Grief & Trauma Support
The Compassionate Friends
Grief support from people who have experienced a similar loss.
Connect with others who understand the grief of losing a child, sibling, or grandchild. Find free local support groups, scheduled online conversations, and resources created for bereaved families.
Call: 877-969-0010
Who They Are
The Compassionate Friends is a national nonprofit organization that provides emotional support to parents, grandparents, and siblings grieving the death of a child, grandchild, or sibling.
The organization is built around the understanding that connecting with people who have experienced a similar loss can help grieving families feel less isolated.
Its approach centers on shared experiences, compassion, listening, and mutual support rather than professional counseling.
The Compassionate Friends was established in the United States in 1977. Today, it supports families through a nationwide network of local chapters, online communities, grief resources, and remembrance activities.
The organization welcomes families grieving a child who died at any age and from any cause.
What They Provide
The Compassionate Friends provides several ways for bereaved families to connect with others who understand their experiences.
LOCAL SUPPORT GROUPS
Local chapters bring together bereaved parents, grandparents, and siblings to share experiences, talk about their loved ones, listen to others, and offer mutual encouragement.
Meetings are led by people who have experienced the death of a child, sibling, or grandchild themselves.
Participants are not required to speak. Some attend primarily to listen.
ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITY
The organization operates scheduled live online chat sessions for bereaved adults aged 18 and older.
These moderated conversations include general grief support and groups focused on particular experiences, such as pregnancy or infant loss, suicide loss, and different stages of bereavement.
PRIVATE ONLINE GROUPS
The Compassionate Friends also maintains private Facebook groups organized around different types of loss and shared experiences.
Joining these groups requires approval from a moderator.
GRIEF RESOURCES
The organization provides educational materials, bereavement information, articles, and a national magazine containing stories and reflections from grieving family members.
The Compassionate Friends provides peer support. Its groups are not professional psychotherapy, medical treatment, or emergency crisis counseling.
Who They Help
The Compassionate Friends primarily serves parents, grandparents, and siblings who have experienced the death of a child, grandchild, brother, or sister.
The loss may have happened recently or many years ago.
The organization welcomes families regardless of the age of the person who died or the cause of death. This includes the death of an infant, a young child, a teenager, or an adult child.
Its support also extends to bereaved siblings and grandparents, whose experiences of grief may sometimes receive less attention.
Most local chapter meetings welcome bereaved adult family members. Some chapters also offer specific support opportunities for younger siblings, but age requirements vary by chapter.
Live online support chats are restricted to participants aged 18 and older.
The organization also provides information intended to help friends, relatives, and other people better support a grieving family.
This is a specialized bereavement resource. People grieving losses outside these family relationships may need a different support organization.
Where Services Are Available
The Compassionate Friends operates nationally in the United States.
Its network includes more than 400 local chapters serving communities across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
LOCAL SUPPORT
Visitors can use the chapter locator to identify support groups near their location.
Meeting places and schedules differ between chapters. Although the organization has nationwide coverage, a chapter is not guaranteed to be available in every community.
ONLINE SUPPORT
Scheduled online chat sessions allow eligible bereaved adults to participate without attending a physical chapter meeting.
Private Facebook groups also provide opportunities to connect with people who share similar experiences of grief.
The availability of specific online groups may depend on volunteer moderators, registration requirements, and participation limits.
The national website also provides grief information and educational resources that visitors can access remotely.
People outside the United States may find related organizations through the broader international Compassionate Friends movement, but those organizations may operate under separate arrangements.
Cost & Payment
The Compassionate Friends provides its local chapter meetings without charging participants.
The organization states that there are no individual membership dues or required participation fees for its grief support services.
Its scheduled online peer support communities are also offered without a participation fee.
The National Office provides customized bereavement information packets free of charge upon request.
Local chapters rely on voluntary donations and community support to sustain their activities. Making a donation is not required to attend a chapter meeting.
The organization also offers certain publications, merchandise, conferences, and special events that may involve separate charges.
Those optional activities should not be confused with the free peer support services featured in this profile.
Visitors should confirm any separate costs before registering for conferences or special events.
How to Get Help
FIND A LOCAL SUPPORT GROUP
Step 1: Visit The Compassionate Friends chapter locator.
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/chapters/chapter-locator/
Step 2: Search using your state or ZIP code.
Step 3: Review available chapters and their contact information.
Step 4: Select a chapter to see its meeting location and schedule.
Step 5: Contact the chapter if you have questions about attending.
The Compassionate Friends states that reservations are generally not required for chapter meetings. Participants can attend when they feel ready.
You do not have to speak during a meeting.
JOIN A LIVE ONLINE SUPPORT CHAT
Step 1: Visit the official online support page.
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/online-communities/online-support/
Step 2: Review the available chat sessions and their scheduled times.
Step 3: Choose the appropriate chat room and select Enter Room.
Step 4: Follow the registration instructions and create a username and password.
Step 5: Sign in and join the scheduled conversation.
For privacy, the organization advises visitors not to use their full name, email address, or Facebook account as their chat username.
Live online chats are intended for bereaved adults aged 18 and older.
EXPLORE PRIVATE ONLINE GROUPS
Visit:
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/online-communities/
Review the available private Facebook communities and follow the instructions to request membership.
A moderator must approve participation.
CONTACT THE NATIONAL OFFICE
Phone: 877 969 0010
Email: nationaloffice@compassionatefriends.org
The National Office can help visitors locate a chapter, answer general questions, and request bereavement materials.
This telephone number is not an emergency crisis hotline.
Hours & Response Expectations
The Compassionate Friends does not operate as a continuously staffed crisis hotline.
LOCAL CHAPTER MEETINGS
Most chapters hold meetings approximately once a month.
Some chapters meet more frequently or offer additional activities.
Meetings generally last between 90 minutes and two hours, although the schedule depends on the individual chapter.
Visitors should check the chapter locator or contact their local chapter to confirm meeting times and locations.
ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITY
Live online chats are offered at scheduled times throughout the week.
Specific sessions focus on general bereavement or particular experiences of loss.
The organization publishes current chat times on its official online support page.
Online sessions depend on volunteer moderators. Occasionally a scheduled chat may not take place if a moderator is unavailable.
Private Facebook groups may allow members to read or contribute between scheduled live chat sessions, but they are not continuously staffed crisis services.
NATIONAL OFFICE
The National Office can assist with chapter referrals and general information.
Visitors should not expect immediate assistance outside scheduled support activities.
Accessibility
The Compassionate Friends provides several ways to participate in peer grief support.
LOCAL PARTICIPATION
Local chapters offer opportunities to meet with others in person.
Meeting locations, accessibility features, transportation options, and accommodations depend on the chapter.
Visitors with mobility or other accessibility needs should contact their local chapter before attending.
ONLINE PARTICIPATION
Scheduled online chats allow eligible adults to participate without traveling to a physical meeting.
Visitors need an internet connection and a compatible device to access the online support community.
Online chat registration requires creating an account.
Private Facebook groups require access to Facebook and approval from a group moderator.
PARTICIPATION OPTIONS
The organization states that participants are not required to speak during local meetings. People may attend and listen until they feel comfortable participating.
Some local chapters offer support opportunities specifically for siblings, including younger participants. Eligibility varies.
The reviewed public documentation did not establish a comprehensive nationwide list of disability accommodations, interpretation services, or accessible communication formats for every chapter and online group.
Visitors who need language assistance or specific accommodations should contact The Compassionate Friends or their local chapter to ask what is available.
Documented Accomplishments
The Compassionate Friends was incorporated in the United States in 1977 and has maintained a national presence supporting bereaved families for decades.
The organization currently reports a network of more than 400 local chapters serving all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
These chapters provide recurring opportunities for families to connect with others who have experienced the death of a child, sibling, or grandchild.
The Compassionate Friends also operates national online support communities, private grief support groups, and educational resources.
Its activities include the national magazine We Need Not Walk Alone, remembrance programs, and the annual Worldwide Candle Lighting event.
The organization also provides bereavement information to newly grieving families through its National Office.
These are documented examples of organizational reach, longevity, and ongoing service.
The number of chapters and participants should not be interpreted as a clinical success rate.
The reviewed evidence does not establish a reliable, independently measured probability of emotional improvement for any individual participant.
Important Limitations
The Compassionate Friends is a specialized grief support organization for parents, grandparents, and siblings who have experienced the death of a child, grandchild, or sibling.
Its groups should not be described as general support services for every type of bereavement.
PEER SUPPORT IS NOT THERAPY
Chapter meetings and online communities are facilitated by bereaved peers and volunteers.
These participants offer understanding and mutual support based on lived experience. They are not necessarily licensed mental health professionals.
The organization does not provide professional psychotherapy, clinical diagnosis, medical treatment, or emergency crisis intervention through these groups.
AGE AND PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
Live online support chats are restricted to adults aged 18 and older.
Some local chapters offer opportunities for younger siblings, but eligibility and arrangements vary.
Participation in private Facebook groups requires moderator approval.
PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
The Compassionate Friends asks participants to respect the privacy of others and maintain confidentiality within support groups.
However, confidentiality among fellow participants cannot be absolutely guaranteed.
The organization states that transcripts from its interactive Online Support Community are retained and periodically reviewed by staff.
The public privacy policy does not establish a specific retention period for those transcripts.
Online participation may involve submitting identifying or contact information during registration.
The organization also collects certain website information and may disclose information under circumstances described in its privacy policy, including applicable legal requirements.
Visitors should avoid sharing unnecessary identifying information in group discussions and review the organization's privacy guidance before registering.
AVAILABILITY
Local chapter schedules vary, and a chapter may not exist near every visitor.
Online chats are scheduled rather than continuously available. Sessions can occasionally be affected by moderator availability.
Private Facebook groups are not substitutes for immediate crisis assistance.
CRISIS SUPPORT
The National Office phone number is intended for general information and chapter referrals, not emergency mental health intervention.
For immediate suicide or mental health crisis support in the United States, call or text 988.
For an immediate life threatening emergency, contact emergency services.
Sources & Additional Information
The Compassionate Friends Official Website
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/
Find Support
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/
Chapter Meeting Locator
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/chapters/chapter-locator/
About Compassionate Friends Support Groups
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/chapters/
What to Expect at Chapter Meetings
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/chapters/what-to-expect/
Chapter Meeting Frequently Asked Questions
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/chapters/faqs/
Online Communities
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/online-communities/
Online Support Community and Live Chat Schedule
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/online-communities/online-support/
Online Support Registration
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/online-support-registration/
Family Support
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/find-support/family-support/
About The Compassionate Friends
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/about/
Privacy Policy
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/privacy-policy/
Contact The Compassionate Friends
https://www.compassionatefriends.org/contact/
National Office
Phone: 877 969 0010
Email: nationaloffice@compassionatefriends.org
The organization specifically serves families affected by the death of a child, sibling, or grandchild.
Online live chats are restricted to adults aged 18 and older.
Chat transcripts are retained and periodically reviewed by organizational staff.
The Compassionate Friends is not a psychotherapy provider or crisis hotline.