You’re heartbroken. Your world has been turned upside down. You used to feel like you had a purpose. You felt hopeful. You felt happy. You thought you knew where you were going.

But now, you feel lost.

It’s like you’re wandering in the wilderness, with no map, no compass, no light to illuminate your path. You want to move on, but you feel stuck. You don’t know if you’re strong enough to get through the grief. You want to let go, but there’s just so much uncertainty ahead of you.

Worst of all, you feel alone. You know you need support, but you don’t know where to turn.

It seems so unfair. Why is this happening to you? Why now? What’s next? You want to believe that you can emerge from this as a better, stronger version of yourself. You want to believe that you’ll find purpose, happiness, and hope again. But where do you even begin?

When you’re lost in the wilderness of grief, how do you find your way?

No matter what kind of loss you’ve experienced – the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, the passing of a beloved pet, an illness that changes how you live — it shoves you out of your comfort zone. It rearranges your world, shrouding you in uncertainty, and triggering your natural response: grief.

But grief is more than just a natural response to loss or change.

Grief can be your gateway to a fresh start.
A new, illuminated chapter.

When you choose to see your grief as an opportunity to re-examine your life, you begin to navigate your way through the wilderness. You begin to find meaning. Purpose. Hope. You can illuminate your path, one step at a time.

That’s why I founded The Illuminated Chapter.

As a grief & growth coach, I support people like you who have been blindsided by loss.

Everyone grieves differently. No two losses are the same. I partner with you, one-on-one, to develop your unique strategy for coping with your grief. Together, we will turn your grief into growth, loss into learning, and involuntary challenges into transformational change.

Because transformation isn’t magic. It’s made up of small, consistent, practical steps that align with who you really are. Your needs, your values, your goals. It takes work. But it’s worth it.

I know, because I’ve done that work.

GabiMy name is Gabi, and The Illuminated Chapter is a product of my own experience of loss, grief, and involuntary change.

A few short years ago, I was lost in my own grief wilderness. In my case, it was the sudden and tragic death of my youngest brother that blew my world apart.

It seemed like everything around me collapsed in the blink of an eye. In the months leading up to his death, I had just begun to feel like I had a good grip on my life. My husband and I had settled into a routine that was working for us. We were making ends meet, saving money, sticking to a strict budget. I had finally adjusted to the challenging pace of my job, and I had lost 30 pounds by taking a more mindful approach to my diet. With the help of a wonderful life coach, I was just beginning to peel back the layers to discover what I really wanted. I liked where my life was going.

And then, everything changed, and I was reeling. I remember so clearly the hours, days, and weeks after my brother’s death. The confusion, the fear, the shock, the hopelessness. Oscillating between feeling close to my family and totally isolated while each of us absorbed the impact of the loss.

But, deep down, I felt something else.

In the midst of my grief, I felt the spark of desire to find meaning in the experience of losing my brother, and facing so many changes that I never chose.

I found myself beginning to re-examine my life, so I turned to my life coach.

“Everything is different now.”

“I know,” he said. “So, what does it mean?”

“I don’t know how, but I want to help people.”

That was the first of many truths that I’d come face to face with in the weeks following my brother’s death. I finally admitted to myself just how unhappy I was at my job. I had been white-knuckling my way at a company that was a terrible fit for me, building a career that left me drained and uninspired. I made the mistake of throwing myself back into work with unsustainable vigor as a way to distract myself from my grief. On the brink of a meltdown, I finally resigned.

In full-blown crisis mode, I made the decision to prioritize my mental and physical health by seeking professional care. I found solace in my marriage, activities that fed my soul, a job that didn’t suck all of my energy, and regular sessions with my coach.

Inspired by the work that my life coach and I had done together, I heeded my own call to help others, and enrolled at the International Coach Academy. I earned my coaching certification after 18 months of intense study, and became a member of the International Coaching Federation.

While many coaches help clients who want to make a change in their lives, I became fascinated by the power of coaching to help those who are facing changes that they did not choose.

Drawing on my own experience, I chose the niche of grief & growth coaching, and founded The Illuminated Chapter so that I can partner with clients and help them navigate loss to discover what they need, what they value, and who they are.

 

I believe with all my heart that we have the freedom to choose how we respond to any circumstance in life. I believe that embracing that freedom, and making the choice to find the unique meaning that challenges hold for us, is the critical first step to transforming through loss and grief.

I’ve seen this play out in my own life, in which I live each day with a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

When I look back at the loss of my brother, I see a chapter of my life that shaped me into who I am today. An illuminated chapter.

I want that for you, too. It’s not out of reach. Are you ready?

Click here to find out how to work with me.

What do you do when you’re overwhelmed by grief? I created a free workbook to help you answer that very question. Enter your name and email address below, and it’ll be delivered straight to your inbox.