Marion County, Illinois – Grief Support Meetings

LOCAL & NEARBY OPTIONS

Spero Family Services – Counseling & Wellness Center (Mt. Vernon)

Address: 107 Shiloh Drive, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864
Phone: 618-242-6944
Website: https://www.sperofs.org

Services

• Individual grief counseling

• Grief and loss therapy

• Family grief counseling

• Trauma-informed counseling

• Children's and adolescent counseling

• Medicaid and most private insurance accepted

Notes: While Spero does not advertise an ongoing public grief support group, licensed therapists provide grief counseling and may offer seasonal groups or refer clients to local bereavement programs. (Spero Family Services)

Community Resource Center (CRC)

Salem Office
Phone: 618-548-2181

Centralia Office
Phone: 618-533-1391

Website: https://www.communityresourcecenteril.org

Services

• Individual grief counseling

• Trauma counseling

• Mental health therapy

• Referrals to regional grief support groups

Notes: CRC does not currently advertise recurring open grief-support meetings but provides counseling and referrals.

Local Churches (Marion County)

Many churches provide pastoral grief support, widow ministries, or short-term bereavement groups. Call ahead for schedules.

• Grace United Methodist Church – Salem – 618-548-2810

• Faith Church – Centralia – 618-533-5280

• First United Methodist Church – Centralia – 618-532-3737

REGIONAL GRIEF SUPPORT

SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital – Mt. Vernon

Phone: 618-899-1038

Services

• Bereavement counseling

• Hospice grief support

• Community grief education

• Referrals to grief groups

Call for current meeting schedule.

Hospice of Southern Illinois – Marion Office

Phone: 618-997-3030
Toll-Free: 800-233-1708
Website: https://www.hospice.org

Services

• Free community grief support

• Bereavement support groups

• "Coping With Grief" educational series

• Individual bereavement counseling

• Annual memorial services

Notes: Services are open to anyone in the community—not just hospice families. (Hospice of Southern Illinois)

Crossroads Community Hospital – Mt. Vernon

Phone: 618-244-5500

Services

• Hospice referrals

• Bereavement resources

• Community grief referrals

Call for current availability.

FAITH-BASED SUPPORT GROUPS

GriefShare

Website: https://www.griefshare.org

Search:

• Salem

• Centralia

• Mt. Vernon

• Marion

Services

• 13-week grief recovery program

• Weekly support groups

• Faith-based curriculum

• Open to adults experiencing any type of loss

Although there are currently no regularly scheduled GriefShare groups in Marion County, nearby Southern Illinois churches host sessions throughout the year. (GriefShare)

ONLINE & STATEWIDE SUPPORT

NAMI Illinois

Website: https://www.namiillinois.org

Services

• Virtual peer support

• Family support

• Mental health education

• Resource referrals

Note: NAMI Illinois does not currently operate a dedicated statewide grief support group. Their groups focus primarily on mental health conditions and family support.

The Compassionate Friends

Website: https://www.compassionatefriends.org

Services

• Parents grieving the death of a child

• Sibling support

• Grandparent support

• Online meetings

• Illinois chapters

The Dougy Center

Website: https://www.dougy.org

Services

• Children

• Teens

• Young adults

• Parents

• Family grief resources

• Online support

SMART Recovery

Website: https://www.smartrecovery.org

Services

• Meetings focused on addiction recovery

• Family & Friends meetings

• Emotional wellness tools

Note: SMART Recovery does not currently offer dedicated grief-support meetings. Grief may be discussed within meetings, but it is not a grief-specific program.

Coping4Life

Website: https://coping4life.com

Services

• Online grief education

• Trauma and resilience resources

• Self-help materials

• Community education

Hospice of Southern Illinois lists Coping4Life as one of its recommended grief resources. (Hospice of Southern Illinois)

Absolutely! Since Marion County has limited grief groups, I think a Statewide Illinois Grief Support section would be much more helpful for your website. Many of these offer virtual meetings, so anyone in Marion County can attend.

Illinois Statewide Grief Support Resources

Hospice of Southern Illinois

Phone: 618-997-3030
Toll-Free: 800-233-1708
Website: https://www.hospice.org

Services

• Free grief support groups

• Bereavement counseling

• Individual grief support

• Children's grief resources

• Educational grief workshops

• Memorial services

Notes: Open to anyone in Southern Illinois. You do not have to have received hospice services to participate.

GriefShare (Statewide Illinois)

Website: https://www.griefshare.org

Services

• 13-week grief recovery program

• Weekly support groups

• Online meetings

• Faith-based support

• Search by ZIP code to find local Illinois groups

Notes: Hundreds of churches throughout Illinois host GriefShare groups year-round.

The Compassionate Friends

Phone: 630-990-0010

Website: https://www.compassionatefriends.org

Services

• Parents grieving the death of a child

• Sibling support

• Grandparent support

• Monthly chapter meetings

• Virtual support groups

• Online community

Illinois Chapters Include

• Belleville

• Springfield

• Peoria

• Bloomington

• Chicago

• Rockford

• Quad Cities

• Additional chapters statewide

NAMI Illinois

Phone: 217-522-1403

Website: https://www.namiillinois.org

Services

• Virtual peer support groups

• Family support

• Mental health education

• Mental illness and grief support

• County affiliate referrals

Notes: While NAMI does not operate grief-only programs statewide, several Illinois affiliates—including virtual affiliates—offer grief and loss peer support groups. (NAMI Illinois)

The Dougy Center

Website: https://www.dougy.org

Services

• Children's grief support

• Teen grief support

• Parent resources

• Family grief education

• Online activities

• Printable grief guides

Notes: Excellent resource for schools, caregivers, and families.

Center for Grief Recovery

Phone: 773-274-4600

Services

• Adult grief counseling

• Group grief therapy

• Individual counseling

• Traumatic loss

• Sudden death

• Suicide loss

• Online counseling options

Willow House

Phone: 847-236-9300

Website: https://www.willowhouse.org

Services

• Children's grief groups

• Teen grief groups

• Family grief support

• Parent education

• Virtual programming

Fox Valley Hands of Hope

Phone: 630-232-2233

Website: https://www.fvhh.net

Services

• Adult grief groups

• Children's grief groups

• Bereavement counseling

• Camp Hope

• Online grief education

UPLIFTED CARE Grief Center

Phone: 815-939-4141

Website: https://www.upliftedcare.org

Services

• Free community grief support

• Adult support groups

• Children's grief services

• Bereavement counseling

• Workshops

Illinois Hospice Bereavement Programs

Many Illinois hospice organizations provide free grief services to the public, regardless of whether a loved one received hospice care.

Examples include:

• Hospice of Southern Illinois

• Northern Illinois Hospice

• JourneyCare Hospice

• OSF Hospice

• Carle Hospice

• Unity Hospice

• VITAS Healthcare

• Heartland Hospice

• Gentiva Hospice

• UPLIFTED CARE

Most offer:

• Adult grief groups

• Children's grief support

• Individual bereavement counseling

• Holiday grief workshops

• Memorial events

Online Grief Communities

What's Your Grief

Website: https://whatsyourgrief.com

Services

• Free grief education

• Podcasts

• Webinars

• Worksheets

• Articles

Refuge in Grief

Website: https://refugeingrief.com

Services

• Grief education

• Online community

• Books

• Webinars

• Family resources

Modern Loss

Website: https://modernloss.com

Services

• Articles

• Podcasts

• Online community

• Peer support

• Resources for sudden and traumatic loss

Specialized Grief Support

Specialized Grief Support

Suicide Loss

Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors

Phone: No public phone number (online support only)
Website: https://allianceofhope.org

Services

• 24/7 online support community

• Moderated grief forums

• Survivor resources

• Educational articles

• Family support

Notes: One of the nation's largest online communities for people grieving the loss of someone to suicide.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) – Illinois Chapter

Illinois Chapter Phone: 312-890-2377

National Phone: 888-333-2377 (AFSP)

Website: https://afsp.org/illinois

Services

• Survivor of Suicide Loss support

• International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day events

• Community education

• Support resources

• Local chapter referrals

• Annual Out of the Darkness Walks

LOSS Teams (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors)

Phone: Varies by community

Website: https://lossteam.com

Services

• Immediate postvention support

• Peer support after a suicide loss

• Family support

• Community referrals

Notes: Illinois has several LOSS Teams, including programs in the Chicago area and other communities. Contact the website to locate the nearest team.

Overdose Loss

GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing)

Phone: No national phone listed

Website: https://grasphelp.org

Services

• Peer support groups

• Family support

• Virtual meetings

• Local chapters

• Online community

Notes: Free support for anyone grieving the death of a loved one from substance use or overdose.

Child Loss

The Compassionate Friends

Phone: 630-990-0010

Website: https://www.compassionatefriends.org

Services

• Parents grieving a child

• Sibling support

• Grandparent support

• Local chapters

• Online meetings

• Monthly support groups

Willow House

Phone: 847-236-9300

Website: https://www.willowhouse.org

Services

• Children's grief groups

• Teen grief groups

• Family counseling

• Parent support

• School grief programs

• Virtual services

The Dougy Center

Phone: 503-775-5683

Website: https://www.dougy.org

Services

• Children

• Teens

• Young adults

• Parents

• Caregiver education

• Online grief resources

Pregnancy & Infant Loss

Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support

Phone: 800-821-6819

Website: https://nationalshare.org

Services

• Pregnancy loss support

• Infant loss support

• Local chapters

• Online groups

• Parent education

• Memorial events

Star Legacy Foundation

Phone: 952-715-7731 (Ext. 1 for Family Support)

Text: 952-715-7731

Website: https://starlegacyfoundation.org

Services

• Pregnancy loss support

• Stillbirth support

• Infant loss support

• Free virtual support groups

• Peer mentors

• Family support line

• South-Central Illinois Chapter

• Pregnancy after loss groups

Sudden Infant Death Services of Illinois (SIDS of Illinois)

Phone: 630-541-3901

Email: SIDS@sidsillinois.org

Website: https://www.sidsillinois.org

Services

• Bereavement support

• Peer support

• Infant loss resources

• Parent support

• Grandparent support

• Safe sleep education

• Statewide referrals