This article was co-authored by Ken Breniman, LCSW, C-IAYT. Ken Breniman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Yoga Therapist and Thanatologist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ken has over 15 years experience of providing clinical support and community workshops utilizing a dynamic combination of traditional psychotherapy and yoga therapy. He specializes in eclectic non-denominational yoga guidance, grief therapy, complex trauma recovery and mindful mortal skills development. He has a MSW from Washington University in St. Louis and an MA Certification in Thanatology from Marian University of Fond du Lac. He became certified with the International Association of Yoga Therapists after completing his 500 training hours at Yoga Tree in San Francisco and Ananda Seva Mission in Santa Rosa, CA. This article has been viewed 411,374 times.

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Losing a friend can be devastating, but you can try to cope with your emotions by finding healthy ways to express your feelings and remembering positive things about them. Try to attend the memorial service or wake for your friend, because it gives you the opportunity to say goodbye. This is an important step in any grieving process. Reach out to friends and relatives who are grieving too, since sharing your grief can help you cope with it. Give yourself time to grieve in whatever way feels right, whether it’s crying, sitting in silence, or getting lost in your work. You can also remember your friend while moving on with your life. For example, ask their family if you can have a keepsake, like their favorite book or item of jewelry, which can help you feel close to your friend as you move forward with your own life. You could also do something in their memory, like setting up a book club if they liked reading, or joining a charity bike race if they liked cycling. Doing activities like these will help you focus on what your friend enjoyed during their life, rather than the fact they're dead. For tips from our co-author on how to channel your negative feelings about your friend’s death into creative activities, read on.