While in-person meetings of many Loss Survivor support groups are currently suspended, several groups have moved to online meetings. Please contact the facilitator of your local group to learn more.
If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally, you are not alone. Help will continue to be available 24/7. Click here to connect.
There are many support groups across New Hampshire for those who have lost a family member, friend or relative to suicide. While some groups are peer-facilitated and others are led by professional counselors, all are comprised of fellow survivors who can offer great comfort through conversation and discussion of issues unique to bereavement of suicide. There are also general grief support groups for both adults and children that are not specific to suicide but address issues of grief and loss. Internet support groups offer another option for people who live in rural areas or prefer tapping into support from home or at different hours.
Please note that the groups listed below may not always be actively meeting. Regional Hospitals, local Community Health and Hospice, VNA’s and Mental Health centers may also be a resource for support groups in your area.
If you do not reach a group, call NAMI NH for up-to-date contact information: (800) 242-6264 or (603) 225-5359 or info@naminh.org.
Contact information listed below is intended for families and individuals so that they may connect with Support Group leaders regarding the group. Contact information is not intended for solicitation of any kind.
Groups for Adults
| Region | Date | Time | Location | Address | Contact | Additional Group Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claremont | Wednesday - 3rd Wednesday of the month | 6:30 - 8:00pm | Twin State Survivors of Suicide Loss Group - Valley Regional Hospital, Chapel Room | 243 Elm Street, Claremont, NH 03743 | Connie - (603) 558-0961, or Randy - (802) 376-6115 | This group is currently meeting online. Contact Connie or Randy for information on how to join. |
| Concord | Wednesday - 2nd Wednesday of the month | 6:30 - 8:00pm | Greater Concord Area Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group - NAMI NH Office | 85 North State Street, Concord, NH 03301 | Janyce Demers - (603) 625-9459 or Debbie Baird - (603) 717-5408 | Meeting virtually - and in person with social distancing. Contact group leaders for information on how to access the group. |
| Durham | Wednesday - 3rd Wednesday of the month | 6:15 - 7:15pm | Survivors of Suicide Loss Group - Waysmeet Center | 15 Mill Road, Durham, NH | Amy Oliva | This group is currently meeting online. Contact Amy Oliva for information on how to join. |
| Hampstead | Friday - Every Friday | 4:30 - 5:30pm | Coping with a Loved One's Suicide - Hampstead Public Library | Dan Wells - (603) 553-0119 | This group is currently meeting online. Contact Dan Wells for information on how to join. | |
| Keene | Monday - Every Monday | 6:30 - 8:00pm | A Safe Place Support Group - The Samaritans - Monadnock Region | 25 Roxbury Street, Suite 113, Keene, NH 03431 | Carmen/Penny King - (603) 357-5510 - Website | Meeting virtually each week - Email for information on how to access the group. All meetings are confidential and open only to survivors. |
| Maine | Tuesday - 3rd Tuesday of the month | 6:30 - 8:00pm | Maine Suicide Bereavement Support Group - Whole Heart Therapies | 8 Wilson Street, Berwick, ME 03901 | Jennifer Ordway or Tina Dodge | This group is open to all of Stratford, Rockingham, and Carroll County in NH, as well as ME. Please Jennifer Ordway or Tina Dodge if this will be your first time attending. |
| Manchester | Thursday - 2nd Thursday of the month | 6:30 - 8:00pm | Manchester Survivors of Suicide Support Group - Brookside Congregational Church (Manning House) | 2013 Elm Street, Manchester, NH | John McNally - (978) 804-5791 | |
| Manchester | Thursday - Every Thursday | 6:00 - 7:30pm | Manchester VNA Suicide Bereavement Support Group - Elliot at River's Edge, in the River Room (2nd Floor) | 185 Queen City Ave., Manchester, NH | Chuck Johnson - (603) 663-4005 | Participation in this support group is open to adults and although registration for this group is not required, it is requested that interested person call prior to attending. This group will meet on an ongoing basis and will follow a 10 week cyclical agenda which provides the flexibility for participants to discuss current topics/issues of concern. |
| Merrimack | Wednesday - 2nd Wednesday of the month | 6:30 - 8:00pm | Grieving Survivors of Suicide - Home, Health, and Hospice Office | 7 Executive Park Drive, Merrimack, NH | Linda Vollmer or Gail McMorrow-Donahue - (603) 930-3640 | This group is currently meeting online. Contact Linda Vollmer or Gail McMorrow-Donahue for information on how to join. Serves Hillsborough County. Group Mission: Grieving Survivors of Suicide is a place to meet and share with others who are suffering a loss to suicide. Annual Events: Group fund raiser walks, annual AFSP teleconference meeting in November, others. |
| North Conway | Thursday - 2nd Thursday of the month | 6:00 - 7:30pm | Survivors of Suicide - Mount Washington Valley Area - Reverence for Life | 2503 White Mountain Hwy, North Conway, NH | Denise - (603) 939-2086 | Sponsored by: Vaughn Community Services, Inc. |
| Portsmouth | Tuesday - 1st Tuesday of the month | 6:30 - 8:00pm | Portsmouth Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group - Seventh Day Adventist Church | 861 Middle Rd. Portsmouth, NH | Paul Noyes - (603) 770-2987 or Candace Stiteler - (603) 868-2970 | No Walk Ins. Please call for more information |
Resources for Children
At this time there are no grief groups in New Hampshire specifically for children who have experienced a loss to suicide. However, there are several support groups for children and teens grieving the loss of a loved one.
National
Survivors Road2Healing.com – Resources for Children and Teens
http://www.road2healing.com/children.htm
Local
Camp Kita
Summer camp for children who have lost a loved one to suicide
http://campkita.com/
Children’s Good Grief Program
Home Health & Hospice Care, Nashua, NH
800-887-5973
https://www.hhhc.org/home-care-services/bereavement/child-bereavement/
GAPS (Grieving Assistance Program for Children)
Rochester, NH
603-335-7777
http://www.victimsinc.org
Hospice at HSC
Keene, NH
800-541-4145
https://hcsservices.org/services/hospice/bereavement-services/
Mountain of Hope
Center Ossipee, NH
603-569-2729 Ext. 230
https://www.centralvna.org/home-health-and-hospice-services/hospice/bereavement/
Stepping Stones
VNA of Manchester & Southern NH, Inc., Manchester, NH
603-663-4005
https://www.manchestervna.org/bereavement-support
