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Three smiling Camp Spero volunteers in matching t-shirts, arms around each other

I didn’t believe this was possible. My professional journey from seasoned skeptic to passionate believer in grief-informed texting.

As someone who had been providing direct care for many years at that point, I was really skeptical. You might say that my protective "mama bear" came out, and I immediately scoffed at the idea that people could feel supported by simple text messages, especially considering my years of sitting with people in their darkest moments.

A person sitting alone by the shore, overlaid with the text "Remind your grieving friend that no matter how hard she tried, or how fiercely she loved, she could not control her loved one's addiction."

Grief Support2 min read

Text Messages provide support after an addiction loss

Addiction is misunderstood and scary, which keeps people away after someone dies, just they're needed the most.

A speaker at a podium on a darkened stage, with photos of a young donor projected on a large screen behind her and an audience seated at tables

Bereavement3 min read

Locks of Legacy 2025

Two weeks ago I had the honor of traveling to Sacramento, to speak with 400 family members whose loved ones died last year. In their deep grief they decided that their loved ones would become tissue and organ donors.

Renee's mother, wearing a Happy Birthday party hat and smiling, seated between her two teenage daughters outdoors

COVID-194 min read

I was already dealing with my mom’s death. Now a global pandemic has taken away my senior year

Our guest blogger is Renee, a high school senior in Vista, CA. Her Mom died, and now COVID-19 has taken away her senior year.

3 min read

Why I created Grief Coach (Help Texts)

On the flight home from my friend's funeral, I reflected on the dozens of conversations I'd had with people who had - it turns out - let their fear and discomfort keep them from reaching out when my husband died 10 years earlier. I was sure we could do better.

Illustration of a smartphone with green speech-bubble marks on its screen and an orange heart floating above it

Grief Coach4 min read

Five reasons your organ procurement organization or tissue bank should offer bereavement texts to donor families

As you support families through your organization's bereavement program, consider incorporating Help Texts text messages as a part of your outreach. Here's why: 1. We offer personalized texts for sudden, traumatic deaths like the ones many of your donor families faced. 2. We help your donor families cope and make meaning. 3. We help donor families feel less alone by texting their supporters too! 4. We save you time and postage by texting donor families reminders of your organization's events. 5. We strengthen your relationship and reputation with donor families, so they see the process of donation as positive and worthwhile.

Graphic with the text "96% of grievers who responded to our first subscriber survey said they find Grief Coach's text messages helpful."

Grief Coach2 min read

Grief Coach's new text-based survey tool delivers strong results

Within moments, we received our first responses, and within the first 24 hours, we had nearly a 50% response rate.

Emma Payne speaking at a podium on stage before a large seated audience at the Locks of Legacy ceremony

Bereavement5 min read

Revolutionizing Grief Support: How Text Messages are Changing Donor Family AfterCare

When Michele Rosdahl and Emma Payne first met in February 2022, they quickly discovered that - in addition to sharing a deep commitment to bereavement care - they had something else in common. They both lost their partners to suicide. That meeting, and the women's immediate connection, fueled a partnership that has been delivering expert grief care to bereaved family members in Tennessee, New Mexico, and California ever since.

Amy Fabian-Crump, smiling, seated and wearing a bright pink blouse

Partnership2 min read

Grief Coach (Help Texts) welcomes new affiliate, Amy Fabian-Crump, CEO and founder of Dragonfly Vibes

Amy personally receives Grief Coach texts and knows the value of having simple, easy access to help after a loss. She says: "Support is critical to our healing journey and it can take many forms. The more we can make getting support easy for those grieving the more likely people are to take advantage of it."

Grief2 min read

New research proves the power of the humble text message for health intervention

Text messaging is the most accessible, effective, and evidence-based digital health intervention available.

Illustration of a woman holding a wrapped gift at a wreath-decorated door, greeted by a man opening it

Bereavement4 min read

Five tips for supporting your grieving loved one over the holidays

Happy Holidays! Or are they? The holiday season is filled with twinkling lights and cheerful music, but this may not be reflective of how your grieving loved one is feeling. In fact watching people planning social gatherings and family parties may make your loved one painfully aware that someone who used to be part of their celebrations, is no longer here. It is normal to feel helpless when you’re trying to support someone who is grieving during the holiday season. We hope these 5 tips will help!

The top of Seattle's Space Needle, its saucer-shaped observation deck lit gold against a deep blue sky

Grief Support1 min read

Virginia Mason's Grief Services team now offering Grief Coach subscriptions to their clients

Virginia Mason's Grief Services clients in Seattle can now receive personalized, text-based support from Grief Coach.

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