Grief Words

One way to care for yourself after the loss of a loved one is to learn more about grief and mourning.

Knox Funeral Home has partnered with the Center for Loss to provide you with Grief Words. The thoughtful articles found in Grief Words will provide guidance and direction for anyone touched by grief.

Grief Words is written by Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt, director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition.

Founded in 1983, the Center for Loss and Life Transition is dedicated to “companioning” grieving people as they mourn transitions and losses that transform their lives.

The Center for Loss helps both mourners, by walking with them in their unique life journeys, and both professional caregivers and lay people, by serving as an educational resource and professional forum.

Located in the Rocky Mountain foothills on the western edge of Fort Collins, Colorado, the Center for Loss serves its mission through a combination of workshops and publications.

Its founder and director, Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt has created a model of “companioning” versus “treating” people in grief and presents numerous workshops each year for hospices, hospitals, schools, universities, funeral homes, community groups and a variety of other organizations that want to provide grief education to community members, area professionals and staff members. He also teaches 4-day trainings in Colorado for bereavement caregivers. These popular courses are the culmination of his passion for and years of experience in grief counseling. Now he focuses on teaching others to “companion” those in grief.

Dr. Wolfelt is the author of many books and resources that are helpful to both caregivers and grieving people.

Although this site provides information and resources pertaining to grief support, information on our website is not meant to be a substitute for grief counseling.

Grief: General

These thoughtful articles provide guidance and direction for anyone touched by grief.

Helping Yourself with Grief

Someone you love has died. You are now faced with the difficult, but important, need to mourn. Mourning is the open expression of your thoughts and feelings regarding the death and the person who died. It is an essential part of healing. The following articles provide many practical suggestions to help you move toward healing in your unique grief journey.

Helping Others with Grief

A friend has experienced the death of someone loved. How can you help? The following articles provide many practical suggestions for helping others with grief:

For and About Grieving Children and Teenagers

Children and teenagers have special needs following the death of a friend or family member. The following articles provide wonderful insight in helping children and teens understand and express their grief.

Funerals, Memorials, Cremation and Related Topics

The days following the death of a loved one can be filled with sadness and confusion. The following articles can help you understand the importance of the rituals surrounding death.

For Funeral Directors

Effectively meeting the grief needs of customers in an increasingly impersonal world takes special effort on the part of professionals in the grief industry. The following articles are designed to help funeral directors gauge their own effectiveness and meet the challenges of serving customer needs.

For Hospices and Other Caregivers

Caregivers have special needs of their own. The following articles are designed to help caregivers take care of themselves as well as those who are suffering from loss.