Local and National Group Grief Support Groups

This support list is provided courtesy of Erlewein Mortuary & Crematory in Greenfield, Indiana and is updated at least annually.

Local Grief Support Organizations

Adult Grief Support

Drop-In Grief Support Group – Suburban Hospice – Greenfield

In this FREE, weekly drop-in group, we welcome everyone who is experiencing grief as a result of losing a loved one.  Come be with others who are traveling the same road.  The group is designed as a drop-in group so that participants can be free to come whenever they need support-no commitment required.  For more information and to find out about the time and place, please call or email Chaplain Katherine Murray for more information (317) 468-4124 or [email protected].

GriefShare Group

GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences.  You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone.  Thousands of GriefShare support groups meet weekly in your area.  Visit or join a group at anytime and attend many meetings as you like.  Find a GriefShare support group or event near you: https://www.griefshare.org/

Knightstown Friends Church offering GriefShare Group

Grief Share is a faith-based grief and recovery seminar meeting throughout the year at Knightstown Friends Church in Knightstown, Indiana.

A one-time stand alone group on Saturday, March 16, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. until Noon for adults who have lost a spouse. The agenda features fellowship, light refreshment, videos, and discussion. The cost is $5 for materials (workbook) and, if cost is prohibitive, there are “scholarships” available.

To find out more information or register for this seminar, visit the Knightstown Friends website (ktownfriends.com) or going to GriefShare.org (find our group by zip code 46148, Knightstown Friends). If you want to talk to a person, call or text Jennifer Cochrane at 317-696-0785 or email: [email protected].

Knightstown Friends Church is located at 214 E. Brown St., Knightstown, IN 46148.

IU Health Bereavement Services

Indiana University Health offers many bereavement services at no charge. IU Health’s Bereavement Services include Anticipatory Grief Support, Bereavement Support Groups, Grief Counseling After the Loss of a Child, Grief Counseling for Hospice Patients, Grief Counseling for Families of Hospice Patients, and Grief Counseling for Friends and Extended Family. In addition to these services, IU Health also offers Specialized Grief Workshops, Telephone Consultations, and Grief Educational Materials. To find out more about IU Health’s Bereavement Services, contact Bonita Stone at (317) 962-1797 or Sarah Danz at (317) 948-1703 or visit www.iuhealth.org/patient-family-support/suppor-care/bereavement

Community Health Network Grief and Bereavement Services

Community Health Network (InTouch Bereavement) offers a continuum of grief and loss support services..

InTouch Bereavement offers free support to adults grieving the death of a loved one, through individual counseling, support groups, specialty events, memorial services and more. Facilitated grief support groups provide a safe space to share common experiences and feelings with others in the grieving process.

Our team provides opportunities for a variety of loss situations to support you on your journey including the following:

Support Groups for Loss

In-Person Groups (6-Week)

In-person support groups now available! Groups run for six consecutive weeks. Groups are free, but registration is required (maximum 8 participants per group). To register, please call 317-621-4646 or email Julie at [email protected].

Loss of Parent

Tuesday evenings, 6 to 8 p.m.

July 25 - August 29, 2023

Community Health Pavilion Washington, 7910 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46219

General Grief and Loss

Wednesday afternoons, 1 to 3 p.m.

July 26 - August 30, 2023

Community Health Pavilion Saxony, 13121 Olio Road, Fishers, IN 46037

Virtual Groups

Please email [email protected] or call 317-621-4646 if you would like to schedule an individual virtual counseling session with a grief counselor. Remember, all our bereavement support is FREE.

Our virtual support groups are safe, confidential, and open to anyone in the community. Please see the virtual schedule below. Go to www.ecommunity.com/services/post-acute-care/in-touch-grief-bereavement, find the virtual group you’d like to join, then click the JOIN link to attend the meeting when it's time. Virtual group times are as follows:

Loss of Sibling 

First Monday of the month, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Loss of Spouse or Significant Other; Widow/widower

Tuesdays, 1 to 3 p.m.

Loss of Parent

Thursdays, 6 to 8 p.m

Loss of Adult Child

Fridays, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

For more information or bereavement support, call 317-621-4646 or e-mail us at [email protected].

Grief Support - St. Francis Hospice

(South-side location) Open to anyone, no fee.  To register, or for additional bereavement support, contact Karla Riggs Norton at (317) 528-2636 or (800) 390-9915.

  • Bereavement Lunch Group: Meets every Wednesday at noon at 8778 Madison Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227. This larger group usually averages around 30 people. No registration is required.
  • Six-week Support Groups: Our bereavement support groups cover topics such as physical effects of grief, emotional impact, sleep difficulties, utilizing available resources beyond group, loneliness, depression, anger, holiday coping and hope for the future. Start dates vary throughout the year. Contact Karla Riggs Norton at (317) 528-2636 for group start dates. This group meets at the Franciscan Hospice House located at 8414 Franciscan Lane, Indianapolis, IN 46237.
  • Mens Group – Tuesday Mornings, weekly, 10:30AM to noon. at the Franciscan Hospice House located at 8414 Franciscan Lane, Indianapolis, IN 46237.

Promedica/Heartland Hospice - Bereavement Support Groups

ProMedica/Heartland Hospice currently offers two grief support group opportunities for youth and adults grieving the loss of a loved one. All group sessions are FREE and open to the public. The first is a tele-conference grief support offered once a month. It is held on the first Wednesday of the month from 10AM – 11AM. No registration is required and you may attend as your schedule allows. Simply call 1-203-280-6884 at the start of the session time and enter the Participants Code 214-691-75# to join in by phone. The second grief support opportunity is an in-person grief support group that is held in Indianapolis on the second Wednesday of the month from 10AM – 11AM. The in-person group is held at the Heritage Place of Indianapolis, 4550 N. Illinois Street, Indianapolis, IN. Again, no registration is required, and you may come as your schedule allows. All group sessions offer an opportunity to learn about your grief and talk with or listen to others who are also grieving. For more information, call Gene or Susan at (317) 251-3012.

Children & Teens

Ongoing Grief Support Groups

For children and adolescents, sharing their experience with peers can provide healing for those grieving the death of a loved one. Brooke’s Place provides peer support groups for young people ages 3 - 29, who have experienced the death of a significant person.  Call 317-705-9650 or go online to https://www.brookesplace.org/ to view local support groups offered.

Caterpillar Kids and Caterpillar Teens                                             

This group is sponsored by St. Francis Home Health & Hospice and is designed for school age children and teens.  It is held twice a year in 5-week sessions.  Contact St. Francis Bereavement, Chaplain Karla Riggs Norton at (317) 528-2636 for more information. There is no cost for this program.

Camp Healing Tree - Indianapolis                                                             

This weekend camp, usually held in August each year, is for grieving children and teens ages 7 - 17. There is no fee due to being sponsored by local area hospices.  The camp provides a safe environment where participants may speak openly about their grief during group discussions led by trained facilitators.  Although the camp focuses on grief, the environment strives to be upbeat. Campers may enjoy swimming, arts and crafts, drama, games, campfire, sing-alongs, and other fun activities.  Contact Brooke’s Place at (317) 705-9650.

Camp Good Grief

Camp Good Grief is a no-cost, 1-day camp for children ages 6 to 16 with education about grief and how to cope with that grief. It is facilitated by IU Health team members, primarily nurses and other clinicians. If you are interested in participating in a future camp, have any questions or need assistance, please email the IU Health Hospice Bereavement Team at [email protected].

National Grief Support Organizations

Widowed Village

Widowed Village is the Soaring Spirits online community which is available from the comfort of your own home.

We offer a live 24/7 virtual community; weekly Zoom calls for the newly widowed; every other week Zoom calls for those widowed by COVID-19; topic-specific forums for deeper discussion; ways to find others close to your age, date of widowhood and geographical location; and many other services. Visit www. https://soaringspirits.org/programs/virtual-programs/widowed-village/ for more information.

Dougy Center                                                                                                                        

The center works with thousands of children, teens and their families who have experienced the death of a parent, adult caregiver, sibling or teen friend.  It provides support in a safe place where families who are grieving a death can share their experience as they move through their healing process.  Visit www.dougy.org or call 503-775-5683.

NAMES Project Foundation  

This organization is dedicated to helping people with AIDS and their family members.  An online newsletter is available.  Visit www.aidsquilt.org or call 404-688-5500 for more information.

Parents Without Partners, Inc.                                                                                  

International, educational organization devoted to the interests of single parents and their children.  Local chapters are concerned with educational activities, family activities and adult social/recreational activities.  Visit www.parentswithoutpartners.org or call 1-800-637-7974 for more information.

National Sudden Infant Death Support                                  

This group provides information, literature and support to parents who have lost children to SIDS or SIDS related symptoms.  Visit www.sidsalliance.org or call 1-800-221-SIDS or 1-800-232-SIDS for more information.

Suicide Prevention and Survivor Support                                                                  

This organization provides volunteers to help a person who may be considering suicide or provides support for persons who have lost a friend or relative to suicide.  It operates a 24-hour telephone service.  Visit www.afsp.org or www.save.org, or call 1-800-252-TEEN or 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-617-536-2460. In a crisis? Call 988 or text TALK to 741741.

National Center for Victims of Crime                                    

The mission of the National Center for Victims of Crime is to forge a national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. We are dedicated to serving individuals, families, and communities harmed by crime. Visit www.victimsofcrime.org, call 1-202-467-8700 or email [email protected].  

Pregnancy and Infant Loss

You can find support, resources and education on miscarriage, stillbirth and infant deaths at www.nationalshare.org or by calling 1-800-821-6819.

TAPS - Grief Camp for Young Military Survivors & Adult Seminars           

National military survivor seminar and good grief camp for young survivors.  For children of all ages who have lost a parent in the armed forces.  Seminars are available for adults and children.  Visit www.taps.org or call 1-800-959-TAPS.