by Delaney Rice, Loyola University Intern
I created this list because grief can feel isolating, and it is often hard to put what you are experiencing into words. I have found that movies, shows, books, and podcasts can help make those feelings more understandable or at least remind you that you are not the only one going through it. Sometimes it is easier to connect with a story than to explain your own.
I was motivated to put this together as a way to offer something practical that people can return to depending on what they need in the moment. Some of these are more emotional, some are lighter, and others are more reflective or informative. My hope is that this list helps people feel a little more seen and gives them a starting point when they are not sure how to begin the process.
Grief can take many forms. Sometimes, the most helpful thing isn’t advice, but finding something that reflects what you’re feeling. This is a curated list of media that explores grief in different ways, with short descriptions to help you find what might resonate.
Books
- The Year of Magical Thinking: A deeply personal account of sudden loss and the disorienting ways the mind tries to cope. Resonates with early grief and disbelief.
- Crying in H Mart: A memoir about losing a mother, told through food, culture, and memory. Especially meaningful for those navigating identity alongside grief.
- When Breath Becomes Air: A neurosurgeon reflects on life and mortality after his terminal diagnosis. Powerful for confronting death with meaning and perspective.
- Bearing the Unbearable: Offers compassionate guidance for sitting with deep, overwhelming grief. Best for when you need validation more than solutions.
- It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Challenges the idea that grief should be fixed or rushed. Ideal if you feel pressure to “move on.”
- A Grief Observed: A raw exploration of mourning, faith, and doubt after losing a spouse. Resonates with intense emotional and spiritual questioning.
- How to Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies: Provides practical and emotional tools for navigating daily life after loss. Helpful for structure and guidance.
- The Other Side of Sadness: Explores the science of resilience and how people adapt to loss. Reassuring for those wanting a research-based perspective.
- The Grieving Brain: Explains how grief affects the brain and why it feels so consuming. Useful for making sense of the emotional experience.
- Grief Is for People: Blends humor and sorrow in a personal reflection on loss. Resonates with those who experience grief alongside irony.
- H Is for Hawk: A memoir of grief intertwined with training a hawk, exploring identity and solitude. Ideal for quiet, introspective healing.
- Notes on Grief: A concise and powerful reflection on losing a parent. Speaks to both personal and cultural dimensions of grief.
- The Orphaned Adult: Focuses on the unique experience of losing a parent in adulthood. Validating for those navigating that specific loss.
- Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole: A blend of psychology, memoir, cultural history, and spirituality. The book argues that melancholy, longing, and awareness of life’s fragility are not flaws to fix but powerful sources of creativity, connection, and meaning.
- Train Dreams: A novel about a man living a largely isolated life while experiencing significant personal loss over time.
Movies
- Meet Joe Black: A slow, philosophical story about death personified that invites reflection on love, time, and what it means to let go. Best for when you’re in a contemplative, meaning-seeking place.
- P.S. I Love You: Follows a widow receiving messages from her late husband, blending romance and grief in a bittersweet way. Ideal for those navigating partner loss or wanting to feel enduring love.
- Field of Dreams: A nostalgic story about reconciliation and second chances, especially between fathers and children. Resonates with unresolved relationships and longing for closure.
- The Lovely Bones: A haunting portrayal of a young girl’s murder and its ripple effects on her family. Best for processing traumatic loss from multiple emotional angles.
- The Descendants: A man navigates family turmoil after his wife’s accident, exploring grief, anger, and forgiveness. Suited for complex family dynamics and imperfect relationships.
- The Bucket List: Two terminally ill men set out to experience life before they die, balancing humor with reflection. A good choice if you want something lighter but still meaningful.
- My Girl: A coming-of-age story that captures the tenderness and shock of childhood grief. Especially impactful for reconnecting with early experiences of loss.
- This Is Where I Leave You: A dysfunctional family reunites after a death, mixing humor and tension with shared mourning. Best for those who relate to chaotic family grief.
- My Octopus Teacher: A quiet documentary about connection and loss through a man’s relationship with nature. Offers a gentle, meditative approach to acceptance.
TV Shows
- Life & Beth: A woman begins to confront long-buried grief as she reexamines her life and past. Resonates with delayed grief and self-discovery.
- Shrinking: A therapist grieving his wife begins breaking boundaries, blending humor with emotional honesty. Good for when you want to feel both comforted and understood.
- After Life: A widower copes with loss through anger, dark humor, and existential questioning. Best for when grief feels heavy, raw, or even cynical.
- Sorry for Your Loss: A young widow navigates life after her husband’s sudden death in an intimate, realistic portrayal. Especially resonant for partner loss.
- The End: Explores death, autonomy, and family tension with a mix of dark humor and reflection. Suited for those grappling with big ethical or end-of-life questions.
- Six Feet Under: Follows a family running a funeral home, offering a deep, ongoing meditation on death and meaning. Ideal for long-term reflection on grief.
- This Is Us: A multi-generational story that weaves together love and loss over time. Resonates with family-centered grief and memory.
- Fleabag: A woman masks her grief with humor and impulsivity while quietly unraveling. Powerful for those who relate to avoidance and emotional complexity.
- The Good Place: A philosophical comedy about the afterlife that becomes a surprisingly deep reflection on life and death. Best for existential curiosity with a hopeful tone.
- The Bear: A chef returns home after a loss and channels grief into work and control. Resonates with those who cope through busyness and pressure.
Podcasts
- Grief Out Loud (The Dougy Center): Features real conversations about living with loss, helping normalize everyday grief experiences. A comforting choice when you want to feel less alone.
- Are We There Yet?: Documents the ongoing, nonlinear process of grieving and healing. Helpful if you’re questioning your progress or what “moving forward” means.
- All There Is with Anderson Cooper: Blends personal storytelling with broader reflections on loss and memory. Best for deeper emotional connection and reflection.
- The Joyful Mourning: Offers support and space specifically for pregnancy and infant loss. Especially meaningful for those seeking community in that experience.
- A Slight Change of Plans: Explores how people adapt to life’s unexpected changes, including grief, through a psychological lens. Great for understanding the “why” behind your feelings.
- Griefcast: Combines humor and honesty in conversations about death and loss. Ideal when you want something a little lighter without avoiding the topic.
- Terrible, Thanks for Asking: Shares raw, unfiltered stories of people navigating profound loss. Best for when you’re ready to sit with the reality of grief.
- Where’s the Grief?: Encourages open dialogue about death to reduce stigma and discomfort. Helpful for learning how to talk about grief more freely.
- Rightsizing Your Fear of Death: Focuses on reducing anxiety around mortality through thoughtful discussion. A good fit for those struggling with fear of death itself.