Comfort. Sr. Joyce Rupp. Ave Maria Press. 2010 [link]
• No Time to Say Goodbye—Surving the Suicide of a Loved One. Carla Fine. Main Street Books.
2011 [link]
• One Day He Beckoned—One Woman’s Story. Ave Maria Press. 2004 [link]
• Praying Our Goodbyes—A Spiritual Companion Through Life’s Losses and Sorrows. Sr. Joyce
Rupp. Ave Maria Press. 2013 [link]
• Processing Through Grief—Guided Exercises to Understand Your Emotions and Recover From
Loss. Stephanie Jose. Althea Press. 2016 [link]
• Reclaiming Loss—Faith, Hope and Suicide. DVD. Paraclete Press [link]
• Shattered—From Grief to Joy After My Son’s Suicide. Rebecca Tervo. Amazon Digital Services.
2017 [link]
• Sparrow--A Book of Life and Death and Life. Jan Richardson. Wanton Gospeller Press. 2029
[link]
• The Unwanted Blessing. Jim Stallings. Resource Publications. 2018. [link]
• When a Loved Ones Dies by Suicide--Comfort, Hope and Healing for Grieving Catholics.
Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. 2020. [link]
• Without God and the Church I Wouldn't Have Survived. Letitia Ochoa Adams. National
Catholic Reporter. [link]
Resources for Children and Youth
• And God Cried Too--A Kid's Book of Healing and Hope. Marc Gellman. Harper Trophy. 2008. [link]
• Badger's Parting Gifts. Susan Varley. Harper. 1984. [link]
• But I Didn't Say Goodbye--Helping Children and Families After a Suicide. Barbara Rubel. Griefwork
Center. 2009 [link]
• The Day Abigail's Father Decided to Live With the Angels. Jamie Gallo. Jamie Gallo. 2016. [link]
• Cry Heart, But Never Break. Greg Ringtved. Enchanted Lion Books. 2016. [link]
• Everett Anderson's Goodbye. Lucille Clifton. Square Fish. 1988. [link]
• Everywhere, Still--A Book About Loss, Grief, and the Way Love Continues. M.H. Clark. Compendium. [link]
• The Brightest Star. Kathleen Marish Hemery. Centering Corp. 1998. [link]
• Finding the Words—How to Talk With Children and Teens About Death, Suicide, Homicide. Alan
Wolfeld. Companion Press. 2013. [link]
• Gentle Willow—A Story for Children About Dying. Joyce C. Mills. Magination Press. 2003 [link]
• Help Me Say Goodbye--Activities for Helping Kids Cope When a Special Person Dies. Janis
Silverman. Fairview Books. 1999. [link]
• Helping Kids in Crisis. Joe Hittner. St. Mary Press. 2006 [link]
• I Miss You--A First Look at Death. Pat Thomas. Barrons Educational Series. 2001 [link]
• I Wish I Could Hold Your Hand--A Child's Guide to Grief and Loss. Pat Palmer. Impact Publishers. 1994 [link]
• The Invisible String. Patrice Karst. Devorss & Co. 2000. [link]
• Lost and Found--A Kid's Book for Living Through Loss. Marc Gellmand and Thomas Hartman.
HarperCollins. 1999 [link]
• The Memory Box--A Book About Grief. Joanna Rowland. Sparkhouse Family. 2017 [link]
• The Next Place. Warren Hanson. Waldman House Press. 1997 [link]
• Samantha Jane's Missing Smile--A Story About Coping with the Loss of a Parent. Judy Kaplow.
Magination Press. 2007 [link]
• Something Very Sad Happened--A Toddler's Guide to Understanding Death. Bonnie Zucker.
Magination Press. 2016 [link]
• Someone I Loved Died. Christine Harder Tangvald. David C. Cook. 2012 [link]
• Sunflowers and Rainbows for Tia--Saying Goodbye to Daddie. Alesia Alexander. Centering Corp.
1999 [link]
• Time to Say Goodbye--Grief Activity Book for Kids and Their Families. Twenty-Third Publications. 2021
[link]
• What's Heaven? Maria Shriver. Golden Books. 2007 [link]
• When A Friend Dies—A Book for Teens About Grieving and Healing. Marilyn Gootman. Free Spirit
Publishing. 2005. [link]
• Why Bad Things Happen. Christina Worms. CreateSpace. 2015. [link]
• Why Would Someone Want to Die? Rebecca Schmidt. National Center for Youth Issues. 2007
[link]
Last Update: 07.14.20