Toolkit

For Families and Loved Ones Navigating a Suicide Loss

Understanding Suicide Loss 

You Are Not Alone & Support

When someone you love dies by suicide, it can feel as though no one else could understand your pain. The shock, confusion, and deep sorrow may leave you feeling cut off from others—as if your world has changed in a way that no one else can see. These feelings are a normal part of grief, especially after a suicide loss. 

Every year in Canada, approximately 4,500 people die by suicide—an average of more than 12 deaths every day. (Canada, 2023) For each life lost, it is estimated that 10 people are deeply affected, often family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours who must find ways to live with their grief. (CASP, 2025), (Tal Young, et al., 2012) (WHO, 2000) Behind these statistics are real people—loved ones whose lives had meaning —and networks of others who, like you, are navigating profound heartbreak while searching for meaning and healing.

​Grief after suicide is a shared human experience that connects us across communities and backgrounds. Many others have found ways to move forward while keeping their loved one's memory alive. Across Canada, support is available through counsellors, peer groups, community organizations, and national helplines that exist specifically for those living with suicide loss. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness; it's a step toward finding understanding and relief in a community that knows this pain.

You Are Not Alone – Right Now You Can:

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Remind yourself: “Anyone in my situation would be struggling. There is nothing wrong with me for feeling this way.”

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Choose one person you could tell, even briefly, “I’m having a hard day with my grief.”

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If your feelings start to feel unbearable or unsafe, pause and contact a crisis line or trusted professional.

Reaching Out for Support

Many people bereaved by suicide find it helpful to find support. Suicide bereavement support can consist of:

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Counsellors or therapists who have experience with suicide loss or traumatic grief

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Peer support groups or online communities for those who have lost someone to suicide

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Resources created specifically for people living with suicide bereavement

Specialized support can provide understanding, tools, and companionship as you navigate your grief at your own pace.

You may find it helpful to complete the My Support Circle worksheet (see Appendix B) to map out who you can turn to for emotional, practical, and professional support.

Crisis Support Helplines and Counselling Services

These services offer a range of immediate support (crisis helplines), rapid access to professional counselling, and ongoing local peer and professional help, ensuring prompt and ongoing care for individuals and families bereaved by suicide.

View Crisis and Helplines
View Directories
View Counselling Supports
View Support Groups and Communities