My first degree in Health Information Management provides me with knowledge of HIPAA, sensitive information storage, and the ability to maintain confidentiality. My years of experience working with doctors give me confidence in managing your private information.

I bring life experience to my practice, including grief related to relationships, divorce, childhood loss, sibling loss, miscarriage, and pet loss. I've processed each experience separately and found meaning in transitioning from "grieving fully" to "living fully with grief."

As a Certified Grief Educator, I am committed to providing the highest level of grief support through education, experience, and insights into the often unacknowledged terrain of grief. Certified Grief Educators complete a certificate program designed by world-renowned grief expert, David Kessler. They bring his unique methodology, tools, and decades of experience to help people navigate the challenges of grief.

I look forward to walking this path with you, helping you find meaning in your grief so you can learn to walk with it with more love than pain.

The difference lies in the primary focus, methodology, and direction of the support provided. 

While both roles help individuals navigate loss without diagnosing or treating clinical mental health conditions, they serve distinct purposes along the healing journey: 

Certified Grief Educator

A Grief Educator focuses on the foundational work of processing a loss. Trained in David Kessler’s specific methodologies, they are experts in the mechanics of grief. They help you understand how grief rewires the brain, the 6 needs of the grieving, and how to find meaning after tragic losses. Their presence is about sitting with you in the darkness, validating your pain, and teaching you how to carry the heavy burden of your loss so you don't feel isolated or broken.
 
Certified Grief Coach

A Grief Coach bridges the gap between learning to carry your grief and learning how to step back into the world. Integrating Nancy Levin's life-coaching frameworks, a coach handles the forward-focused, action-oriented process. Once a person is ready to look toward the future, a grief coach helps them navigate life changes (like divorce, career shifts, or identity loss), set healthy boundaries, and figure out who they are now in their "next chapter"

 I choose to hold both certifications so they can first help a client honor their grief, and then seamlessly help them rebuild their life. Our first consultation call will determine the path that fits your particular situation, we can transition seamlessly from education to coaching.

The relationship between a grief coach and a client is a collaborative partnership built on equal, shared responsibility. Unlike traditional therapy or counseling—which often focuses on treating trauma or examining past psychology—coaching is a dynamic, action-oriented dynamic.

Here is a breakdown of the specific responsibilities of both the grief coach and the client as established within modern grief coaching frameworks:

The Responsibilities of the Grief Coach

The coach is responsible for the structure, safety, and direction of the coaching journey. Their role is not to "fix" the client, but to facilitate their growth.

The Responsibilities of the Client

The client is responsible for the work, the vulnerability, and the ultimate transformation. A coach cannot move forward for the client; the client must choose to step forward themselves.