+ Writing to Reach You - FAQs - Read ALL Before Sending

What is Writing to Reach You?

Writing to Reach You is an invitation to adults 18 and older to share about their grief through a letter.

You can write about someone or something you've lost. This might be grief following a death, or grief that comes from another kind of loss or change- a relationship that ended, a home you left, a place you can no longer return to, a friendship that changed, a version of yourself you had to leave behind, a future you imagined but will not have, or another significant ending or transition.

There is no expectation that your grief be explained, resolved, or made beautiful by your story or your share. The purpose is simply to give your words somewhere to land, and to have someone receive them with care.

It is not grief support, therapy, or crisis support.

What kinds of grief are welcome here?

Writing to Reach You is centered on grief arising from loss and change.

You might write about the death of someone you love, the end of a relationship, leaving a home or community, losing a friendship, a change in identity, a life you thought you would have, or another significant ending or transition.

This offering is not intended as a place to process trauma, abuse, ongoing unsafe situations, or experiences that require professional support. You are welcome to write about the grief that follows a difficult experience, but the focus of the letter should be on the loss, change, or grief itself rather than on seeking help or guidance with the situation.

If you are currently in an unsafe situation or need immediate support, please seek help from someone or a service equipped to provide it. This is a space for reflecting on grief, loss, and change. It is not intended for processing trauma, seeking advice, or receiving counseling, professional or crisis support. If you are looking for support with an ongoing or unsafe situation, I encourage you to reach out to someone who is equipped to help. If you are in immediate danger or need urgent support, please contact an appropriate crisis or emergency service nearby.

Do I have to tell you who I am?

No.

You are welcome to write anonymously. You do not need to include your name or any identifying information.

Will you respond to my letter?

A response is not the purpose of Writing to Reach You. The offering is in having your words received, read, and heard.

Writing to Reach You is simply a space to share your story and have it received and witnessed with care. Please know that I will not be responding to letters. You do not need to expect a response or write with one in mind.

What should I write about?

Whatever feels meaningful to say about your loss.

You might write about someone you've lost, something you miss, a goodbye you never got to have, a place you can no longer return to, a life that changed unexpectedly, or something you are learning to live without.

You don't need to know where to begin. You don't need to write a certain amount. There are no rules for how grief should look on the page.

Can I write about a loss that isn't a death?

Yes.

Grief doesn't only come from death. You can write about the loss of a relationship, friendship, home, community, identity, possibility, or a life you thought you would have.

If it is a loss or change that has left you grieving, it belongs here.

Can I write about something difficult or traumatic?

You may write about grief that has followed a difficult experience, but Writing to Reach You is not intended as a place to process trauma or seek help, counseling, or advice of any sort with an ongoing situation.

The focus is on the grief of the loss or change itself and simply having the story be read by someone else.

If you are experiencing abuse, are currently unsafe, or need help navigating a difficult situation, please reach out to a professional, trusted person, or appropriate support service equipped to help.

Is there a cost?

No. Writing to Reach You is offered at no cost.

What happens to my letter after you receive it?

I privately destroy the letters I've received as part of a personal grief ceremony.

This is a quiet way of acknowledging each person who has trusted me with their words, before letting the physical letter go.

The intention is for the words you entrust to me to remain private and, after they have been received and read with care, to be released with care.

Please know that once a letter has been sent to Writing to Reach You, I am not able to return it. By sending your letter, you are entrusting it to this process and allowing me to decide how and when it is released.

If you are not comfortable with your letter being destroyed, please don't send the original. While I take every reasonable measure to keep letters sent to me private, situations may arise that compromise privacy. If you are not comfortable with that risk, and/or if you are not comfortable with your letter being destroyed, do not participate.

I will treat every letter with care from receipt to release.

Will anyone else read my letter?

The intention is that your letter is read by me and treated as a private correspondence. While I take every reasonable measure to keep letters sent to me private, situations may arise that compromise privacy.

What if I write something very personal?

You are welcome to write honestly. Only share what is comfortable, and within the parameters outlined on this website. The intention is that your letter is read by me and treated as a private correspondence. While I take every reasonable measure to keep letters sent to me private, situations may arise that compromise privacy.

At the same time, please remember that Writing to Reach You is not a therapy or counseling service and I am not a licensed professional of any kind. This is not for processing trauma.

Writing to Reach You is not grief support.

Can I write if I'm in crisis?

Writing to Reach You is not an emergency or crisis service. I am not a licensed professional of any kind, and I am not able to provide crisis support. Writing to reach you is also not grief support.

If you are in immediate danger, thinking about harming yourself or someone else, or need urgent support, please contact your local emergency service or an appropriate crisis-support service or a licensed professional near you.

You are welcome to write about grief during a difficult time, but it is your responsibility to seek immediate professional support when you need it.

Is Writing to Reach You grief counseling?

No.

Writing to Reach You is an act of correspondence and witnessing, not therapy, counseling, trauma processing, crisis support or professional grief support.

The hope is simply that having somewhere to put your words- and knowing someone has received them- might offer a small sense of being heard.

Are you a licensed mental health professional (counselor, therapist, psychiatrist, etc.) or doctor?

No. I am not a licensed mental health professional or medical provider.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Holistic and Integrative Health. During my undergraduate studies, I focused on death, dying, bereavement, spirituality, and religion. I also studied Reiki during that time.

I completed my End-of-Life Doula training through INELDA (International End of Life Doula Association) in 2019, earned a Certificate as a Grief Support Specialist from the University of Wisconsin in 2022, and trained as a Transformative Life Coach in 2023.

Over the course of seven years working within the long-term healthcare system, I supported hundreds of people through grief and end-of-life experiences. I participated in extensive professional development related to death and dying, grief and bereavement, end-of-life care and planning, active listening, and nonviolent communication. I am also a trained mediator and facilitator.

Writing to Reach You is not Integrative Grief Support. If you are interested in Integrative Grief Support through my practice, read the FAQ about my practice (at the top of this page) and then fill out the form on the Get In Touch webpage to schedule a consult. Integrative Grief support is not licensed psychotherapy or medical care and is not intended to replace mental health treatment when such care is needed. It offers holistic, non-clinical support that can complement any therapy, counseling, or medical care that you might be receiving from another provider.

If you need licensed support, counseling, therapy, crisis support, urgent care of any kind or clinical assistance of any kind, please reach out to an appropriate professional near you.

Is there a length requirement?

No.

Your letter can be one sentence, several pages, or anything in between.

You don't need to tell the whole story. You can write as much or as little as feels right.

Can I write more than once?

Yes, if you'd like.

There is no requirement to write regularly or to continue a correspondence. You can write once, or return whenever you feel you have something you want to put somewhere.

What if I don't know what to say?

You can start with:

I lost…

I miss…

I wish…

I remember…

I never got to tell you…

I am learning to live without…

Or simply:

I don't know how to begin.

That is enough.

Before You Send

You may remain anonymous. You do not need to tell me who you are.

The purpose of this offering is to have your words received, read, and witnessed. Letters will not be responded to.

Letters cannot be returned. At the end of each month, letters are privately destroyed as part of a personal grief ceremony. If you would like to keep your original letter, please send a copy instead.

This offering is for sharing a story about your grief that arises from loss and/or change. It is not intended for processing trauma, abuse, ongoing unsafe situations, or seeking professional therapy, advice, help, grief support, or crisis support.

By sending a letter to Writing to Reach You, you acknowledge that you have read and understood all of the information above regarding my practice and Writing to Reach You, and on the Writing to Reach You webpage, and you agree to your letter being received, read, and ultimately destroyed as described. You understand that your letter cannot be returned once it has been sent. You understand that despite attempts at keeping your letter private, that there is no guarantee whatsoever that it will.

I will treat every letter with care from receipt to release.

Thank you for sharing with me.

PS. Visit if you are looking to read about types of grief, visit the grief resources page. Crisis support resources are available below.

Mail your letter to:

Bre Chamberlain

Po Box 3095

Portland, Maine 04104