Good Grief – Is There Such a Thing as Grief Coaching?

Is there such a thing as grief coaching? You bet there is, and the demand for this niche within the coaching industry may be growing. This growth may be opening up new opportunities for life coaches who want to specialize in a specific segment of coaching.

What is Grief Coaching?

Grief coaches provide targeted coaching to individuals who have experienced a tragedy or a series of tragedies, and may be suffering from grief in the aftermath. Most people will experience the death of a loved one or some other overwhelming tragedy at some point in their lives, and grief is an important mechanism to cope with that experience. However, some people will experience grief that never ends or is too consuming to live a normal life. These people might need a grief coach.

What Does a Grief Coach Do?

Grief coaching is all about helping someone transition from bereavement and the feeling of loss back to their normal attitude. It is all about helping them get back to where they were before the tragedy. It is all about normalizing life and turning the negative into a positive.

Coaches specializing in grief offer various types of help, including:

• Understanding and empathy

• Care and comfort

• A sounding board for their feelings

• A sounding board for their decisions

• Help with inspiration and motivation toward a positive future

• A source of support and encouragement

• The tools for achieving contentment and happiness after a loss

• A positive vision for the future, both short-term and long-term

Healing is a Process That Includes Grief

Each person has the innate ability to heal, confront challenges, and take positive action after a loss. However, some individuals have problems summoning that ability. This is where grief coaching comes to the rescue. Coaches are able to help an individual use their own ability to heal and take positive action, and reclaim their life. Grief coaches understand that grief is merely part of the healing process – it shouldn’t be discouraged, but it should be minimized and dealt with so it doesn’t consume or ruin someone’s life.

What’s Do You Need to be a Grief Coach?

Thinking of finding your niche as a grief coach? Here are a few attributes that will make it easier for you to enter this field.

• Some experience as a coach. Better to have worked on your coaching abilities before you start dealing with people suffering from grief.

• Some experience dealing with bereavement and loss – perhaps volunteer or paid in a health or caring field.

• You have a strong sense of empathy and sympathy. Your ability to place yourself in the shoes of those who are hurting (and healing) will make you a much better coach.

• Great communication skills – all coaches need this and no one needs it more than a grief coach.

• You feel a calling toward working with those suffering from overwhelming grief and loss. You are comfortable working in the areas of trauma recovery, death, divorce, disability, and mental health.

• Personal experience with overcoming grief and loss.

If most or all of these statements describe you, then grief coaching is a segment of the coaching industry you should consider. Grief coaching is certainly not for everyone – it takes hard work, patience, a dedication to clients suffering from loss, and a strong sense of empathy. It takes a special person to enter this field. Are you that special person?