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Through the Tears: Helping Children Grieve after Suicide Loss
You’ve just received devastating news. Someone you love died by suicide. Your thoughts and your emotions spiral in different directions when suddenly you realize you have to tell your child about the loss. What do you say? How will your child handle the announcement?
Approximately 12,000 children and adolescents yearly are affected by suicidal deaths of close family members. Parents, who are often grieving themselves, want to help their children grieve in healthy ways, but may lack skills for doing so. In Through the Tears, Dr. Ford shares a glimpse into her family’s tragic experiences with suicide loss as well as lessons she has learned from working with survivors of suicide for over 15 years. This book provides practical guidance for talking with children about suicide, supporting them through their emotional responses, and addressing the stigma surrounding it. Children may ask, “Where was God” in the suicide loss and “Why didn’t he prevent it?” These and other difficult questions are discussed to help parents navigate challenging conversations with their children. Dr. Ford gives sample language for talking with children and teens about suicide loss, tools to navigate a child’s emotional responses and suggestions for creating continuing bonds with the deceased. This book is a must for parents who want to help their children cope after suicide loss.
Approximately 12,000 children and adolescents yearly are affected by suicidal deaths of close family members. Parents, who are often grieving themselves, want to help their children grieve in healthy ways, but may lack skills for doing so. In Through the Tears, Dr. Ford shares a glimpse into her family’s tragic experiences with suicide loss as well as lessons she has learned from working with survivors of suicide for over 15 years. This book provides practical guidance for talking with children about suicide, supporting them through their emotional responses, and addressing the stigma surrounding it. Children may ask, “Where was God” in the suicide loss and “Why didn’t he prevent it?” These and other difficult questions are discussed to help parents navigate challenging conversations with their children. Dr. Ford gives sample language for talking with children and teens about suicide loss, tools to navigate a child’s emotional responses and suggestions for creating continuing bonds with the deceased. This book is a must for parents who want to help their children cope after suicide loss.
156 pages, ebook
Published August 19, 2025
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2 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 20, 2025
An honest and professional way to help guide your child through the journey of dealing with loss from suicidal. It takes the “How to” question parents ask and gives you answers and guides taken from those who have walked this road already. Guides you through the questions asked today and questions and situations that may come.
If you and your family find yourself on this path, for the sake of your children, get this book and read it. It’s like a personal visit from those who have walked in your shoes and what advice they would give you.
If you and your family find yourself on this path, for the sake of your children, get this book and read it. It’s like a personal visit from those who have walked in your shoes and what advice they would give you.
August 4, 2025
An Extraordinarily Valuable Resource
Through the Tears: Helping Children Grieve after Suicide Loss by Natalie Ford is an extraordinarily valuable resource. It is insightful and filled with compassionate wisdom to help children process grief and move forward in a healthy way. As a pastor and chaplain, this book is a tool that will forever be in my toolbox.
The author is both a mental health professional and a person bereaved through the suicide of her husband. She has years of experience in counseling survivors of suicide loss. So, she understands the feelings and experiences of the bereaved.
The book is highly informative and helpful for grief counseling, with wonderful insights into other people's stories. Moreover, the text is easy to read and understand. It is not written in therapeutic jargon. Instead, the author offers practical tips, coping strategies, and examples of how people have dealt with suicide loss. There is a narrative that runs through the book of how a woman named Bethany and her family, especially her son Bryce, was affected by the death by suicide of Bethany’s brother. While Bethany’s story is heart-wrenching, it is also helpful.
The author is a Christian. She starts each chapter with a Bible Verse. You will appreciate her compassionate approach and Christian perspective. However, you don’t have to be a Christian to get something from this book. Anyone will find this book helpful and enlightening, particularly in providing comfort during grief.
I strongly recommend Through the Tears: Helping Children Grieve after Suicide Loss. It is a must read for those walking alongside children who have lost someone to suicide. The book would be particularly useful for mental health and medical professionals.
Through the Tears: Helping Children Grieve after Suicide Loss by Natalie Ford is an extraordinarily valuable resource. It is insightful and filled with compassionate wisdom to help children process grief and move forward in a healthy way. As a pastor and chaplain, this book is a tool that will forever be in my toolbox.
The author is both a mental health professional and a person bereaved through the suicide of her husband. She has years of experience in counseling survivors of suicide loss. So, she understands the feelings and experiences of the bereaved.
The book is highly informative and helpful for grief counseling, with wonderful insights into other people's stories. Moreover, the text is easy to read and understand. It is not written in therapeutic jargon. Instead, the author offers practical tips, coping strategies, and examples of how people have dealt with suicide loss. There is a narrative that runs through the book of how a woman named Bethany and her family, especially her son Bryce, was affected by the death by suicide of Bethany’s brother. While Bethany’s story is heart-wrenching, it is also helpful.
The author is a Christian. She starts each chapter with a Bible Verse. You will appreciate her compassionate approach and Christian perspective. However, you don’t have to be a Christian to get something from this book. Anyone will find this book helpful and enlightening, particularly in providing comfort during grief.
I strongly recommend Through the Tears: Helping Children Grieve after Suicide Loss. It is a must read for those walking alongside children who have lost someone to suicide. The book would be particularly useful for mental health and medical professionals.
October 1, 2025
Helping Children Grieve: A Powerful Resource
Through the Tears: Helping Children Grieve after Suicide Loss (ebook) by Natalie Ford is a profound book. As a pastor I have had unenviable task of dealing with many cases of suicide. One vivid memory is that of a toddler happily running around at her dad’s funeral, while her dad lay deceased in the coffin. I kept on thinking, at the time, that a day would come that someone would have to explain to her what had happened. And I would not know how to do that. This book covers what loved ones would have to do and say.
Dr Ford’s book is profound in various ways:
She writes from the perspective where her husband took his own life and where she would not only have to work with her emotions, but also those of her daughter. Dr Ford’s honesty and transparency is beautiful.
She gives me, a pastor, much needed help to know how to help others who find themselves where she found herself.
The help is practical and easy to grasp. On numerous occasions through the book I became aware of three things. First, how I had at times failed to give appropriate guidance. Second, times I got it right. Third, she helped me recognize things I had not even thought about.
The book is deeply respectful towards the person who has taken their own life, fully aware of the mental health issues involved.
It gives age-appropriate advice.
Suicide and the emotions connected to it are complex, often leaving people with illegitimate guilt and shame. Dr Ford’s book has a vital role in helping people avoid or deal with emotions that otherwise catch them by surprise. I highly recommend this gem.
Through the Tears: Helping Children Grieve after Suicide Loss (ebook) by Natalie Ford is a profound book. As a pastor I have had unenviable task of dealing with many cases of suicide. One vivid memory is that of a toddler happily running around at her dad’s funeral, while her dad lay deceased in the coffin. I kept on thinking, at the time, that a day would come that someone would have to explain to her what had happened. And I would not know how to do that. This book covers what loved ones would have to do and say.
Dr Ford’s book is profound in various ways:
She writes from the perspective where her husband took his own life and where she would not only have to work with her emotions, but also those of her daughter. Dr Ford’s honesty and transparency is beautiful.
She gives me, a pastor, much needed help to know how to help others who find themselves where she found herself.
The help is practical and easy to grasp. On numerous occasions through the book I became aware of three things. First, how I had at times failed to give appropriate guidance. Second, times I got it right. Third, she helped me recognize things I had not even thought about.
The book is deeply respectful towards the person who has taken their own life, fully aware of the mental health issues involved.
It gives age-appropriate advice.
Suicide and the emotions connected to it are complex, often leaving people with illegitimate guilt and shame. Dr Ford’s book has a vital role in helping people avoid or deal with emotions that otherwise catch them by surprise. I highly recommend this gem.
August 23, 2025
This is more than just a book, it’s a companion for families walking through one of life’s most difficult seasons. Parents, caregivers, teachers, and counselors will find it an invaluable resource for starting conversations, building resilience, and offering hope.
Highly recommended for any child coping with the loss of a loved one to suicide, and for the caring adults who support them.
Highly recommended for any child coping with the loss of a loved one to suicide, and for the caring adults who support them.
September 2, 2025
Oh this book! Such a great resource to have in your “tool belt” to help children navigate grief. It’s full of biblical truth and wisdom. Also, it’s real raw and applicable. Natalie shares her personal journey with her daughter through grief and healing. Giving God the glory for sustaining her and giving her strength like only He can in the midst of such heartbreak.
September 6, 2025
This is a clear, compassionate book for families. My only concern is that the author frames suicide as a choice, not my belief. However, the many ways she shares how to deal with children and youth who experience suicide loss makes the book well worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews