Grief and loss support

Grief can be a response to many situations when living with a chronic illness, such as living with the realities of a diagnosis or anticipating the loss of a loved one.

Grief is a natural response to loss and can affect us in many ways:

Grief can affect our emotions and may include a wide range of feelings, such as sadness, anger or guilt.

Grief can affect us physically and mentally, for example disturbing our sleep or making it hard to focus.

Grief can affect us socially and spiritually, sometimes making us want to withdraw from others or question our beliefs about the world.

On This Page

Watch an introductory guide to grief

View grief and bereavement support organisations

Access resources to help with grief and loss

Join our Mighty Hearts community to pay tribute

"In my experience, everyone experiences grief and loss differently and this is particularly true when you are living with a chronic health condition or supporting others going through this experience. Often people cope with grief in their own ways and in their own time. Additional support can be helpful if you feel like you're struggling to cope. There are a number of services that specialise in helping families impacted by grief. I'd encourage you to reach out to one of these organisations to find out how they can help you to navigate the challenges you're experiencing and support you to feel less alone in your grief."

Nathan MacArthur

Grief Counsellor and Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, Sydney Grief Counselling Services.

Website: https://sydneygriefcounselling.com/

Watch more videos from Sydney Grief Counselling

Related Resources

There are many services available to support individuals and families through grief and loss, including the organisations listed below:

Grief and Bereavement Support Services

Griefline - Supporting Australians in their grief by providing space to be heard without judgement, and offering hope and healing after loss. Offering free telephone counselling, an online community, programs, tools and strategies.
Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement - Providing support for bereaved and grieving Australians for over 22 years, offering a Bereavement Practitioner Directory, a free MyGrief app, support groups, programs and resources.
GriefLink - Provides information for people who are dealing with the grief caused by the death of someone close to them, and for those who are supporting them. Includes free resources about different experiences of grief, the feelings and reactions that may be experienced, and strategies that can help.
The Compassionate Friends Australia - A mutual self-help bereavement organisation, where members offer friendship and reach out to parents, siblings and grandparents to support them in their grief and trauma, following the death of a child at any age and from any cause.
National Association for Grief and Loss - Provides services to individuals, families and communities through its free Grief Support phone service, resources, workshops, training and events to enhance wellbeing and promote resilience following loss, grief, trauma and adverse life events.
Headspace - The National Youth Mental Health Foundation provides mental health services to 12-25-year-olds. Supporting young people with mental health, physical health, alcohol and other drug services, work and study support, via free phone and online support services.
National Centre for Childhood Grief - Provides a safe environment where bereaved children and their families are encouraged to share their experiences and learn how to integrate grief into their everyday lives. NCCG offers free counselling for bereaved children, group programs, camps, resources and a blog.

Grief Support for Children and Adolescents

Kids' Helpline - Australia’s free (even from a mobile), confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. Qualified counsellors are available via WebChat, phone or email anytime and for any reason.
Trauma and Grief Network - Offering free resources to help caregivers understand and respond to the diverse needs of children and adolescents experiencing trauma, loss and/or grief. Resources include research, brochures, fact sheets, newsletters and videos.
Headspace - The National Youth Mental Health Foundation provides early intervention mental health services to 12-25-year-olds. Supporting young people with mental health, physical health, alcohol and other drug services, work and study support, via free phone and online support services.
National Centre for Childhood Grief - Provides, through its programs, a safe environment where bereaved children and their families are encouraged to share their experiences and learn how to integrate grief into their everyday lives. NCCG offers free counselling for bereaved children, group programs, camps, resources and a blog.
Good Grief - Developer of Seasons for Growth - a small group, loss and grief education program, which has expanded to meet the needs of both children and adults. The programs and resources assist those adjusting to significant life events that have triggered experiences of change, loss and grief.
Feel the Magic- Provides early intervention grief education programs for kids aged 7 to 17, who are experiencing pain and isolation due to the death of a parent, guardian, or sibling. Offers free camps, programs, resources and a community of families with lived-experience to help kids heal after the death of a family member.

Rare Disease Support Organisations

Rare Voices - The national peak body for Australians living with a rare disease. RVA provides a unified voice to advocate for policy as well as health, disability and other systems that work for people living with a rare disease.
Genetic Alliance Australia - A charity providing peer support and information for individuals and families affected by rare genetic conditions and rare disease.
Syndromes Without a Name - Providing information, support and systemic advocacy for families caring for a child with an undiagnosed or rare genetic condition, including a free information service.

Grief, loss and bereavement

Video

This event focused on grief, loss and bereavement. It was led by Wendy Liu, a Specialist Grief Counsellor, Couple & Family Therapist, and Accredited Mental Health Social Worker. This event was recorded in 2022. Visit our website to listen to or read about this event.

Related resources

Find support for adults
Find support for children

We understand that this topic may bring up strong emotions. If you need support, please contact us at supportservices@mito.org.au or call our Helpline on 1300 977 180.

Grief and chronic illness conversation

Video

This event focussed on the emotional challenges of chronic illness. It was led by Nathan MacArthur, an experienced grief counsellor. This event was recorded on Wednesday 9 October 2024. It is available to watch, listen or read about.

Related resources

Find support for adults: www.mito.org.au/find-support-adult/
Find support for children: www.mito.org.au/find-support-child/

We understand that this topic may bring up strong emotions. If you need support, please reach out to us at supportservices@mito.org.au or call our Helpline on 1300 977 180.

Managing grief during the holidays

Webpage

The holiday season is usually a time to celebrate with family and friends. But for those in our mito community dealing with grief, it can be a particularly challenging time.

This webpage will share a few tips to help manage during the holidays.

Disclaimer: Resources provided by the Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation Limited (Mito Foundation), offers general information and is not a substitute for medical advice. It is essential to assess the suitability of the content for your individual circumstances and make decisions based on your medical condition. The information’s accuracy is subject to change, and we do not guarantee ongoing currency or availability. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, Mito Foundation is not obligated to provide updated information. The copyright for this document and its content belongs to, or is licensed to, Mito Foundation, and reproduction without prior written consent is prohibited.

Author(s): Mito Foundation
Version: 1
Last reviewed: February 2025