Men and Grief
Right on the heels of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, June places a focus on men’s mental health. The month highlights the distinct challenges men face in relation to emotional well-being and psychological distress. While there has been public attention given to physical health concerns such as heart health, there remains a continuing need to center the importance of mental and emotional care, especially in grief.
Grief professionals have pointed to the need for more research focused on men’s grief to better understand and address expectations and social stressors that can shape their experiences. Across cultures, stigma is amplified for men, positioning them as individuals expected to absorb hardship quietly and manage stress. Expectations can make it difficult for grieving men to seek bereavement support without feeling as though they are failing some social standard of strength.
It is also important to consider the ways grief and mental health services are presented to the public. Many organizations place heavy emphasis on traditional talk therapy, even though some individuals may be more drawn to forms of support such as memorial activities, art therapy, movement-based programs, or community centered spaces. Broadening the range of grief support offerings may help reach individuals who find it difficult to verbalize their grief.
Researchers Kate Obst and Clemente Due, in their work on men’s grief and pregnancy loss, note how men are not seen as primary patients and are inconsistently directed toward appropriate grief resources. Research also suggests that when men are encouraged by others to speak openly about grief and emotional distress, they are more likely to engage with support services and maintain those connections over time.
When grieving men do connect with support systems, there is a strong desire to be around others who understand their experiences firsthand. Many men who participated in support groups alongside other fathers, brothers, spouses, or adult children described developing a meaningful sense of community. These spaces can help individuals recognize shared grief patterns, discuss coping mechanisms, and build relationships based on mutual understanding.
One important thing we can all do for grieving men in our lives is simple but powerful: ask about their grief and validate their experience. When men are not overlooked, and when people actively listen without judgment, it creates a sense of safety and communicates that grief does not have to remain hidden. Encourage a grieving man within your family, friendship circle, workplace, or community today.
© Anchor Grief, 2026
