National Grief Awareness Day

I remember a few years ago when an uncle died, everyone flocked to and supported my aunt almost immediately. From there, I saw the support fall away bit by bit and by about three weeks after the death, the swarms of people who had stepped in to support her had fallen off to just a few close friends and family members. Times of loss can be the most complicated and difficult times to get through in life and often our society can leave people to navigate those feelings alone.

August 30, 2025 is National Grief Awareness Day and was set apart for this specific reason. Times of grief are times of high need and yet many are uncomfortable talking about death or consoling someone after their loss. We don’t always know what to say. People who are grieving may bring a different energy than they usually do and the conversations can, at times, feel awkward and uncomfortable. And yet, death is something we will all experience at some point. 

National Grief Awareness Day was started by Angela Cartwright in 2014 for the specific purpose of normalizing the grieving experience and encouraging people to talk openly about the experience. So often, I have heard people say they feel out of control because their sadness might cause unexpected crying or that they can’t seem to find their new normal after loss. I have heard people put a time limit on what is an “acceptable grief timeline” and this day exists to remind us that there is no grief timeline. It exists to remind us that grief is a difficult experience that can feel really messy and ultimately - that is okay. 

As National Grief Awareness Day approaches, consider the people in your life whom loss might have touched recently. Would you consider reaching out and being present with that person - if even you don’t know what to say - if even the conversation is mostly silence? When I think of grief I often think of the quote by Maya Angelou, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Simply trying to reach out could help those around you feel supported and cared for. You could send a card, give them a phone call, or go for a walk or find some way to just be present. 

Beginning October 6, Jon will lead a support group called “Courage to Mourn: Journeying Through Grief.” Join Jon in this online group that will meet Mondays from 6-7:30 in a space to share, journal and/or creatively engage with a prompt to navigate the grieving process. Check out our website to learn more.

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Jon Wisdom, LCSW received his Master of Social Work degree, specializing in Trauma and Violence, from Boston University in a dual-degree program where he also received a Master of Divinity. Previously he worked as an interfaith hospital chaplain and holds a masters degree in Spiritual Care. Jon has pursued this integrated learning with the hope of working with queer individuals with religious trauma. As a queer man, he knows this is a complex issue that requires a lot of existential exploration which can be personally challenging.

In practice, Jon prioritizes affirming and patient-centered care. He uses modalities such as Phase Oriented Trauma Treatment, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Solution Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), narrative approaches, psychodynamics and operates with an anti-oppression framework. His goal as a therapist is to provide space for his clients to come as they are and for them to know that they have inherent worth and value.

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