Begin by asking what the person wants from this encounter. They may need practical help, silence, information, companionship, or space to describe a loss. The pack is an optional structure rather than a required sequence.
How to use this page
Preview the language with the person. Check which terms, names, and topics they want used. Agree on a pause signal and offer a practical-care page when remembrance or reflection is unwelcome.
Understand the context
Ask about the meaning of the loss, current demands, available support, and relevant cultural or spiritual practices without assuming shared beliefs. Allow mixed feelings and complicated relationships. Loss may involve discrimination, financial hardship, changes in identity, or reduced access to care that require more than emotional reflection.
Avoid a performance of grief
Do not set goals such as finishing stages, finding a benefit, crying, forgiving, or sharing publicly. In a group, offer fictional examples and passing. Explain confidentiality limits and discourage unsolicited advice. A person can choose privacy while still participating meaningfully.
Review support and further needs
End with a small agreed next step or a decision to pause. Check whether the person has the support needed after the conversation. Use appropriate assessment and referral when distress, impairment, or safety concerns warrant it; these pages do not distinguish diagnoses or provide crisis care. Review practical barriers alongside emotional needs.
Reflection prompts
Use these questions in conversation, on paper, or in the downloaded PDF. You may adapt or skip a prompt.
- The person’s stated preference, my adaptation, and any agreed follow-up