Have you ever wished someone would call, only to find yourself not wanting to answer? Or asked for space and then felt hurt that no one checked in? Grief can be confusing that way. Sometimes we don’t know what we need. Other times, we know but we don’t feel comfortable asking. I think a lot of people want to be there for us but don’t know how. They’re afraid to mention the person who died while we’re waiting to hear someone say their name. Explaining that can be exhausting. With someone you trust, try being specific. “I need to talk about what happened, even though I’ve told you before.” Maybe you’d appreciate a text without any expectation that you’ll answer. Some people still won’t understand. You don’t have to keep explaining if those conversations leave you feeling worse. This week, is there something you wish someone understood about your grief? If you feel comfortable, tell them. You deserve support that makes room for how you actually feel. We can offer that spot too in our groups.
Different people can support us in different ways. This reflection exercise from What’s Your Grief may help you think about what you might need and who you feel comfortable turning to.
~Robyn
Robyn Houston-Bean
Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation
Find the most up-to-date meeting info, ZOOM links and LOCATION info all in one place! DOWNLOAD THE TEAMUP APP CALENDAR ON YOUR PHONE. Click here for how to join app! The teamup calendar automatically updates to your timezone.
Please check the calendar before you drive to an in-person group…last-minute changes can happen. If it is not listed on the monthly calendar, it is cancelled for that date.
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MEETING CHANGES THIS WEEK
Suicide related death zoom group cancelled for this month.
8 WEEK PEER GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP SIGN-UP
Please join our new pilot 8 week peer grief support group in Braintree MA that starts 10/22/26. Register here
Thank you to our Together in the Light Sponsors!
Thank you to our Sun Sponsors for your generosity and for helping us keep peer grief support free for people bereaved due to substance use-related causes.
We’re also grateful to all of our other sponsors whose generous support helped make Together in the Light such a meaningful celebration.
UPCOMING TSWR & SADOD ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
Two similar workshops, one in-person and one virtual, but presented by two different people!
When Grief Lives in the Body Saturday 10/24/26 1:30-3:00 pm Tufts Library Weymouth, MA Participants will explore the mind-body connection in grief and learn how to recognize the ways grief may be showing up physically. Through discussion, reflection, gentle grounding practices, and simple body-based exercises, participants will have an opportunity to develop greater awareness and compassion for their own grief responses. The workshop is presented by Julie Foster, a certified grief coach, grief educator and master’s level mental health counselor. REGISTER HERE! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Thanks for your understanding. Please don’t let the deposit be a barrier, if cost is an issue, just let us know. We’re committed to making this event accessible to everyone. If you have any accessibility needs (physical or otherwise), please reach out. We want to ensure everyone feels welcome and supported. Registration required. Questions? Contact Judy Kelly: Judyannkelly@gmail.com
Peer Support Community Partners’s October Psychoeducation Virtual Workshop: When Grief Lives in the Body: Understanding the Physical Experience of Loss Tuesday, October 27th, 6:30 - 8:00 pm This workshop will explore the physical experience of grief. Together, we will explore how grief can affect the body, why physical symptoms may emerge after a loss, and how understanding these responses can help us approach ourselves with greater compassion. REGISTER Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS. To take advantage of this special offer, make sure you select YES when asked if you live or work in Massachusetts. Non-MA residents, if cost is an issue, may use promo code SCHOLARSHIP to register for free.
Partner Events
Our partners The Family Restored are holding their 13th annual Memorial Walk. Please join them and walk to remember.
Men’s Group Facilitator & Director of Engagement for TSWR, David Swindell, is hosting a Cornhole Tournament to benefit the CWS foundation, in honor of his son Chris. Sign up your team!
Virtual Book Club starts back up in November!
2026–2027 Reading Selections
November 1, 2026
Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe
by Laura Lynne Jackson
December 6, 2026
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
by Barbara Robinson
January 3, 2027
The Last Things I’ll Remember
by Randi Schalet
February 7, 2027
The Year of Magical Thinking
by Joan Didion
March 7, 2027
The Disappearance: A Memoir of Loss
by Geneviève Jurgensen
April 4, 2027
The Correspondent
by Virginia Evans
INTO LIGHT SUBMISSIONS
INTO LIGHT Project is accepting submissions in the following states now for Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories exhibitions in 2027.
INTO LIGHT Project is a national nonprofit working to change how people understand addiction, because stigma and misinformation cost lives. Our educational exhibition, Drug Addiction: Real People, Real Stories, pairs original graphite portraits with professionally written narratives about people who died from substance use disorder.
HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND
Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.
Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email? Have them sign up here for support!
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Want to volunteer for The Sun Will Rise? Sign up here!
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“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean