How can Life Coaches collaborate with grieving clients?

I don’t specialise in this area, but with any emotion, it is important not to try to reframe the emotion and put a positive spin on it to help the client see the silver lining. It’s important to sit with the client, acknowledge the emotion and allow them to decide what they want to do with it

I don’t specialize in grief counseling but I am an active listener and that’s key. Through my approach , I help clients learn more effective coping skills to deal with the pain from one’s loss by allowing them to process intense emotions and conquer within their own boundaries. Everyone grieves differently. Patience and permission to grief is crucial.

In my experience as an Energy Healer I discovered that most ailments come from the inability to grieve. If you are not able to communicate sadness or fear or simply the lack of trust you have in yourself, this can manifest in the form of depression or resentment. These cause trouble in the energy bodies like the aura or mental and emotional bodies. Causing them to weaken so detrimental energies enter and from here they can easily go to any vulnerable organs in your physical body. It is always recommendable to grieve and to find ways to connect with that person who is no longer with you or that part of you that you are missing. Sacred Geometry is a very effective tool to heal grieving.

The most helpful thing to do with a client who's grieving is to gently disabuse them of the notion that there are a certain number of steps and that they have to all be experienced in order to “grieve properly”. There is no such thing. Help them to see that any and every response is valid, even *not* feeling the sadness and upset they (i.e. their mind) had predicted. This is a great starting point for them to feel the feelings they're having, without judgement or expectation (both of which tend to prolong the process).

This is not my specialty, however death is an inevitable experience in life. Working with our clients, it’s a possibility we will be on a position to hold space. Acknowledge their reality of the grief and be ok with silence. Often just another BEING in witness to your pain is supportive and healing. You may also ask the client how they would like to use this space. One thing I do if it feels aligned is to invite them to share a special memory of their loved one. If they are up to it, of course. These moment can be very special and supportive.

Si le coaché est en phase de " dépression" du deuil , je pense qu'il faut savoir mettre en pause le processus de coaching. On ne coach pas une personne en dépression. Le coaching demande à mettre en action, cela me semble compliqué si la personne a besoin de temps pour se reconstruire. Nous accueillons les émotions de la personne avec bienveillance, sans jugement et lui proposons de reprendre un peu plus tard.

Grief is universal - we all experience it, yet in our own ways. I've studied grief and led workshops and most helpful resources are from: "The Other Side of Sadness," by George Bonanno, "How We Grieve," by Thomas Attig, and "Resilient Grieving," by Lucy Hone. Very helpful.

Be fully present with them, help them feel seen, heard, felt, don’t dwell but start with gentle steps towards integrating the grief and empower them on the journey towards peace and a new found equilibrium.

Yes I agreed with not minimizing the stages and being their for them even if they don’t think they need you. It’s having a high tolerances for rejection that may come as a result of grieving.

Help your clients realize that grief is not a checklist or a step-by-step process. Grief is a journey and an ongoing emotion one must manage for the remainder of one's life. It's important to remind your clients to be patient with themselves and ride the waves of emotion in a safe environment.

Coaches offer a safe and non-judgmental space for clients to express their feelings and experiences. They actively listen, validate emotions, and guide clients towards setting achievable goals for healing and personal growth. Coaches can introduce therapeutic techniques like journaling, mindfulness, and positive reframing to aid the grieving process. The support provided by life coaches empowers clients to find meaning in their journey, fostering resilience and aiding in the recovery process.

Support can look vastly different for so many people. However, providing a safe and sacred space for them to open us is a huge key. A place where there is no judgment. Just Compassion and Understanding. Too many people are told to "get over it" after a certain amount of time. That is due to their discomfort in seeing these heavy emotions. A grieving person needs to know they Can feel, they Can express, they Can receive the Compassion they need. To me, that is the root of Support. Then we can explore the tools and find what will work for them.

My mother, who was my best friend, died last year. It helped me as I cooked many of her favorite foods. It makes her feel close to me. I also have been saying many of her cute sayings. I share this only in reference to the fact that coaches, who have been through hard things such as grief, can help by truly connecting with the client who is grieving. I always ask permission from my client before suggesting any sort of idea to help with grief. I make sure to get input as to whether they think a certain idea would help. One client and I are currently working on a memory box honoring their relative. It is helping her to smile at the good memories and keep their loved ones close by.

There are so many wonderful ways to honor our passed on loved ones! One way that helps me (and has helped several clients): 1. Write a letter to your loved one. Pour your heart into it. Tell them about the times you will cherish and want to remember. 2. When you feel ready, light a candle. Maybe add in some incense, flowers, or anything that reminds you of them. Read that letter out loud as if they were in front of you. This is very difficult and emotional; however this helps us get that love and sorrow expressed. 3. Rest. This can be emotionally draining yet very relieving at the same time. Self Care helps us process all the emotions involved as well. Small Rituals help us in many ways. Sending Love and Compassion to all who need it.

One of the first thing to realize as an inclusive leader is to know that, even in death and grief, there is systemic inequalities. When dealing with grief among your team, it's essential to have an equity-focused lens and recognize that grief experiences may not be equitable. Communities facing marginalization and health disparities may experience heavier grief due to factors like limited access to resources and healthcare. To address this, consider different cultural perspectives on kinship and family relationships, and respond to grief with an individual and culturally respectful approaches that provide understanding and support that is from a equitable perspective.

Life coaches can effectively adapt to grief by offering compassionate collaboration. In this approach, coaches create a safe and empathetic environment for open dialogue. They actively listen and validate the client's feelings while gently guiding them toward setting realistic goals for healing and personal growth. To support the grieving process, coaches may introduce techniques such as journaling, mindfulness, and positive reframing. This collaborative effort helps clients find meaning and purpose in their journey of recovery, ultimately promoting healing and resilience.

In my experience it's crucial as a life coach to acknowledge the deeply personal emotional challenges clients may face. Grief is a complex tapestry of emotions, and each individual weaves it in their unique way. Encourage clients to embrace the moments of vulnerability.This process can be akin to diving into the depths of their own emotions, acknowledging the pain, sadness, and uncertainty. Understanding that healing doesn't follow a fixed schedule can alleviate frustration. The role of life coach is not to be only a guide with answers, instead it is to be a compassionate presence willing to hold their pain, their tears, and their silence. This unspoken empathy can often be the most enlightening and transformative gift you can offer.

Grief is often seen as - A transformative, spiritual experience, A doorway to deeper self-discovery, A path to divine love, A connection with a profound sense of purpose, and, A journey of the soul … It is also believed that the pain of loss can lead to a greater understanding of one's inner self and a profound spiritual awakening. As life coaches, our role is to facilitate this sacred journey of self-discovery and transformation for them. It starts with deep empathy, active listening, and creating a safe, non-judgmental space for them to express their emotions. Also, evoking awareness for them to see that their grief can be a path to healing and in doing so, discover the wisdom that can emerge from the depths of sorrow…

In my experience guiding them through the process and steps of the grieving stages is important and giving them tools to handle each stage is as well. Every grief situation maybe different but according to that person allowing them to be free to navigate through it is important and not tell them to rush it to return back to normality is key. Coloring journaling, deep breathing, prayer all theses tools and a few more if used properly can allow them to grieve healthily and not carry it and be burdened for years to come.

1. Establish a safe and non-judgmental environment where clients feel comfortable expressing their emotions and sharing their experiences. 2. Help clients understand that grief is a natural response to loss. Normalize their feelings and assure them that there is no "right" way to grieve. 3. Establish realistic and manageable goals for the coaching sessions. Grieving clients may need to focus on self-care and gradual personal growth rather than immediate, major life changes. 4. Collaborate on finding meaning in the midst of grief. Explore how the client's values and beliefs can contribute to a sense of purpose and growth. 5. Acknowledge and celebrate small steps and progress made by the client.

As an empathetic listener, you let the client open up about some things which they have probably kept bottled up even from themselves to protect themselves from the pain of acknowledging the loss. Just this can be a cathartic experience. As a thinking partner then you can help them explore strategies of dealing with this phase, brainstorm some coping strategies and emphasize the importance of self care. If at any point you think they will benefit by talking to a counselor / therapist/ join a support group, one must be ready to indicate the same as well

Life coaches can provide invaluable support to grieving clients through collaboration. By offering a safe and empathetic space for open dialogue, coaches help clients navigate the complex emotions of grief. Listening actively, validating feelings, and gently guiding clients toward setting realistic goals for healing and growth are key. Coaches can also introduce techniques like journaling, mindfulness, and positive reframing to facilitate the healing process. Ultimately, the collaboration between life coaches and grieving clients empowers them to find meaning and purpose in their journey toward recovery.

One thing I have realised is that grief is always about loosing something. It can be loss of positions, material or even professions; money and wealth can be replaced. But when we lose a person, we cannot replace. So the grief becomes more profound So it’s very important that our relationships come from the basis of our fullness, not as an instrument to fill our life with a relationship. If you use a relationship to make yourself complete, then when you lose it you become empty. But....If you form a relationship because you want to share your fullness, then there will be no grief. That's the mantra one must make that person realise. Not as easy as it sounds, but achievable.

Assisting our clients to create small rituals to help them cope, get creative and heal can be extremely helpful. It gives them a sense of control in a situation where they feel utterly helpless. They then get tools to help them make something from that grief that can help them process the emotions, feeling of loss and helplessness. The more we Empower our clients, the more effective some healing modalities can be. Some of my clients have found skills they didn't even know they had! Drawing, sculpting, woodworking, writing and painting have been a few examples with my clients.