The time frame for people wishing or needing to seek support varies a great deal, often depending on the nature of family and personal networks that people have available. Some may find it helpful to talk with a counsellor or other professional helper early, whilst others may wait until later in the grieving process. Below are some of the options available if you need to speak with someone about your grief experience. For specific information on suicide-bereavement services in your state or territory, please visit our Community Resources page.
Telephone counselling
Twenty-four hour telephone counselling services may be helpful resources to people who have been bereaved by suicide. This might be both during the period immediately after the death, and later, when the supports around the family just after the death could be less available. It may be reassuring to know that there is always a counsellor at the end of the phone to connect with when feelings become overwhelming or you are in need of support. There are a range of suitable 24-hour telephone counselling services available including:
- Hope for Life, a nationwide telephone support and referral service specifically for people bereaved by suicide
- Suicide prevention- related services such as SuicideLine, Salvo Care Line (ACT, NSW, Queensland), Samaritans (WA) and Lifelink Samaritans (TAS)
- General nationwide services such as Kids Helpline (for children and young people from 5 to 25 years) and Lifeline.
Suicide Call Back Service: If you find telephone counselling helpful and would like to talk to the same counsellor over a number of sessions, this may be a suitable service for you. Please note that this is not a 24-hour service.
Coroner's Court counselling services
A short-term counselling, information, and support service is provided by experienced counsellors at the Coroner's office in your state or territory. Counselling sessions are delivered either by telephone or in person. The counsellors will also assist those who require longer-term counselling to link in with other bereavement-related community based counselling services. See What Happens Next?
Suicide Bereavement Response Services
StandBy is a suicide bereavement response service that provides a 24-hour coordinated community crisis response to families, friends and associates who have been bereaved through a recent or past suicide. StandBy can provide telephone support, information, and also connect people to support services in their local community. If the bereaved would prefer to meet with someone in person, a specialist crisis team is available. StandBy is currently operating in Canberra, Cairns, North Brisbane, the Cooloola and Sunshine Coasts, Tasmania and the West Kimberley region.
Living Beyond Suicide (SA) is a service of Anglicare's Loss and Grief Centre. This free statewide service offers survivor-sensitive early support for families bereaved through suicide, and is available between 10am and 10pm, 7 days per week. Emotional and practical support is provided by appropriately skilled and trained volunteers to help families link in with service systems and access the assistance they need.
Suicide Bereavement Support groups
There are currently a number of support groups offered across the country that specifically address the needs of people bereaved by suicide. Some of these support groups are 'open', with people attending on a needs basis. Other groups are closed, and may run for a specific period; this allows participants to feel safe with members that they get to know over the life of the group.
Community Resource Packs
The Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention have produced a resource pack for people bereaved by suicide. To download a copy of the pack for your state or territory (except NSW and Tasmania) please use the following link:
The Information and Support Pack for People Bereaved by Suicide or Other Sudden Death http://www.mcsp.org.au/bereavement_pack
To download a copy of the Care and Support Pack for Families and Friends Bereaved by Suicide (NSW) please use the following link:
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2007/care_support_pack.html