You Don’t Have to

Grieve Alone

Our Mission

Our mission is to offer a safe and non-judgmental space to reflect, listen, and share experiences with others. We recognize that grief touches everyone differently and that healing is found through connection and shared understanding.



Members of the English-speaking community in Berlin grieve not only for loved ones who have passed away in local hospices or care homes. They lose parents, siblings, partners, or friends around the world—through illness, accidents, war, or other circumstances. This international dimension is at the heart of our project.

Grief is a journey, and acceptance does not mean forgetting.
It means making space for the love and peace alongside the sorrow you feel.

What We Do

GriefCircle provides peer support groups led by trained facilitators. Individuals receive support during a difficult life phase and have the opportunity to share experiences in a supportive environment. In addition to our regular groups, we offer grief support services to companies that wish to assist their employees and families. These services help organizations fulfill their duty of care while offering employees additional emotional support when needed.

With Gratitude to Our Supporters

We are deeply thankful to the companies who believe in compassionate grief support and have joined us on this mission. Their generosity helps fund real services for real people — when they need it most.

The Team Behind GriefCircle

At GriefCircle, we believe meaningful support begins with real people who care. Our team brings together a thoughtful mix of backgrounds — from grief companions and facilitators to project organizers, trainers, and visionaries.

Hanspaul

A former entrepreneur and the driving force behind the development of GriefCircle as a structured initiative. After learning from Christine about the lack of accessible grief support, he decided to turn this insight into a sustainable project.

Christine

A retired professor of American history, has over 20 years of experience as a volunteer grief counselor. Since moving to Berlin, she has supported patients at the city’s only English-speaking hospice.

Together, they founded GriefCircle to address a clear gap: grief counseling is rarely funded, often overlooked, and mostly provided by unpaid volunteers. Their mission is to make grief support more accessible, better recognized, and properly supported — for those who need it and those who provide it.

Dr. Shahina Praveen, PhD

Psychologist, Grief Facilitator, Spiritual Guide
Shahina specializes in culturally sensitive grief support and works with international clients in Berlin. She’s responsible for developing the facilitator training and building our digital support tools – bringing deep clinical experience and an empathetic, global lens.

Viktoriia Paniotova, MSc

Psychologist, Licensed alternative practitioner for psychotherapy
Viktoriia is a trauma-sensitive practitioner with extensive experience supporting individuals and groups affected by trauma. She runs a private practice in Berlin focused on expats and co-hosts a healing space for Ukrainian families. At GriefCircle, she leads the development and delivery of culturally aware facilitator training.

Petra Meyer, Dipl-Pol

Coach, Grief Counselor
Petra is a grief counselor based in Munich who combines a solution-focused approach with emotional depth. She offers individual sessions and leads bereavement groups both in person and online. In addition Petra helps organizations support grieving employees by guiding key staff in creating more compassionate workplace environments.

Our Philosophy

Grief is not something to fix – it is something to honour…

What people need most is someone who can hold space without trying to fill it.
In a world that rushes to offer solutions, we choose to offer presence. Grief is sacred- a testimony to love, connection, and the courage to feel deeply.
Only when grief is honoured can it begin to soften, transform and be alchemised into wisdom, compassion, and deeper connection.
We believe in creating a sacred space where silence heals, presence supports, and the heart remembers how to trust life again.

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Donations coming soon

We’re almost ready. GriefCircle is preparing a space where support and connection truly matter – donations will be possible shortly.

Donations coming soon

We’re almost ready. GriefCircle is preparing a space where support and connection truly matter – donations will be possible shortly.

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Thanks for Your Generous Donation

We are deeply grateful for your generous donation! Your support makes a significant difference and helps us continue our mission. With your contribution, we can provide essential resources and make a lasting impact. Thank you for your kindness and commitment to our cause. Your generosity inspires us to do even more for those in need.