This Social Network Makes Grieving A Little Less Lonely

When we talk about social media networks, the focus is often on finding dates or connecting with friends. Goodgrief, launching this month, is a little different: the platform provides a private, safe space for individuals undergoing grief and loss events who are seeking support from like-minded individuals.

“Instead of using it for love, it’s for loss,” says co-founder Robynne Boyd. “Finding others who personally understand loss makes all the difference.”

Boyd, a writer, and her co-founder Kimberly Libertini, a high school teacher, found each other nearly two years ago after a mutual friend connected them. During this time, Boyd was undergoing emotional challenges related to her mother’s terminal diagnosis and Libertini had lost her partner suddenly following a trip to Southeast Asia. The support they found in each other inspired them to create a social network for individuals experiencing loss so they can find similar support.

The Goodgrief team shares more of their poignant background story, how they’re tackling a mostly untouched market, and how they help you find your emotional grief match.

What’s your pitch?

Goodgrief is the social network for loss. All too often people are left to navigate the emotional roller coaster alone. 

Goodgrief works by putting individuals in touch with others who lost their spouse, parent, sibling, child, relative, or friend due to a variety of causes. Users create a private profile by answering questions related to their loss. Then, they connect to other people through a one-on-one in-app texting service.

How’d you get the idea for it?

Goodgrief grew from a unique friendship. About 1.5 years ago Kim and Robynne were connected through a friend of the man Kim had lost. Both Kim and Robynne were going through their own respective heartache due to loss. Kim lost her partner suddenly and unexpectedly. Meanwhile, Robynne was saying a slow goodbye to her mother because of metastatic breast cancer and also became a single mother.

There were commonalities they shared that centered around grief: pain, sadness, anger, frustration, loneliness, isolation, humor and a strong need to forge something beautiful out of it all. They started texting about life and love and loss and meaning and kids and family. Kim lives in Huntington, NY and Robynne in Decatur, GA. They became a “lifeboat of support” for each other. At some point, they said “we should create this for others!” And so they have – a digital space for others to find comfort, support and understanding.

What problem are you solving?

Grief is often misunderstood. All too often people feel alone after loss. They may also feel like they’re doing it wrong, that something is wrong with them, or completely isolated and alone. Through this app we are normalizing grief by allowing people in similar situations to connect and find solace in knowing they are not alone.

Never before have grieving people been able to find others who “get it” at the touch of their fingertips, and do it privately, safely and one-to-one. We believe in the goodness of people and the power of connection and understanding. We can help each other find a new normal after the losing loved ones.

Funding or bootstrapped:

We’ve personally funded the app and are not seeking investors at this time.

Is there a therapy/psychology component?

We are not a counseling app. Nor do we prescribe ways to help. This app is about the comfort, support and understanding that comes from connecting with others who get the rollercoaster of emotions that come with grief.

It is available across platforms (iOS, Android and the web) for use on multiple devices with a single account login. Your private profile is safe — private information is never publicized and chats remain private and secure. The in-app messaging and photo sharing enables people to chat 24/7 around the world. You can also set filters to find the best support. Filters are based on age, gender, religion, location, and time frame, type and cause of loss.

What’s your revenue model?

Subscription-based model costing $4.99/month with the first two weeks free during the first month of launch, and one week free after that.

Who are your competitors and how do you stand out?

Again, nothing like this exists. However, the apps in a similar space are: Grief Support Network (has as a religiously-themed “angel network,” and GPS locates people on a map) and Talk Life, an app that allows people to talk about any topic within a large feed of people.