Proactive, compassionate, affordable coaching to help you find peace after loss
About Grief
Welcome.
You have found your way to my website because you have lost something - a person, a place, a thing, a circumstance - and I offer my condolences as you grieve what used to be. We grieve because we lost something that impacted us, something that had a significant place in our lives - something that mattered to us, that gave our lives shape and meaning. Grief is the great equalizer - we become members of this club multiple times over the course of our lives, whether we want to belong or not. In order to process the loss, we must allow ourselves to grieve, and everybody grieves differently; there are no rules or timekeepers, and your experience of grief is as unique as your thumbprint.
Examples of life experiences that can trigger grief:
the loss of a job
a geographic move
a breakup
the loss of physical abilities
pet loss
physiological changes associated with menopause
losing (or gaining) a significant amount of weight
existential anxiety associated with climate change
Along with other forms of support, grief coaching is a useful tool for helping you integrate these losses into your life, find your footing, and move forward into your new landscape.
I will never minimize or talk you out of your feelings, pretend that everything is okay, or exhort you to be "further along" in your grief than you are. My objective is to be an insightful, creative, and supportive thought partner as you begin taking steps towards renewing your outlook and recreating your life despite the loss you have experienced and the ensuing grief that has found its way to your doorstep.
I have been where you are. I, too, have navigated and grieved many profound losses.
You have found your way to my website because you have lost something - a person, a place, a thing, a circumstance - and I offer my condolences as you grieve what used to be. We grieve because we lost something that impacted us, something that had a significant place in our lives - something that mattered to us, that gave our lives shape and meaning. Grief is the great equalizer - we become members of this club multiple times over the course of our lives, whether we want to belong or not. In order to process the loss, we must allow ourselves to grieve, and everybody grieves differently; there are no rules or timekeepers, and your experience of grief is as unique as your thumbprint.
Examples of life experiences that can trigger grief:
the loss of a job
a geographic move
a breakup
the loss of physical abilities
pet loss
physiological changes associated with menopause
losing (or gaining) a significant amount of weight
existential anxiety associated with climate change
Along with other forms of support, grief coaching is a useful tool for helping you integrate these losses into your life, find your footing, and move forward into your new landscape.
I will never minimize or talk you out of your feelings, pretend that everything is okay, or exhort you to be "further along" in your grief than you are. My objective is to be an insightful, creative, and supportive thought partner as you begin taking steps towards renewing your outlook and recreating your life despite the loss you have experienced and the ensuing grief that has found its way to your doorstep.
I have been where you are. I, too, have navigated and grieved many profound losses.
about coaching
- Accepting permission to grieve
- Shifting to remembering and honoring the life and legacy of your loved one
- Creating renewed attitudes, behaviors, and intentions
- Embracing meaning and purpose in your own life going forward
- Finding gratitude in the present moment
We will always miss our loved one; that is an undeniable fact of grief. With coaching, we can learn to integrate the loss into our lives so that grieving no longer creates an obstacle to moving forward.
As we say in recovery, "The only way out is through." By proactively taking small, manageable, meaningful, thoughtful steps towards rebuilding a fulfilling life that enables us to experience joy, wonder, excitement, curiosity, compassion, and gratitude, we can start shifting from sad to serene - even though our deceased loved one is no longer physically present with us.
*DISCLAIMER: While I believe that grief coaching is a worthwhile compliment to all other kinds of available grief work, such as support groups and 1:1 counseling, the coaching I offer is not based on a conceptual, intellectual, or theological perspective and does not take the place of these other modalities. As your coach, I am here to provide education and support. I do not imply, infer, or attempt to fix, heal, or cure grief, and I do not imply or provide professional counseling or therapy. If you are overwhelmed by suicidal thoughts, please call or text 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or go to 988lifeline.org.
About caitlin
I have been a certified professional coach (CPC) since 2008. My personal grief story involves parent loss, sudden loss, and loss issues that may be unique to those that identify as Adult Children or having grown up in a dysfunctional family environment.
When not coaching, my self-care involves long walks, trying new recipes, camping when the weather is warm, and spending time with my beloved canine companion, Frida.
"All that we love is merely loaned to us." - Attributed to Beethoven
When not coaching, my self-care involves long walks, trying new recipes, camping when the weather is warm, and spending time with my beloved canine companion, Frida.
"All that we love is merely loaned to us." - Attributed to Beethoven
F.A.Q
What is coaching?
The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as "Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential." In other words, coaching is about looking at where you are right now in your life, figuring out where you'd like to be, and creating a personal road map to get there. Coaching progresses at a pace that is most comfortable for the client, and our work together will incorporate lots of talking along with relevant exercises and tools that you can often do on your own and bring back to our meetings.
How/Where do we meet?
All coaching sessions are virtual and can be done from the comfort of your own home either via Zoom (videoconferencing) or via phone, if you'd prefer.
How much do you charge?
💟 I want everyone who needs it to benefit from this important process. 💟
First, all potential coaching begins with a free 30-minute phone consultation to determine your needs.
Should you choose to proceed, my five-meeting coaching package is offered on a sliding scale from $75-$375 ($15 to $75 PER meeting) and includes FIVE one-hour coaching meetings, numerous tools & exercises pertinent to each phase of coaching and tailored to your specific needs, and a virtual (email) check-in between sessions, as well as a SIXTH FREE 30-minute follow-up meeting at the conclusion of our time together. I also welcome pay-as-you-go. Please just ask and we can design a payment plan that works for you.
First, all potential coaching begins with a free 30-minute phone consultation to determine your needs.
Should you choose to proceed, my five-meeting coaching package is offered on a sliding scale from $75-$375 ($15 to $75 PER meeting) and includes FIVE one-hour coaching meetings, numerous tools & exercises pertinent to each phase of coaching and tailored to your specific needs, and a virtual (email) check-in between sessions, as well as a SIXTH FREE 30-minute follow-up meeting at the conclusion of our time together. I also welcome pay-as-you-go. Please just ask and we can design a payment plan that works for you.
Am I ready for grief coaching?
If you have allowed yourself the space and time to do some initial deep grieving, and you are beginning to feel "stuck" while looking out at your life’s new landscape without your loved one while asking yourself, “What now?” you are probably ready for grief coaching.
It's also important that you are able to meet your physical needs (refer to the below Hierarchy of Needs image - it is not an all-inclusive image, but the bottom three levels of needs should be regularly met on a daily basis - sleeping, eating, bathing, being as social as you are comfortable being - generally resuming activities of daily living).
Coaching is actionable - it is not just about processing. Therefore, you need to be ready to set manageable goals and take some actionable steps towards meeting those goals. If you are not sure, please just reach out. The free 30-minute phone consultation is a good way to clarify your readiness for coaching.
It's also important that you are able to meet your physical needs (refer to the below Hierarchy of Needs image - it is not an all-inclusive image, but the bottom three levels of needs should be regularly met on a daily basis - sleeping, eating, bathing, being as social as you are comfortable being - generally resuming activities of daily living).
Coaching is actionable - it is not just about processing. Therefore, you need to be ready to set manageable goals and take some actionable steps towards meeting those goals. If you are not sure, please just reach out. The free 30-minute phone consultation is a good way to clarify your readiness for coaching.
How do I get started with you?
The preferred method of contact is either through the contact form found on this website, or directly via email at coachcait65@gmail.com.
Contact
Thank you for putting your trust in me. It's an honor to partner with you at this time. Please reach out by filling out the below form, tell me a bit about yourself, and what you hope to achieve with grief coaching. I look forward to hearing from you and hope we can work together.