Grief Recovery Method®
The Grief Recovery Method® is an evidence-informed practice-based program that has been refined over the past 40 years to help you recover from the pain, isolation, and loneliness caused by loss of any kind. It is the only grief support program in the world that is evidence-based, which means there is high confidence that those who follow the actions of the program will find healing and recovery from their pain.
The method is not only intended for people who are grieving as a result of a death or divorce. It is beneficial to anybody who has experienced the pain of unmet hopes, dreams, and expectations in a relationship; who is seeking to let go of the hope that things could have been better or different in the past; who desires to overcome habits of avoidance, numbing, and escapism; who is seeking strategies to identify, express, and process emotions in a healthy way; and anybody who is seeking to be more emotionally available and present in their relationships.
Types of Programs:
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1 on 1 Individual
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Grief Support Group
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Helping Children with Loss
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Pet Loss Support Group
I did not believe I had any grief in my life, unaware of so many losses I’ve experienced...
I participated in an eight-week Grief Recovery Workshop with the facilitator, Colette Benoit. Walking into the workshop, I did not believe I had any grief in my life, unaware of so many losses I’ve experienced, walked away from, and swept under the rug. Colette guided us through a series of exercises revealing how grief has held me back in several areas of my life and kept me from developing intimate relationships.
The pace of the workshop was perfect, with plenty of time to work through our assignments. While Colette is highly professional and organized in her delivery as a facilitator, she is a warm and genuine coach. I am grateful to have had the Grief Recovery experience and will continue to practice the techniques I learned. I would highly recommend Colette as a life and grief coach and this workshop to anyone struggling with loss.
- Shauna
What is Grief?
The problem for many people is that even though grief is the normal and natural reaction to loss, what we learn in society is that these feelings are abnormal and unnatural. Grief is the most neglected and misunderstood experience, often by both the grievers and those around them. They will often give you logical reasons why you should not feel bad, but that rarely helps. Grief is emotional and not logical! You are suffering from a broken heart, not a broken head! The fact that you are seeking help in dealing with that emotional pain is not a sign of weakness, it's an action step to healing and completing unresolved grief.
"Grief is the conflicting feelings caused by the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behaviour."
What is unresolved grief?
Unresolved grief is almost always about things we wish we'd said or done differently, better, or more. It is also about the unrealized hopes, dreams, and expectations we had for a relationship. Finally, unresolved grief is about undelivered communications of an emotional nature.
WITHOUT ACTION THERE IS NO CHANGE
Types of grief:
There are over 40 different types of loss, some of which include:
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Death
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Divorce
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Death of a pet
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Moving
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Starting school
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Death of a former spouse
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Marriage
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Graduation
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End of addictions
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Major health changes
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Retirement
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Financial changes - positive or negative
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Empty nest
6 Common Myths about Grief
The Grief Recovery Institute has identified six major myths about grief that are so close to universal that nearly everyone can relate to them.
Myth #1: Don’t Feel Bad
Even though grief and all of the emotions associated with it are normal and natural, we have been told many times to not feel the way we feel. Feeling bad is a normal response to loss and it is important that we give ourselves permission to feel.
Myth #2: Replace The Loss
Each relationship is unique therefore each loss is unique. Relationships are not replaceable or interchangeable.
Myth #3: Grieve Alone
Many of us grew up being told if you are going to cry, go to your room. Some of us don't want to burden others with our feelings. Communicating the truth about how you feel is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself when you’re grieving.
Myth #4: Time Heals All Wounds
After a loss, we often hear things like, “it just takes time” or “time will heal”. These statements give us false hope. The truth is, time in and of itself does not heal your emotional pain, it is the action you take within time that does.
Myth #5: Be Strong for Others
When we’re grieving, we tend to hide our emotions so we can be strong for others. The problem of acting strong is that it unintentionally sends a message to others that they too have to be strong. The most helpful thing you can do for others is to be honest. By telling the truth about how you feel, you give permission to others to do the same.
Myth #6: Keep Busy
After a loss, we are often told “just keep busy”. We distract ourselves so we don't have to deal with the emotions that may arise. This often leads to physical and emotional exhaustion and only helps to avoid our grief. To truly heal from loss, you must be willing to go through the pain in order to move beyond it.
You made me feel safe, comfortable, and seen.
Before doing the Grief Recovery program, I didn’t realize I had any. I thought that grief was reserved for those who had lost someone in their lives and I hadn’t. I was quickly educated on grief and was blown away at how I had been approaching loss in my life. Colette is such a compassionate facilitator; she showed me that I had, as an infant, gone through grief in other ways and that there was a proven method in moving through it.
I am so grateful for this program; it has helped me approach my relationships in a whole new way, and heal myself from past traumas. Thank you so much, Colette, for being such an amazing facilitator: you made me feel safe, comfortable, and seen.
- Delain
I was able to let go of all the negative emotions
As a result of completing the Grief Recovery program, I was able to let go of all the negative emotions of my recent relationship and have a more positive outlook on relationships moving forward. Thank you so much, Colette, for helping me to heal that part of my life.
- Trudy