Join A HUGG Support Group

HUGG peer support groups are led by trained volunteers who have been impacted by suicide and have a unique perspective of the devastation of suicide bereavement.

It is not a group counselling or therapy session. A HUGG group provides a safe environment in which those bereaved by suicide can share their experiences and feelings, so giving and gaining support from each other. A HUGG support group is a space in which someone bereaved by suicide can speak completely freely, without stigma or judgement. It is a space where every single person is met with compassion, care, and the words: ‘I hear you and I understand’. It is a space where hope becomes possible again. 

People who are suicide bereaved sometimes find it can be difficult for people who have not experienced suicide loss, including professionals, to understand what they are going through. Often the best conversations are had with peers – other people bereaved by suicide.

HUGG support groups are facilitated by people who have been bereaved by suicide. The groups meet in person or online and are free of charge. You do not have to speak, there is healing in just being with those who understand your pain.  HUGG support groups provide a space to share your loss without fear of being judged, criticised, or condemned for having these feelings. The groups give you space to tell your story, to say the ‘un-sayable’, and to begin to make sense of your loss and begin the process of understanding and eventually healing.

Groups also offer a small resource library of suicide grief books, leaflets and information about local support services. HUGG support groups are proven to be a lifesaving resource for people who have been bereaved by suicide*

*Psychosocial Outcomes of Individuals Attending a Suicide Bereavement Peer Support Group: A Follow-Up Study  https:/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35409760/

You can learn more about what happens at a HUGG support group here