What is Grief Collective?

Grief Collective is a blog and resource for people experiencing grief and loss. It was founded on the notion that, while we may all experience grief at different times and in different ways, it is a universal experience and it needs community support and education.

Our mission

To de-stigmatize grief and loss, and promote wellness and healing through community.

Grief collective is…

Trauma-informed. Grief is often the result of a traumatic event or loss, and there are several spaces on the internet dedicated to processing trauma by sharing detailed experiences. Grief Collective is not one of them. While this kind of processing can be helpful and healing for many, it is also triggering for some. Content will be curated to ensure safety for Grief Collective readers.

Hopeful—not toxically positive. Grief is awful, painful, and for many, debilitating beyond comprehension. Sometimes, when we aren’t talking about those hard parts here, it can seem like we’re making light of things. This is never the intention. We oppose the toxic positivity that says things like “It’ll be okay” when it won’t be. Our goal is to make space for the not-okayness - while trying to still take an overall hopeful approach that healing is possible in the long-term.

Candid about death. One of the best ways to de-stigmatize something scary is to talk about it. The subject of death is discussed on Grief Collective (in a trauma-informed manner) to help reduce fear and anxiety surrounding it, covering topics from hospice to bereavement leave to posthumous logistics.

Non-denominational, but not anti-religion. Grief Collective is not affiliated with any religious denomination, and content will not be shared from a religious angle. We still very much respect the religious choices of all community members and do not wish to change minds. We value the autonomy of personal beliefs, and we recognize that these beliefs can bring comfort in grieving.

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Emily is a midwest-based 30-something, whose first brush with grief was in 7th grade, when a close friend experienced an unexpected loss that changed their lives overnight. Later she lost her father to cancer at 19 and experienced it first-hand. She started Grief Collective in 2016, hoping to create the content and community she wished she'd had.