Grief & healing

Starting a new normal

Something to look forward to each week.

At some point, the days may need filling with something other than absence. You don't need to "keep busy" — but for many people, having one small thing in the week that gets you out of the house, around other people, or gently moving can make the difference between surviving and slowly living again.

Getting out the door

Walk groups

For many people, walking with others is one of the simplest things that helps. You don't have to talk if you don't want to. The rhythm of walking, the air, and the company can do the work.

Heart Foundation Walking Groups run free group walks in most Australian areas — heartfoundation.org.au
Parkrun (free, every Saturday, walk or run) — parkrun.com.au
Local council community walks — check your council website
Bushwalking clubs often welcome beginners

Art, craft, and creative groups

You don't need to be good at anything. The point can be the doing, not the result. Many people find that their hands can process grief when their minds can't.

Men's Sheds (not just for men anymore — check your local one)
Community art classes at your local neighbourhood centre
Knitting, crochet, or sewing circles — many libraries host these
Pottery and ceramics studios often run casual sessions
U3A (University of the Third Age) runs courses for over-55s in everything from painting to languages

Volunteering

For some, helping someone else can be surprisingly healing. It can give the week structure, put you around people, and remind you that you still have something to offer.

Op shops and charity shops (Vinnies, Salvos, Red Cross)
Meals on Wheels — delivering meals to older people
Hospital visiting — many hospitals welcome volunteers
Animal shelters — walking dogs, socialising cats
Community gardens — fresh air, soil, and gentle company
GoVolunteer.com.au — search by location and interest

Finding your people

Grief-specific groups

For many, being around people who have been through loss — without having to explain — can be one of the most healing things of all. Many are free.

GriefLine can help you find a local grief group — 1300 845 745
The Compassionate Friends (for bereaved parents and siblings)
Solace — grief support groups run by hospices and palliative care services
Church and community centre grief circles
Online grief communities if leaving the house is too hard right now

Sport, fitness, and movement

Swimming — many pools run gentle aqua aerobics classes
Yoga — look for "gentle" or "restorative" classes
Tai chi — slow, meditative movement in parks or halls
Lawn bowls — social, gentle, and more fun than you'd expect
Dancing — ballroom, line dancing, or Latin at community centres

It doesn't have to be hard or impressive. It just has to get you there.

One thing a week

You don't need to fill every day. If it helps, start with one thing, one day a week. Put it in the calendar. Show up even when you don't feel like it — especially when you don't feel like it. The "not feeling like it" is often grief talking. Go anyway, and leave early if you need to.

See all 64 guides in Grief & healing →

From bluetulipco.com/library/grief/community-activities — printed 1 October 2026.

General information only — not a substitute for legal, medical, financial, or therapeutic advice. Read the full disclaimer.

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