Grief Support in South Florida

Grief does not follow a schedule, and it does not look the same for any two people. Some families want a group. Some want one quiet conversation with a counselor. Some want neither, at least not yet.
What follows is a starting point: organizations that serve Palm Beach County, and national resources for specific kinds of loss. There is no wrong door here.

Local Support in Palm Beach County

Empath Grief Care / Empath Trustbridge Hospice. No-cost grief support is available to individuals and families in Palm Beach County, whether or not the person who died received hospice care. Services include individual counseling and ongoing grief-support programs for adults and children. Call 888-308-7150 for current options and registration.
Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services. Current community programming includes bereavement groups for spousal loss in partnership with Temple Beth El in Boca Raton. Schedules change, so check the current events calendar or call 561-852-3333.
211 Palm Beach / Treasure Coast. Dial 211 for a free, confidential referral line connecting callers to counseling, support groups, and financial assistance in their area.

Support for Specific Losses

Loss of a child. The Compassionate Friends offers peer support for bereaved parents, siblings, and grandparents through chapters nationwide.
Grieving children and teens. The Dougy Center maintains a national directory of children’s grief programs and free guidance for parents.
Loss by suicide. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers survivor support groups and pairs survivors with trained volunteers.
Loss of a spouse or partner. Hospice Foundation of America publishes free bereavement guides and hosts online programs.

What to Expect

Support groups vary. Some are open-ended and drop-in; others run a fixed number of weeks with the same participants.
Some are led by licensed clinicians, others by trained peer facilitators. Ask before you commit. Most organizations will tell you honestly whether their format is a fit.
Individual counseling is a different path, and often a better one if your grief is complicated by trauma, a difficult relationship with the person who died, or symptoms interfering with sleep, work, or daily function.

Common Questions

How soon should I look for support?

There’s no correct interval. You can seek counseling or a group whenever support would be useful. Some groups begin on set dates or require registration, so it is fine to call before you feel ready to attend.

Is grief counseling covered by insurance?

Licensed counseling may be covered depending on your plan. Many of the nonprofit programs listed above are no-cost.

Can I bring my children to a support group?

Most adult groups are not appropriate for children. Look for programs built for young people, where grief is addressed through age-appropriate activity.