Volunteer giving grief support via video call

Please note that we are not a crisis organisation
If you need immediate help, please use the following services:

SOS Helpline France
Confidential listening in English (3 p.m. – 11 p.m.).
Tel: 01 46 21 46 46

Samaritans UK
24/7 support for those who prefer a UK-based voice.
Tel: 00 44 330 094 5717
(or email jo@samaritans.org).

Suicide Line France (3114)
24/7 support for individuals and families; English speakers available.
Tel: 3114

Emergencies
Call 112 for immediate medical or police assistance
Tel: 112

I want to talk to a trained volunteer in English. (Free Support)

If you live in France, you can speak to a BSN volunteer by phone or Google Meet for up to an hour on a regular basis. They will support you through these difficult times. We work with clients for up to eight sessions.

You don’t have to face this alone

One-to-one grief support: How we help

Find out how our trained, compassionate volunteers walk alongside you on your grief journey

A dandelion flower releasing its petals into the wind

Anticipatory grief support

Grief doesn’t always wait for a loss. We provide a safe space to talk about the sadness, anxiety, and guilt that can come when a loved one is terminally ill.

The Grieving Process - Myths and Reality

The grieving process: Myths and reality

Learn more about what grief really looks like and discover some tools that can help you manage the rollercoaster of emotions.

What other support is available ?

Resources, helplines, books and online grief support .

I want professional, One-on-one support (Counselling & Therapy)

I want to connect with people who “Get it” (Support Groups)

Support for specific types of loss (Specialised resources)

Emotional support during a terminal illness

Tools for your personal journey (Reading & exploration)

Helpful links

Book Directories

Related reading

  • Muddles, Puddles and Sunshine by Diana Crossley
  • Badger’s Parting Gifts by Susan Varley
  • The Invisible String by Patrice Karst (available as audio)
  • Always and Forever by Alan Durant and Debi Gliori

  • Grief Works: Stories of Life, Death and Surviving by Julia Samuel
  • This Too Shall Pass by Julia Samuel
  • Language of Loss: A psychotherapist’s journey through grief by Sasha Bates
  • Table for One Sir? by John Flint
  • The Madness of Grief: A Memoir of Love and Loss by The Reverend Richard Coles
  • With The End in Mind: How to Live and Die Well by Kathryn Mannix
  • Listen: How to Find the Words for Tender Conversations by Kathryn Mannix
  • Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief by David Kessler
  • The Empty Bed: Bereavement and the Loss of Love by Susan Wallbank
  • You Are not Alone by Cariad Lloyd
  • It’s OK That You’re Not Ok by Megan Devine
  • Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief by Claire Bidwell Smith

Where can I find practical information?

On our Practical Information page you can find resources from managing immediate legal declarations to organising your affairs, our information hub connects you with the essential tools and professional services you need.

Vintage pen, quill, and glasses resting on a desk, representing the administrative steps of dealing with death in France

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You are not alone