Exploring Cultural and Race-Related Differences in Coping with Loss

Grief is one of those things in life that we all eventually face. It’s a heavy load—one that no one can escape—but how we carry it can look very different depending on where we come from, what we believe in, and the community around us. At Grandma Knows Best, I understand that no two people or cultures grieve the same way. Loss is universal, but the way we cope with it is shaped by our culture, race, and history.

Why We Need to Understand Cultural and Racial Differences in Grief

Here’s the thing: when someone’s heart is breaking, they don’t just need help—they need the right kind of help. If we don’t take into account the cultural and racial backgrounds of the grieving person, we risk offering support that misses the mark. Imagine being in pain and feeling like nobody around you understand your way of dealing with it. That’s why, at Grandma Knows Best, I am committed to creating a space where multiple forms of grief are honored and acknowledged.

The Influence of Culture on Coping with Grief

Culture holds the roadmap to how many of us handle loss. For example, in Western societies, there’s a focus on one-on-one counseling, therapy, and support groups. It’s about processing grief in a personal, often private space. That’s one approach, and for some people, it works. But in other cultures, grieving is a community affair. Whereas for some it’s about everyone coming together to share the burden. Whilst in others you might see people singing, dancing, and telling stories to honor the decease, as a way to heal together, reminding each other that no one grieves alone. With the same being said in other communities where rituals and ceremonies honor ancestors as central to the healing process. Grandma Knows Best is all about recognizing that there is no “right” way to grieve—there is only Your way.

At Grandma Knows Best, I understand that traditions matter, and I want to create safe spaces where these practices are not only respected but also incorporated into healing when possible.

Race-Related Challenges in Grief

Now, let’s talk about race and grief. People of color face added challenges when grieving. Racism, discrimination, and a lack of understanding can make the pain of loss even heavier. Too often, mainstream grief counseling just doesn’t connect with the experiences of people of color. The methods used may not align with their cultural or spiritual beliefs, leaving them feeling disconnected and unsupported.

This is one of the reasons why Grandma Knows Best exists. I aim to fill that gap, offering a space where culturally sensitive support is front and center. Grief doesn’t have to feel isolating just because the mainstream approach doesn’t work for you. Here, I honor all the unique ways that race and culture shape how we deal with loss.

Culturally Sensitive Grief Counseling

Thankfully, there’s a growing recognition that grief support needs to be culturally sensitive. More and more mental health professionals are learning how to incorporate traditional healing practices into modern counseling. Whether it’s bringing in community rituals or respecting spiritual beliefs, this approach creates a healing space where people feel seen, heard, and understood.

At Grandma Knows Best, I am committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the kind of support that resonates with their heart, their culture, and their race. That’s how true healing happens—when we honor who we are at every level. Aware that grief touches us all, and how we heal from it is deeply personal, shaped by our culture and race. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to coping with loss, and that’s something Grandma Knows Best understands. Offering spaces that embrace and respect differences, I hope to assist people in navigating their grief in a way that feels right for them.

The pandemic and grief

The pandemic has profoundly affected how people experience and cope with grief, especially when considering cultural and racial differences. With restrictions on gatherings, funerals, and travel, many of the traditional ways communities come together to mourn were disrupted. This forced individuals to grieve in isolation, often without the rituals, family support, or community involvement that are so central to the healing process in many cultures.

For instance, in cultures where communal grieving and physical presence play a key role—like in African, Asian, or Indigenous traditions—social distancing measures have been particularly painful. Virtual funerals and Zoom memorials, while helpful, couldn't fully replace the comfort of physical togetherness, touch, and collective mourning. These changes left many people feeling disconnected, their grief compounded by the absence of their normal cultural practices.

At Grandma Knows Best, I see the pandemic as a wake-up call to reimagine how we support one another during loss. The pandemic showed us the fragility of our traditional mourning systems and emphasized the importance of adapting our methods to new circumstances while staying grounded in cultural authenticity.

The Takeaway for the Future

1. Hybrid Grief Support: As we move forward, we can take lessons from the digital tools that helped people connect during the pandemic. Offering hybrid models—where virtual spaces complement in-person rituals—could help those who are geographically distant or still navigating health risks feel included in mourning rituals. Grandma Knows Best can play a part in offering online spaces that honor diverse grieving practices, especially for those who cannot access their communities in person.

2. Culturally Sensitive, Remote Mental Health Support: The pandemic also highlighted the need for mental health professionals to offer culturally-sensitive grief counseling remotely. Expanding access to grief support that aligns with a person's cultural and racial identity, even when they are physically distant from their community, is crucial. Virtual platforms, such as those that Grandma Knows Best seeks to develop, can provide this culturally aligned support to those who need it, regardless of location.

3. Creating New Traditions: Finally, the pandemic has pushed many communities to reimagine how they deal with loss and grief in times of crisis. While we should strive to preserve and respect traditional practices, it’s also an opportunity to create new ways of healing that reflect the current realities of the world. Whether through digital memorials or smaller, more intimate gatherings, communities will need to adapt their grief rituals to ensure they remain accessible and relevant.

Moving forward with flexibility and compassion Grandma Knows Best has learned from the pandemic that flexibility is one of the keys to future grief support. Believing that we need to ensure that people from all cultural and racial backgrounds have access to support that honors their traditions, whether in-person or virtually. Grandma Knows Best will continue to foster spaces that hold this flexibility at core, in the hopes of ensuring that no one who comes to visit feels isolated or unsupported in their time of grief. And should you, reach out.

The future of grief support will rely on blending the old with the new, staying connected not only to our cultural roots but also to each other, while embracing innovations that help us come together in times of need. No matter the challenges we face, we won't have to walk through grief alone.