places to turn
Below are links to resources that I have found useful in processing loss, finding hope, and learning about the impacts of suicide on people and communities. These lists are meant to grow. If you know of additional resources, please contact me.
Books
Purchasing from BookShop.org through the links below is a good way to support local, independent book stores. And me! I receive 10% of each as an affiliate.
- Things in Nature Merely Grow, by Yiyun Li (2025).
- Grief is for People, Sloane Crosley (2024).
- Run Towards the Danger, Sarah Polley (2024).
- Us, After, Rachel Zimmerman (2024).
- The Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards, Jessica Waite (2024).
- You Could Make This Place Beautiful, Maggie Smith (2024).
- A Heart That Works, Rob Delaney (2023).
- Sushi Tuesdays, Charlotte Maya (2023).
- Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant (2017).
- A Field Guide to Getting Lost, Rebecca Solnit (2006).
- Stitches: A Handbook on Meaning, Hope, and Repair (2013); and Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Anne Lamott (1995).
- The Writing Life, Annie Dillard (1989).
Science and ideas
- “How many people are affected by one suicide?” (2019) Based on the work of Dr. Julie Cerel and others who developed a nested model of suicide survivorship.
- Interviews about research on loss survivors from American the Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).
- U.S. National Guidelines: Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress after A Suicide (2015): Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force.
- Ring Theory or “Comfort In, Dump Out” model for supporting people in crisis (2013).
- Local Outreach to Suicide Support (LOSS) Teams to support people newly bereaved by a suicide loss.
- TAPS Suicide Postvention Model: A comprehensive framework of healing and growth for the military and veteran community.
- For Goodness Sakes, The Science of Good interview explores the complexities of engaging rural communities in dialogue about firearm safety, overcoming stigma, and preventing firearm suicides.
Community connections
- Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors forum for those who lost spouses, fiancés, or partners.
- Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors support group for women who have lost husbands or partners.
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Healing Conversations connect suicide loss survivors with trained volunteers who are also survivors.
- Dougy Center’s library of support resources for grieving children and families.
inspiration
- “Hold the Hope” song about living with suicidal thoughts.
- Consolations and other poetry and prose by David Whyte.
- The Art of Seth, Small Tales collection: Quirky, delightful reminders of our “quiet but fierce sense of reverence for what we’ve come to regard as dear . . . and what we’ve decided we will do with our one strange ticket into this world.”
Podcasts
- On Being “We Believe Each Other into Being” interview with Jennifer Michael Hecht.
- Everything Happens with Kate Bowler interview with Dr. Pamela Morris-Perez.
- We Can Do Hard Things interview with Sloane Crosley, author of Grief Is for People.
financial
- Project Unbroken: Kids in Action and Pathways grants.
- Hope for Widows: Restoring Hope and Peace Grant.
- The Quell Foundation: Scholarships and grants that support people impacted by suicide.
