Lectures, shifts, rent, mates, a group chat that keeps going. Grief doesn't fit neatly around any of it. We've got you. No sign up, no need to read everything. Just start with the bits that help today.
Not for your parents. Not for kids. For you, whatever today looks like.
Built from our Memories Are Forever grief kit, rewritten on a cracked phone screen.
Pick the one that sounds closest. Take what's useful,
come back for the rest when you need.
Anger, guilt, numb, panic, confusion, fine one hour and not the next. All of it counts.
Can't sleep, can't focus, can't be bothered eating. Grief lives in your body too.
Flatmates, mates, whānau, your boss. What to say, and what to say when they say the wrong thing.
Do I have to go? What do I say? Beliefs, meaning, the why. Taking part or not.
Birthdays, anniversaries, their playlist, their hoodie. Ways to keep them close.
Kenzie's Gift therapy, a counsellor, your GP, 1737, Youthline. Who does what.
Anger, guilt, numbness, panic, confusion, fine one hour and not the next. It's all normal.
Can't sleep, can't focus, can't be bothered eating. Grief lives in your body too.
Flatmates, mates, whānau, your boss. What to say, and what to do when they say the wrong thing.
Do I have to go? What do I say? Beliefs, meaning, the why. Taking part, or not.
Birthdays, anniversaries, their playlist, their hoodie. Ways to keep them close.
Kenzie's Gift therapy, a counsellor, your GP, 1737, Youthline. Who does what.
Grief often comes in waves. It can show up in your body. It might feel hard - or impossible - to think clearly or remember things. It'll look different for you than it does for the person next to you. You might want to talk. You might want to go out. You might want silence. The only rule is safety, for you and the people around you.
If your parent or sibling has died or is seriously ill, you can get funded sessions with a registered mental health professional. You fill in one form. A real person gets back to you.
Young people up to 24 whose parent or sibling has died, or is seriously ill.
Free - fully funded by Kenzie's Gift.
Up to 12 sessions with same therapist.
We aim to get back to you within 5 working days.
If you need help right now, use 111, 1737 or Youthline.
Real people, in their own words. Each episode has
a transcript, and nothing autoplays.
The write-in pages from our young adult grief kit, rebuilt as short prompts.
Nothing you write is saved on this site. Copy a prompt into your Notes app,
or don't write anything at all.
Phone off an hour before, low-key music. If you're tossing, get up, make a tea, go back.
Write it before you say it. To whānau, to a mate, to the person who died.
"Time heals." "They wouldn't want you sad." Try this instead: "I know you're trying to help. That isn't helpful for me. I just need you to listen."
"The thing I most want somebody to understand is..."
"The thing I most want somebody to understand is..."
"Everything happens for a reason" or "they wouldn't want you to be sad."
Try this: "I know you're trying to help. That isn't helpful for me. I just need you to listen."
Write it before you say it. To whānau, to a mate, to the person who died.
Phone off an hour before, low-key music. If you're tossing, get up, make a tea or have a bath, go back.
Recommended by the Kenzie's Gift team and people who've been
there. Most are at your local library.
Grief isn't a problem to fix or a phase to rush through—it's something you learn to carry. Therapist Megan Devine, writing after her own partner's sudden death, throws out the "stages of grief" playbook and gets real about what loss actually feels like. It's the book for anyone tired of being told to "look on the bright side."
Her mum's death in her twenties and everything that came with it. Food, culture, identity, and the mess of grief.
Four friends, hard terrain, conversations about fear, kindness and hope. Short enough for a bad night.
This is the journal version of Devine's message: your grief doesn't need a happy ending tacked on. Packed with writing prompts, art activities, and no-BS advice for surviving awkward moments (like the dreaded "how are you doing?"), it's a hands-on companion for actually working through loss. No timelines, no checklists—just space to be honest.
Part comfort, part comic relief, this illustrated guide welcomes you into "the club nobody wants to join." Kwoh, whose partner died when she was in her twenties, uses charts, doodles, and sharp humor to cover the weird stuff about grief no one talks about—like grief bingo and the worst things people say to you. It's a hug in book form, for when things feel too heavy to explain.
Written by two women who know what it's like to grieve when young, this handbook proves there's no single "right" way to grieve. One author bottles things up, the other lets it all out—and together they walk you through the mess of anger, guilt, and sadness with quick five-minute coping tools. It's grief advice that actually sounds like a friend talking, not a textbook.
Comedian Jack Rooke lost his dad at 15 and a close friend to suicide at 21—and turned these experiences into one of the most honest books about grief and mental health out there. A mixture of memoir and survival guide, it teaches you how to actually show up for a struggling friend without the awkward platitudes. Expect to laugh, cry, and maybe save someone's life along the way.
Your mate's mum, dad, brother or sister is seriously ill, or has died. Do you bring it up? What do you even say? And why were they fine last week and a mess today? You don't need the perfect words. You just need to show up. We can help you work out how.
If you are in danger, call 111.
For free, confidential support any time, call or text 1737.
Youthline is free on 0800 376 633 or text 234.
Kenzie's Gift is a registered charity under the Charities Act 2005 (CC21425)
