Know exactly what to say when someone is grieving.
Empathy Etiquette is your go-to guide of 100+ real condolence-card examples โ so you never freeze, go silent, or send the wrong words when it matters most.
When someone is grieving, your words matter.
When someone is facing loss, your attention is essential. Empathy Etiquette shows you exactly what to say when someone experiences a death โ and what to say when unexpected news like a diagnosis or a job loss arrives, or a situational loss like a divorce or a breakup.
You'll write condolences from a place of genuine empathy, with confidence, right when it counts โ instead of staring at a blank card hoping the words will come.
A gentle, practical guide you'll reach for again and again.
Empathy Etiquette isn't theory. It's 100+ ready-to-use condolence messages, organized by the kind of loss someone is facing โ so you can find the right words in minutes and make them your own.
Keep it on your desk, your phone, or in your team's shared drive. The next hard note you have to write, you'll already know where to start.
Get the Guide โ $37100+ examples for every kind of loss.
Every section gives you real, sendable wording you can adapt in a moment โ plus the mistakes to avoid.
Four steps to a heartfelt note.
Acknowledge
Name the loss instead of tiptoeing around it.
Say their name
Say the name of the person who was lost.
Share a memory
Offer a memory or a meaningful quality.
Close well
End with a warm salutation or a next step.
Show up for the people who need it.
Acknowledge
Recognize someone's loss as significant โ and let them know they're not alone.
Become grief literate
Know exactly what to say in life's most difficult moments, without second-guessing.
Cultivate compassion
Give your time and thought to a note that genuinely comforts.
Kathi Balasek
Kathi Balasek is a grief-informed leadership coach, empathy-communication expert, speaker, and corporate consultant who teaches people and professionals how to lead with compassion, clarity, and confidence.
Widowed young while raising five children, Kathi experienced firsthand how deeply communication shapes every relationship before, during, and after loss. Drawing on more than 25 years as a teacher, coach, and university lecturer, she's on a mission to make empathy a leadership strength and grief communication a core skill for everyone.
Never search for the right words again.
One-time ยท Yours forever
- 100+ real condolence-card examples
- Wording for every kind of loss
- The simple 4-step framework
- Instant digital download & lifetime access
