Grief is the journey . . .
Gratitude is the destination
Grief is the journey . . .
The death of your loved one has changed your world forever. It has placed itself on your calendar and you can’t change, postpone, or delete it. You have been given membership in a club that you never asked to join. While the painful emotions of loss seem unbearable, others try to console you. Although meaning well, they often say all the wrong things, such as “I understand how you feel.” No one can possibly understand how you feel as no one had the exact unique relationship that you had with your loved one. You question if you will ever get on top of your grief. You might even fear what your life will look like going forward. No, life will never be the same again, but it can be meaningful. We are here to journey with you through the wilderness of grief. We are here to coach you from pain to peace, heartbreak to happiness, and grief to gratitude.
WHEN WILL THE PAIN GO AWAY?
"Navigating the Wilderness of Grief"
You will experience growth through your grief and find gratitude in who you are becoming. We will pull from your inner strength with powerful, effective coaching tools and exercises to reduce the grief-related pain, fear, stress, and anxiety and propel you forward to a fulfilled life of meaning and purpose. We won’t try to fix you… You are not broken. We won’t try to heal you… You are not sick. We won’t judge you… You are not to be judged. We won’t tell you what to do… We will help you take forward-moving action. We won’t push you… We will challenge you.
Why From Grief to Gratitude?
We are taught CPR, first aid, the 911 call system, emergency
evacuation procedures, fire and safety precautions… all great and necessary
information for events that may or may not happen. Unfortunately, we are NOT taught how to
handle the inevitable… death and grief. Millions are
affected by loss and grief each year and Dora Carpenter, Certified Professional
Coach and Founder, From Grief to Gratitude, says that we must do more to
educate on this sensitive and neglected topic.
She says, “Simply knowing the common myths and
how to avoid the pitfalls of grief can significantly reduce the anxiety,
stress, and overwhelm individuals experience when suffering from the loss of loved
ones.” Working in the death care industry
and assisting hundreds of families with making final arrangements for loved
ones birthed her passion for helping individuals navigate the wilderness of
grief.
While one is in task mode 24-48
hours immediately following a death, the reality of the death actually sets in
after the services are over, family and friends have returned to their daily
lives, the doorbell and telephone rings have ceased, and the house is
quiet. The depth of loss and the broken heart is experienced in that
moment that one reaches out to talk, touch, or telephone a loved one and they
are no longer there. These emotions,
although natural and normal responses to loss, can be painful and seemingly
unbearable; and, while others try to help, they sometimes say all the wrong things,
such as "I understand how you feel" or “You are strong. You can handle this.”
What about any unresolved grief, maybe even from childhood, such as the death of a parent, grandparent, or even a sibling … that elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about? Did you know that even a small amount of unresolved grief can affect every area of your life?
Referred to by a client as “the angel of comfort,” Dora Carpenter provides a calming, empathetic approach in her powerfully effective grief coaching process and is honored to be able to build a team of certified coaches to expand her mission to help individuals go from grief to gratitude in the shortest time possible.
Dora Carpenter did not create From Grief to Gratitude Coaching Program because she studied psychology, thanatology, or mortuary science. Nor did she start a coaching business and randomly choose grief as a specialized niche. While working with many families in the death care industry, Dora realized a great need for providing grief support to families following funeral and memorial services. Being told “no” to the suggestion to offer such a service at her place of employment, she vowed to make it her “yes” and do something. She trained as a grief coach and began offering free grief support at local libraries in the community. From Grief to Gratitude Coaching Program is designed by one who has been in the trenches with and for you. She does not merely talk the talk, but has walked the walk with her clients as well as through her own personal grief experiences.
In addition, listening to countless stories of hopes and dreams never realized, Dora Carpenter feels that she has buried as many unfulfilled wishes in the cemetery as bodies and cremated remains. To address this, From Grief to Gratitude Coaching Program includes a life coaching element from her Decide to Say Yes! signature coaching program that takes clients beyond the grief journey in order to find meaning and purpose in life going forward.
From Grief to
Gratitude Coaching Program was developed using Dora Carpenter’s 5-step recipe
for coping with grief. By being
committed to getting on top of your grief, working with your coach, and
implementing the tools and techniques contained in the program, you will have
the skills to:
Giving Yourself
Permission to Grieve. Just as each of
us was born with our unique DNA, so is the grief experience unique to each of
us. There is no Standard Operating
Procedure (SOP), rulebook, or one size fits all approach to handling
grief. There is no right or wrong way to
grieve and no one can tell you how to grieve; however, it is necessary to
validate the uniqueness of the grief experience.
Remembering to Honor the Life and Legacy. Recognizing and accepting that the physical body is no longer with us, we now move to focus on the essence of who our loved one was, values instilled, accomplishments gained, lessons learned, gifts shared, memories treasured… the legacy left.
Incorporating New Traditions into Old Traditions. It is essential to your overall well-being to express and release your feelings. Staying stuck in only the past and harboring even a small percentage of unresolved grief can affect every other area of your life. Recognizing the "F" Factor: Fear, Forgiveness, and Faith is essential as you release painful emotions and begin to transition your grief and move into your new reality.
Embracing
Meaning and Purpose Going Forward. You have been
extended membership in a club that you never asked to join, and your life will
never be the same again; however, your life can be meaningful. Seeing change as the natural flow of life and
building confidence in handling it paves the way to begin creating your own
legacy.
Finding Gratitude in the Gift of Now. You began the program giving yourself permission to grieve and now it is time to give yourself permission to move beyond your grief. This does not mean forgetting that hole in your heart. Treasured memories will always reside there. This should elicit a sense of peace, comfort, and even excitement as you forge ahead with the next chapter of your “new” life going forward.
"The From Grief to Gratitude coaching program answered my calling to help others. The program helped me better understand my grief and how I could serve others. This is not a generic coaching program that you can attempt to plug and play into grief coaching. You are getting first hand, professional insight and experience from a woman who started this from scratch. If you ever get the opportunity, I hope you have the pleasure of at the very least, speaking with Dora. You will truly be inspired." -- Brian N., Worcester, MA
"The From Grief to Gratitude Program was amazing. Taking the course not only gave me the tools to pursue a new career but inspired me on a personal level. I look forward to sharing, and helping others in the future." -- Patricia McClenon, Washington, D.C.
"Yes, we have to have you on for another podcast! You are actually an authority on grief whether you know it or not. I'd like to focus on the helpful things a person can say to someone who is grieving and the supportive actions family and friends can use to support a grieving individual. Dora, it's not just that you know what you're talking about - it's clear that you've walked your talk AND are embodying. That doesn't mean that any of this stuff is easy - exactly the opposite, for that appears to be the definition of mastery: you've put in the blood, sweat, and tears and now from the "outside" it all looks like it's a breeze :)" ~~ Robert “Bob” Wright, Jr., Ph.D., COFT, Florida (listen to podcast here)
"I just listened to your webinar and found it to be very emotionally rewarding. It brought back many fond and loving memories of the blessed time we [my husband and I] shared. I thank and praise God for you and the work that you're doing to enable others to move from grief to gratitude. Keep up the good work." ~~ T. Minnick, Maryland
"I am pleased to share how impactful the two sessions on grief conducted by Dora Carpenter were. Our class was held inside of the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women. The participants were grieving various losses, from children to parents, etc. We were all tremendously blessed and encouraged by the insight and wisdom we received from Ms. Carpenter. She not only encouraged us to move forth, but she also challenged us to live our lives to the fullest, while providing practical steps we could take to do so. I highly recommend this for anyone who is in the grieving process, as well as anyone who wants to help someone who is. In addition, I was pleasantly surprised to discover her counsel also included ways to make preparation for that day when we all must face dealing with the death of a loved one." ~~ Lettie Carr, Chaplain, Women's Correctional Center, Maryland
“My coaching experience was absolutely wonderful. It was the best week of my life because my coach tailored my instructions to fit me which encouraged me to see them in a different light and most importantly my coach listened to me. I even went out of town and was thrilled that she came with me via the phone! I was able to take ownership of the things that I was not doing and effectively implement the things that I knew I should be doing in a timely manner, resulting in a happier more effective me! I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world because I am still on top of my game thanks to her. My session ended some time ago and I am still encouraged by and overjoyed with this life changing experience.” ~~ R. Prather, Maryland