Grief Support Group: Find Your People, Move Through Loss Together
Starts on May 13
Grief has a way of making the world feel very small. The people around you move on — but inside, something is still very much there. A grief support group offers what most people never get enough of after loss: time, space, and a room full of people who actually understand. At Shifting Tides, our grief groups are led by licensed therapists and available virtually across New York, Connecticut, and Florida.
What Is a Grief Support Group?
A grief support group is a small, therapist-facilitated gathering of people who have experienced loss and come together to share, witness, and move through grief in community. It's not about timelines or getting over it. It's about having a place where the weight of your loss is acknowledged, week after week, without anyone rushing you toward the exit.
Our Offering & Background to Our Story
Deanna Doherty, LCSW founded Shifting Tides after experiencing multiple life-altering losses of her own. She didn't just study grief — she lived it. What she wanted, and couldn't always find, was a place to grieve alongside others without feeling judged or misunderstood. This is now her tenth round of running the group, with many members returning again and again.​​
A virtual, closed grief and loss support group — 8 weeks, every Wednesday, one hour via Zoom. Open to all adults who are missing their person and navigating life after loss. All identities welcome.
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$80 per session | Sliding scale available | Free 15-minute consult to start
Anticipatory Grief Group
Grief doesn't begin at death. Our anticipatory grief support group is designed for caregivers and loved ones navigating a terminal illness or cognitive decline. If you are losing someone slowly, this group was made for you.
What Happens in the Group?
Each session begins with a check-in. From there, the group helps shape what gets explored — Deanna draws on somatic work, IFS, and DBT, but each cohort decides what they need. Topics that tend to come up:
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Coping with isolation and navigating relationships after loss
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Anger, guilt, and the emotions grief doesn't always name
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Sudden vs. expected loss — how the circumstances shape the grief
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Navigating trauma before the loss, and hospice experiences
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Relearning what "normal" looks like — and handling the logistics no one warns you about
Online Grief Support Group: Join From Anywhere
All Shifting Tides grief groups are held virtually — no commute, no geographic barrier. Available to anyone in New York, Connecticut, or Florida. Many members find the virtual format makes it easier to show up, especially early in grief.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grief Group
What is a grief support group?
A therapist-facilitated space where people who have experienced loss come together to share and support one another. At Shifting Tides, groups are led by licensed clinicians — not just peer support circles — offering both human connection and clinical grounding.
How do I find a grief support group near me?
If you're in New York, Connecticut, or Florida, Shifting Tides offers online grief groups open to you. Book a free consultation to learn about availability. Local hospice organizations and hospital bereavement programs may also offer free options.
What happens in a grief support group?
Sessions are therapist-led, beginning with a check-in and moving into open sharing around themes the group shapes together. You might share a lot some weeks and mostly listen others. Both are part of the process.
Is a grief support group the same as grief therapy?
They're complementary but different. Individual grief therapy is private, one-on-one work. A group adds the recognition of shared experience — many people find both serve something the other can't.