Grief Support

Monthly Grief Counseling Meetings -
Kindred Spirits- A grief support group for adults who have experienced the death of a child meets at 276 North Main Street in Breese, Illinois, from 6:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Current meeting dates are April 12 and May 10. Please use the parking and door located on North 3rd Street. This is a free group, but donations of $20 per family per meeting are appreciated allowing them to keep resources and library well stocked. For more information or resources for individuals, couples, support groups, and community outreach, please visit coping4life.com. If you have any questions, please contact our Centralia office at 618-532-5511.

Books in our Library - Macz Funeral Home views the importance of maintaining current and relevant resources for families through their time of grief. Five new titles were added to the funeral home’s library, each one covering various types of loss. To inquire about checking a book out from our library, please contact our Centralia office at 618-532-5511.

Holiday Blues by Dr. Clarence Tucker is a self-help manual on grief through not only the holidays but every day. The book equips the reader with many good ways to cope and heal after the loss of a loved one.

Ride to the Stars by Suzanne Gene Courtney is a children’s book about life, loss, and love. The author’s characters, a boy named Daniel and a green sea turtle named Honu, are beautifully rendered to encapsulate a sensitive subject. The result is a loving and gentle message that inspires young ones to honor and exemplify life and to know that life does indeed go on forever.

When a Friend Dies by Marilyn E. Gootman is a book that is helpful for teens experiencing the untimely death of a friend. The author has written a sensitive book that answers questions grieving teens have.

Surviving the Unthinkable: The Loss of a Child by Janice Bell Meisenhelder tells the tale of true loss experienced by the author. Her experience as a nurse and college professor leads the reader to claim confidence and the tools to survive, believing they will have a meaningful life again. Even though the main focus is on bereaved mothers, her message can inspire anyone who has lost a loved one.

Where Are You? A Child’s Book about Loss by Laura Olivieri is a children’s book that is kind and supportive with beautiful illustrations designed to help children of all ages cope with the loss of a loved one.

In addition to the bereavement services for the families we serve,  we have provided some helpful grief support links below: 

Crisis, Grief and Healing 

Webhealing.com, the first interactive grief website on the internet, offers discussion boards, articles, book suggestions, and advice for men and women working through every aspect of grief. The site’s founder, Tom Golden LCSW, has provided book excerpts and contact information to help those healing from loss.

Willowgreen   

Willowgreen offers support and information for those dealing with life transition & aging, illness & caregiving, loss & grief, and hope & spirituality.  The site offers advice, products, and inspirational materials.

Grief and Loss   

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) website contains a Grief & Loss section with grief-related articles and information.

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization   

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s website provides a host of information and resources for people facing a life-limiting illness or injury and their caregivers.

Aspire Integrated Health, PLLC

Aspire Integrated Health, PLLC, located in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, provides counseling services. Call (618) 634-7753 for more information.