Coping With Grief After a Funeral: Support in Australia

The weeks after a funeral can be the hardest part. This guide lists free Australian support services, explains what grief can feel like, and suggests small things that help, for you and for the people around you.

By Kate B, reviewed by Anne G · Last updated 5 October 2026 · Editorial standards

Key points

Lifeline (13 11 14), Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636), 13YARN (13 92 76) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) are free and open 24 hours a day.
Grief can affect sleep, appetite, energy and concentration as well as mood. That's common, not a sign something is wrong with you.
It's a good idea to see your GP if grief is getting in the way of everyday life, or still feels this heavy after a year.
Supporting someone who's grieving is mostly about listening, being patient and offering practical help.

The days around a funeral are often so full that there's no room to feel much at all. It's the weeks afterwards, when the visitors thin out and life is expected to carry on, that many people find hardest. If that's where you are, this page is for you. It's not a lecture on how to grieve. It's a list of who you can talk to, a few honest words about what grief can be like, and some small things that tend to help.

Who Can I Talk to Right Now?

If you need to talk to someone now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. It's free, it's open 24 hours a day, and you don't need to be in a crisis to call. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 000.

These services are all free and run by Australian organisations. Phone numbers and hours were checked against each service's own published details on the date shown in the sources at the bottom of this page.

Lifeline: call 13 11 14, or text 0477 13 11 14. For anyone in Australia going through a hard time or a crisis. Open 24 hours, 7 days.
Beyond Blue: call 1300 22 4636, or chat online. For anyone feeling anxious, low or overwhelmed. Open 24 hours, 7 days.
13YARN: call 13 92 76. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Open 24 hours, 7 days.
Kids Helpline: call 1800 55 1800, or chat online. For children and young people aged 5 to 25. Open 24 hours, 7 days.
Griefline, now part of SANE Australia: call 1300 845 745. For adults looking for grief support, information and groups. Monday to Friday, 10am to 8pm (AEST/AEDT).

A few things worth knowing before you call:

You don't need to have the right words. "Someone I love died and I'm not coping" is enough of a start.
You can call more than once. Plenty of people ring on a bad night, then again a week later.
You can call for someone else. If you're worried about a family member or friend, these services can talk you through how to help.
13YARN connects you with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander crisis supporter, for a yarn without judgement.

About Griefline: for many years it ran its own national grief helpline. In late 2025 it merged with SANE Australia, and its number now connects to SANE, who can point you to the grief support, resources and community services available through them. If you're after someone to talk to straight away, any time of day, Lifeline is the place to start.

What Can Grief Feel Like?

Grief can feel like almost anything. There's no correct way to do it and no schedule it has to follow.

In the first days, especially after a sudden death, many people feel numb, or as if it hasn't really happened. Later, sadness tends to arrive in waves. It can be mixed up with other feelings that are harder to admit to:

Anger, at the situation, at the hospital, at the person who died, or at people who say the wrong thing.
Guilt, about things said or left unsaid, or about decisions made near the end.
Relief, particularly after a long illness. It's common, and it doesn't mean you loved them any less.
Anxiety, about the future, money, or losing someone else.
Loneliness, even when people are around.

Grief isn't only in your head. It often shows up in the body too. Healthdirect, the Australian Government's health information service, lists changes in appetite, trouble sleeping, tiredness, headaches, stomach aches and general aches among the ways grief can affect you. Concentration often goes as well. If you've found yourself reading the same paragraph four times, or forgetting why you walked into a room, you're not alone.

None of this means you're doing grief badly. It means you've lost someone who mattered.

Why Can the Weeks After the Funeral Feel Harder?

For many people, yes, the weeks after can be harder than the funeral itself. There are a few reasons.

Before the service, there's a lot to organise. Phone calls, decisions, paperwork and visitors fill the days, and that busyness can hold the feelings off for a while. Once the funeral is over, the structure disappears. Friends go back to their own lives. The casseroles stop. And the people closest to the person who died are left with the quiet.

Some moments tend to catch people off guard:

The first time you reach for the phone to tell them something.
Their birthday, your anniversary, or the first Christmas or Lunar New Year without them.
Sorting through their clothes and belongings.
Official letters arriving in their name.
Hearing a song, a laugh or a phrase that sounds like them.

It can help to know these moments are coming, so they're not a total ambush. Some families plan something small for the hard dates, like a walk, a meal together, or a quiet hour with photos. Others prefer to let the day pass without marking it. Both are fine.

What Helps in Everyday Life?

There's no fix for grief, but some small things do make the days a little easier to get through. Take what's useful and leave the rest.

Keep a few basic routines. Getting up at roughly the same time, eating something proper once a day and getting outside for a walk won't fix anything, but they give the day some shape.
Let people help. When someone offers, say yes and give them a job. Groceries, the bins, a lift, an hour with the kids.
Talk about the person. Say their name. Tell the stories. Many people find it comforting, and it can give others permission to do the same.
Put off big decisions where you can. Selling the house or moving interstate can usually wait until the fog lifts a little.
Go easy on alcohol. It can feel like it helps at night, and then make sleep and mood worse.
Write things down. Lists for the practical things, and a notebook for the thoughts that come at 3am.
Expect good days and bad days. A good day isn't a betrayal, and a bad day after a few good ones isn't going backwards.

When Should I Get More Help?

Grief is a normal response to loss, and most people don't need treatment for it. But some grief gets stuck, or gets so heavy that it's hard to function. Healthdirect suggests it's a good idea to seek help if:

you have persistent feelings of sadness and despair
your grief has been very distressing for 12 months or more
it's getting in the way of your work, your relationships or seeing people
it's stopping you from sleeping, or you've lost your appetite or are overeating
it's causing intense distress that doesn't let up
you have any thoughts of harming yourself.

Your GP is a good first step. They can talk with you about how you've been going and, if it would help, refer you to a counsellor or psychologist. You don't need to wait until things are dire to book an appointment.

If you're having thoughts of suicide or of harming yourself, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 now, or 000 if you're in danger.

How Can I Support Someone Who Is Grieving?

Most people worry about saying the wrong thing, so they say nothing. Reaching out, even clumsily, is almost always better than silence. Lifeline's grief guidance comes down to a few simple ideas:

Let them know you're there. A short message is enough: "Thinking of you. No need to reply." Then ask how they'd like to stay in touch, rather than assuming.
Listen more than you talk. You don't need to fix anything or find a silver lining.
Be patient. Grief has no timetable. Don't push them to "move on", and try not to compare their loss with anyone else's.
Offer specific, practical help. "Can I drop dinner over on Thursday?" is much easier to accept than "Let me know if you need anything."
Remember the dates. A message on the first anniversary, or on their person's birthday, can mean a great deal.

A few things are best avoided, however kindly meant: "I know how you feel", "They're in a better place", "At least they had a long life", and "You'll get over it."

And look after yourself while you do this. Supporting someone through grief takes energy. It's fine to have limits.

How Do Children and Teenagers Grieve?

Children grieve too, though it can look different from adult grief. Some ask the same questions over and over. Some seem fine one minute and upset the next. Teenagers might pull away from family and lean on friends, or keep their feelings to themselves to avoid upsetting anyone.

A few things tend to help:

Use clear, simple words like "died", rather than phrases such as "gone to sleep", which can confuse or frighten younger children.
Answer their questions honestly, even if the honest answer is "I don't know".
Keep normal routines going where you can. School, sport and bedtime give a sense of safety.
Let them see that it's all right to be sad, and that it's also all right to laugh and play.
Tell their school or childcare what's happened, so teachers can keep an eye out.

Young people aged 5 to 25 can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or chat online, at any time. It's free and confidential, and they can call on their own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can I call for grief support in Australia? Lifeline (13 11 14) is there for anyone, at any hour. Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) offers free counselling around the clock, 13YARN (13 92 76) is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) is for young people aged 5 to 25.

Is it normal to feel exhausted or unable to sleep after a funeral? Yes. Grief often shows up in the body as well as the mind. Changes in sleep, appetite and energy are common in the weeks and months after a death.

When should I see a doctor about grief? It's a good idea to see your GP if grief is making everyday life very hard, if you can't sleep or eat properly, if the distress isn't easing after about a year, or if you have any thoughts of harming yourself.

What happened to Griefline? Griefline merged with SANE Australia in late 2025. Its number, 1300 845 745, now connects to SANE, who can tell you about the grief support, resources and community services they offer.

How can I help a friend who is grieving? Let them know you're there, then follow their lead. Listen more than you talk, don't rush them, and offer specific practical help, like a meal or a school pickup, rather than a general "let me know if you need anything".

A Note Before You Go

Grief doesn't follow the stages people sometimes talk about, and it rarely ends neatly. For most people it softens over time and becomes something they carry rather than something that flattens them. If today is a hard one, that's all right. Pick one small thing to do, and if you'd like to talk to someone, the numbers at the top of this page are there for exactly that.

This page is general information, not medical advice. How we write and check our guides is set out in our editorial standards.

If you're still in the middle of arranging things, our step-by-step guide to planning a funeral in Australia sets out what happens when, and what can wait.

Sources

Lifeline Australia, 13 11 14 crisis support (checked 5 October 2026)
Lifeline Australia, Crisis text service (checked 5 October 2026)
Beyond Blue, Talk to a counsellor (checked 5 October 2026)
13YARN, 13YARN crisis support (checked 5 October 2026)
Kids Helpline, Kids Helpline (checked 5 October 2026)
Griefline, Nationwide grief support line (checked 5 October 2026)
SANE Australia, Griefline grows impact and reach through merger with SANE Australia (checked 5 October 2026)
healthdirect (Australian Government), Grief and loss (checked 5 October 2026)
Lifeline Australia, Grief and loss support toolkit (checked 5 October 2026)

About the author

Kate B writes and edits Mixtape Memories' guides on planning and personalising a memorial video, with a focus on the family-facing side of the process: what to include, working with limited material, and what comes after the service. The aim is always the same: practical, calm guidance that doesn't add to an already difficult week.

Reviewed by Anne G.