After a suicide loss, many people search for grief informed counselling or therapy as they try to make sense of overwhelming emotions and changes in their lives. Professional grief informed counselling can be an important source of support, but it is not the only form of support available after bereavement. 

At HUGG, we provide peer support for adults bereaved by suicide. While we do not offer grief informed counselling or therapy, our support groups connect people with others who have experienced a similar loss and understand some of the realities of grief after suicide. 

There is no single ‘right’ way to seek support after a bereavement. Some people choose grief informed counselling, some attend peer support groups, while others participate in activities such as walks, pop-up café or workshops. Many find that a combination of supports helps them at different times.

What is grief informed counselling?

Grief informed counselling provides a safe and confidential space to talk about grief with a trained professional, one to one. Grief informed counsellors and therapists can support people as they process emotions, navigate trauma, adjust to life after loss and develop coping strategies. 

For some people, grief informed counselling offers structure and one-to-one support during an especially difficult time. Others may seek support later in their grief, or return to counselling at different stages of life. 

Experiences of grief are deeply personal and there is no timeline for when someone should seek help. 

What is peer support?

Peer support brings together people who have experienced a similar loss. In HUGG support groups, adults bereaved by suicide can connect with others who understand this type of grief through lived experience. 

Peer support is different from therapy. It is not about diagnosis or treatment. Instead, it offers understanding, connection and the reassurance that you are not alone in your grief. 

People attend HUGG groups for many different reasons. Some want to talk openly about their loss, while others simply want to listen and be in the company of people who understand. There is never any pressure to share. 

Grief informed counselling and peer support – how they differ

Grief informed counselling and peer support provide different kinds of support, but they can work well alongside one another. 

Grief informed counselling usually involves working one-to-one with a trained professional in a therapeutic setting. Peer support is based on shared lived experience and mutual understanding between people who have experienced a death by suicide. 

Some people prefer one form of support over another. Others find that both grief informed counselling and peer support play an important role at different times in their grief. 

What matters most is finding support that feels right for you. 

Finding support in Ireland

There are many organisations across Ireland offering grief informed counselling, therapeutic supports and bereavement services. Some supports are specialised for suicide bereavement, while others support people experiencing different types of loss. 

The following organisations may be helpful: 

  • Pieta

    Provides free one-to-one therapy sessions to those bereaved by suicide.  

  • Jigsaw

    Provide tailored individual therapy for young children and young adults that have lost a brother or sister.  

Support after suicide

At HUGG, we know that grief after suicide can feel isolating and difficult to put into words. Whether someone chooses grief informed counselling, peer support, or another form of support entirely, no one should have to navigate that experience alone. 

If you would like to learn more about HUGG’s peer support groups and services, you may find these resources useful: