About Grief Watch 

GRIEF WATCH is a small, family owned company that produces bereavement books and materials used by families and professionals around the country.  

MISSION:  To create thoughtful resources that provide comfort for those who are grieving, helping individuals to feel seen during their time of grief. 

RESOURCES:  We are well-known for the beloved book, Tear Soup, a recipe for healing after loss, as well as our infant loss book series. Over the years, our ceramics have become our most sought after items, providing gentle reminders of lasting love that can be carried with the bereaved every day. Our resources are commonly used by individuals, hospitals, hospices, schools, funerals homes, donor banks and more.

HISTORY: Some of our earliest publications bear the imprint "Perinatal Loss" dating back to the 1970s when Pat Schwiebert was one of the first to recognize and write about the particular dynamics of grief for parents who have suffered the loss of unborn, stillborn, or newly born infants. In the 90's we adopted the name Grief Watch, reflecting our growing variety of resources that encompassed all types of grief.

For decades, Grief Watch was located in the 18th Ave Peace House. This Portland, OR location housed a variety of ministries focused on hospitality, community, peace-making, and care for the dying. To meet growing production and storage needs, we moved across the river to Vancouver, WA in 2018. Community members of the Peace House continued to assist with ceramic production until the house sold in 2026.

OTHER DETAILS: The name of the Grief Watch program is inspired by the New Testament story in which Jesus, filled with agony and grief in anticipation of his own death at the hands of his enemies, chides his companions who have fallen asleep during his ordeal. Jesus says, “Could you not watch with me for one brief hour.” (Matthew 26:40) In the light of this story, the aim of Grief Watch is to be fully present with persons as they move through the pain of their grief.

Though the program was created by persons who lived in a faith community and operated from a faith perspective, its materials and personnel do not proselytize or promote any particular religion.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Grief Watch, contact us at order@griefwatch.com.