Grief Resources

Dr. Alan Wolfelt offers a comprehensive library of articles and book excerpts about grief for bereaved families, children, teens and caregivers. Articles are also available for assistance in creating a meaningful Eulogy and service of remembrance.

GriefShare is a faith based small group study, meeting over a 13 week period designed for individuals after the loss of a loved one. Topics include The Challenges of Grief, Guilt and Anger, Grief and Your Relationships, Heaven and much more. Several local churches host the GriefShare program and start dates are ongoing within the community.

Springfield Funeral Home recognizes GriefShare as a program with direction and purpose for those on a grief journey offering healing and hope and has sponsored the course at Emmanuel Church, Kelowna Christian Centre, Trinity Church and Willow Park Church, joining a network of thousands of grief recovery support groups meeting around the world. Please contact Joanne Bonk at 250 860 7077 if you are interested in hosting this program at your church in the Central Okanagan sponsored by Springfield Funeral Home.



Location: Springfield Funeral Home
2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna
Dates: Tuesdays January 31 to April 25, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
New Session starting Tuesday May 9th 1:00 pm

Location: Willow Park Church
439 Highway 33, Kelowna
Dates: February 1 - April 26, 2023
Time: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm

Location: Emmanuel Assembly
2600 Hebert Road, West Kelowna
Dates: March7 to May 30 IN PERSON
Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Location: Emmanuel Assembly
Date: March 8 to May 31 Via ZOOM
Time: 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Losing a spouse brings a unique kind of pain. People who are widowed haven’t just lost a loved one—they’ve lost an entire lifestyle. Loss of a Spouse is a two-hour GriefShare seminar specifically designed for spouses who have lost their loved one. This series is video based offering advice from well-known professional counselors, pastors, men and women who have been recently widowed and have found help and encouragement. The video will be followed by a discussion time and each participant will receive a helpful guide containing exercises to read, work through and apply to their personal situation.

Topics include: what should I expect in the days after the loss, the surprising emotional, physical and spiritual effects of grief, why it won’t always hurt and much more.

Springfield Funeral Home recognizes Loss of a Spouse as a program with direction and purpose for those on a grief journey offering healing and hope and has sponsored this course joining a network of thousands of grief recovery support groups meeting around the world. Please contact Joanne Bonk at 250 860 7077 for more information.

Friday May 5th 10:00 am to 12:30 pm
Springfield Funeral Home Family Centre
Registration: www.griefshare.org Search word - Kelowna

Understanding Your Grief is a small group book study describing ten touchstones that are essential physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually for you to work through to help yourself grieve. Written by one of North America’s leading grief educators, Dr. Alan Wolfelt, this study is a tool that will help you understand more about the normal and necessary journey we call grief.

Springfield Funeral Home recognizes the value of sponsoring Understanding Your Grief to be hosted by Mission Creek Alliance Church, Kelowna and Powers Creek Community Church in West Kelowna.

Powers Creek Community Church
West Kelowna
Fridays - January 27 - April 14, 2023
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Facilitator: Randy Benson
More info: 250-768-3924

Grieving with Great HOPE is a bereavement resource for Catholic parishes and people who are mourning the loss of a loved one. Grieving with Great HOPE combines workshops, self study and personal journaling.
This 7 week support group is designed to help transform your grief journey through prayerful reflection, practical learning and personal fellowship.

2023 Dates TBD

Grief Support Group
Bi-weekly Ongoing - 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. No Charge
Location: Winfield United Church, 3751 Woodsdale Rd, Lake Country
Call: 778-215-5247 for more information
This group is open to anyone who has or is suffering from loss. Losing a loved one, going through a divorce/separation, recently diagnosed with an illness ... we have different situations that causes us to grieve. Join us and others as we support and work through this experience.

Moms Stop The Harm (MSTH) is a network of Canadian families whose loved ones have died from drug related harm, or who are struggling with substance use. Moms Stop the Harm wants to educate the public through their stories and advocacy hoping to reduce the misconceptions related to substance use and ensure that individuals get the support and treatment they rightfully deserve.

HEALING HEARTS is a free peer facilitated bereavement support group for individuals, families and friends who have lost loved ones to help them cope with the journey from grief to healing. Healing Hearts can help support individuals in feeling less isolated as you meet other individuals who have experienced a similar loss. For inquires and registration please email: KelownaHealingHearts@gmail.com

BCBH is a non-profit, free, and confidential service that connects the public to grief support services within the province of BC. Whether you are looking for bereavement support groups, community events, information on BC Bereavement Day, information on how to donate or to volunteer with us you will find it here. Please call the BC Bereavement Helpline and speak with one of our caring volunteers for information on our bereavement support groups, agencies, and peer-based support.
Your call is free, confidential, and anonymous. We will help you find the most appropriate support for your specific type of loss.
Call the Helpline at 604-738-9950, Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm
Toll free 1-877-779-2223 or email contact@bcbh.ca

Clair Jantzen helps the bereaved understand grief as an important part of finding themselves again. People who have experienced the loss of a loved one, look to reclaim their lives again. Clair shows clients how they can use their pain and tears as a catalyst into a healthy, hope-filled future.

As a Grief & Loss Counselor, Educator and Author, Clair offers over 30 years’ experience, counselling those who have suffered loss. www.clairjantzen.ca

Here are links to two of his videos:

Central Okanagan Hospice Association (COHA) has a variety of bereavement programs including Spousal Loss groups, Mixed Loss groups, Bereaved Parents groups and Grief and Yoga groups; one on one support, walking groups, meditation and more. COHA offers support to help anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. All programs are offered in a safe and respectful space to share, listen and receive compassionate support from others.

Spring 2023 Adult Grief Support Groups
Bereaved Parents Group - April 17 to May 29
Spousal Loss Group - April 24 to June 19
Mixed Loss Group - April 25 to June 13
Mixed Loss Evening Group - May 2 to June 6

To register please contact Ian Kunitski, Director of Grief and Bereavement Services, at 250.763.5511 or email ian@hospicecoha.ca for more information.

Suite 200 – 1890 Cooper Road, Kelowna, BC V1Y 8B7
Mon – Thurs 8:00am – 4:00pm and Fri 8:00am – 1:00pm

The Compassionate Friends group meets monthly at First United Church, 721 Bernard Ave. and offers support in the grief and trauma which follows the death of a child; no matter the age or cause. They understand that people cannot be hurried through grief and the pain cannot be just taken away. They will help grieving parents understand more about this life altering experience. This meeting is geared for adults and children are not encouraged to attend. Monthly meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month from 7:00 – 9:00 pm and although designed as drop in it is encouraged that new people call Linda at 250.807.2487 or an email at tcfkelowna@shaw.ca to let her know you will be attending.

Soaring Spirits provides widowed people with the chance to meet socially by creating a local community of widowed friends. Groups are lead by volunteer facilitators who plan outings twice a month. The aim is to assist widowed people in getting back out into the world with a group of understanding friends by their side.

Michelle - Call or text: 431-301-3901
At the website below, enter "Kelowna" into the "Find regional events near you" field.

At ESTATE READY we understand the difficulty of organizing and distributing a lifetime of belongings during a time of grief.
Let us shoulder the tasks of immediate needs, preparing an inventory, organization of belongings, maintenance, cleaning and act as contact for Real Estate, Home Staging and Contractors.
Practical and efficient help - when you need it.

The Walk of Memories is an annual free event in June put on by Interior Health in collaboration with the KGH Foundation. A healing and ceremonial walk of reflection for those experiencing loss. This community event is meant to connect grieving individuals with others experiencing similar feelings. This free, wheelchair accessible event is interactive and family friendly.

The Butterfly Effect scheduled annually in June is a spectacular butterfly release to honor those we have lost and other special people in our lives hosted by Central Okanagan Hospice Association of reflection for those experiencing loss.