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Global Grief Network Education Center
Global Grief Network · Education Program

GGN Grief After Suicide, Overdose and Traumatic Loss: Care, Hope and Connection

Understand grief after sudden and traumatic deaths, respond to stigma with compassion, and help grieving people find hope and support.

A Global Grief Network program

If you or someone you know may be in danger right nowCall 988Text 988Immediate danger: call 911

988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the United States. It is free, confidential, and open 24/7 by call, text, or chat at 988lifeline.org. Veterans: dial 988 then press 1. Outside the US, use your local emergency number or crisis line. This program is education, not crisis care. If you are struggling as you read, please pause and reach out now.

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Enroll in this Global Grief Network program for $199.

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A Welcome from the Global Grief Network

When someone dies suddenly, or by suicide, overdose, violence, or accident, the people who love them are often left with shock, questions, and pain that can feel unbearable. Too often they also face silence, stigma, or blame from others.

This program offers plain-language education for grieving people, families, friends, communities, and practitioners. It centers compassion, safety, hope, and connection. Healing is possible, and no one has to carry this grief alone.

The Global Grief Network (GGN) exists so that no one has to grieve alone. Through the GGN app, the Memory Wall, our streaming and broadcasting channels, Grief Talk Magazine, the Grief First Aid course, the GGN Practitioner Directory, and the GGN Educator Directory, we connect grieving people with community, information, and care.

The program follows four simple steps that run through every module:

1Safety2Compassion3Connection4Hope
An important note before you begin. This is an education program. It is not crisis care, clinical treatment, counseling, or a substitute for professional help. If you or someone you love is in crisis in the United States, call or text 988. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. Take breaks as you need them, and reach out if any part of this brings up pain for you.

Modules

  1. 1Understanding Sudden and Traumatic Loss
  2. 2Grief After a Suicide Loss
  3. 3Grief After an Overdose Death
  4. 4Trauma, Shock and the Body
  5. 5Supporting Someone Through Traumatic Grief
  6. 6Hope, Meaning and Practitioner Takeaways

Plus: Crisis Resources page and a Final Assessment.

About this program

Program Overview

Program name

GGN Grief After Suicide, Overdose and Traumatic Loss: Care, Hope and Connection. A GGN education program leading to the Global Grief Network Certification.

What this program is

  • A self-paced course of about 6 hours.
  • Plain-language education written for grieving people, supporters, and practitioners.
  • Practical, original GGN practices, fictional stories, reflection prompts, and quizzes.

What this program is not

  • It is not crisis care. In a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 for immediate danger.
  • It is not crisis care. In a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 for immediate danger.
  • It is not mental health or substance use treatment, counseling, or clinical care.
  • It does not teach diagnosis or risk assessment.
Who This Program Is For
  • People grieving a death by suicide, overdose, violence, accident, or another sudden loss.
  • Families, friends, coworkers, and faith communities.
  • Grief educators, peer supporters, first responders, and other practitioners.

There are no prerequisites.

Format and Time
ModuleTitleTime
1Understanding Sudden and Traumatic Loss1 hour
2Grief After a Suicide Loss1 hour
3Grief After an Overdose Death1 hour
4Trauma, Shock and the Body1 hour
5Supporting Someone Through Traumatic Grief1 hour
6Hope, Meaning and Practitioner Takeaways1 hour

Each module has objectives, lessons, a GGN practice, a fictional story, reflection prompts, and a quiz. A final assessment, a crisis resources page, and the Global Grief Network Certification complete the program.

A note on safety and care

This program follows safe messaging practice. It does not include graphic detail or describe methods of harm, and it centers hope, help-seeking, and connection. All stories are fictional. If you need to stop, please do, and come back when you are ready.