Virtual Grief Support

Groupes de soutien virtuels et discussions gratuits dirigés par des pairs par type de perte subie

The free "Virtual Grief Support" app was created by a team of virtual volunteers from the non-profit MyGriefAngels.org in memory of the millions that have passed on worldwide and to support their families and friends.

In 2014, My Grief Angels created the first proximity-based mobile app to enable people to create their own local grief support networks. The award-winning app was downloaded thousands of time by people worldwide, but because of the many technological changes since it was launched, and the new timely needs of the millions grieving the loss of loved ones this past year, a new team of volunteers worked tirelessly to conceive, develop & launch the new "Virtual Grief Support" app.

The app features include:

1. Free Peer-led Virtual Grief Support Groups by Type of Loss Experienced. In the app, users will be able to join the groups of their choice, register for weekly virtual meetings, review the calendar of all meetings scheduled, and continue talking with their group members after the virtual sessions are over via group-specific chat spaces.

2. Directory of Other Virtual Group Support Groups - In case, the My Grief Angels' free peer-led groups are filled to capacity, users will be able to access a directory of other virtual groups by type of loss experienced, specific groups and locations.

3. Grief Journal - Many in the My Grief Angels' online community of people grieving, have found the creation of their own grief journal as a helpful tool in their grieving process, and the app will enable to write their daily grief journal here and then save to their phones. The data from the journals must be downloaded to their phone before logging off the app or it will be lost. The data from the journals cannot be saved on the app to respect each user's privacy.

4. General Chat Space - While each virtual group has its own chat space per type of loss, users will also have access to a general chat space for times when there are no users in their own groups' chat spaces.

5. Families' Stories - The team of volunteers that worked on the app wanted all of us to remember and share the real stories of some of the many families that faced and are continuing to face unimaginable grief caused by the events of this past year.

6. Your Story Video-Uploader - The app enables users to help others grieving by sharing their own grief journeys and specifically what they found most helpful in their grieving process. The collected videos will be compiled by type of loss experienced and shared with future app users as an additional support resource.

7. Our Grieving Processes - Recent events have not only caused millions of deaths worldwide, but it has changed the grieving processes and support resources available to the millions grieving those unexpected and very painful personal losses. In this section of the app, the latest information and research on how recent events are impacting our grief journeys.

8. The Grief MOOC - A free online course (Massive Open Online Course) - The online course's information, curriculum, reviews and access to the two platforms where users can take the free course on "How Grief Can Kill or Empower Us" is provided to users in this section.

9. Facebook Grief Groups - For users not able or comfortable in using the free video-based grief support groups shared in this app, access to My Grief Angels' Facebook group & to Option B groups (one of Facebook's largest Online Grief Support Groups) is also provided here as another alternative.

10. News & Information - The latest information and tweets on Grief, Grief Research and Grief Into Action examples are shared daily in this section of the app

The Virtual Grief Support App is not a replacement for professional mental health/therapists and grief support counselors, and it is strongly suggested that users seek that help prior to using the app & joining these peer-led virtual grief support groups.