At Choose Connections Grief Coaching, Kristin Darcy guides clients through one of life’s toughest emotions: grief. Darcy uses her background in social work, combined with training from the Grief Recovery Institute, to help people struggling with grief, whether it’s from the death of a loved one or pet, or an emotionally draining loss.
A few years ago, Darcy worked as a parent coach, and grief was a major theme that kept appearing in sessions. Some parents grieved for the life they thought their children would have, which was now drastically different following a diagnosis, traumatic event or other life-changing circumstance.
Darcy related to the parents on a personal level. Her son experienced a traumatic event in high school, and it impacted their whole family.
“Our lives kind of ended for the next two or three years, and when things were settled and he was in an OK place, I realized that I was experiencing grief over the loss of that time and what I thought our family’s life should look like,” said Darcy.
That’s when she found the Grief Recovery Method online to help herself, then completed the training to help others.
“It is a time-tested, scientifically backed method that helps individuals move from a place of pain with their loss,” explained Darcy. “It’s a strategic, step-focused method that helps them move past that pain that has people stuck … and bring them to the place where they do start to feel hope and joy again.”
It’s not counseling or therapy, but Darcy has a master’s in social work from Ohio State University and years of clinical experience to inform her grief coaching.
Before moving to Mt. Lebanon’s Washington Park neighborhood, Darcy practiced grief and trauma counseling in emergency rooms, a psychiatric hospital, foster care programs and the Survivors Fund Project, which supported victims and families affected by the 9/11 Pentagon attack.
Darcy worked directly with widows and families, meeting not just their emotional needs, but practical ones too, such as arranging meals, childcare, even housecleaning. “It was a very unique program and just amazing that we were able to — in such a difficult time for them — be there to support them in that way,” said Darcy.
Today through Choose Connections Grief Coaching, located in Boyce Plaza in Upper St. Clair, Darcy offers eight-week individual and group support for adults and adolescents (ages 14 and up), and a four-week course for parents, caregivers and professionals on helping children process loss.
“Any kind of loss can trigger grief, including trauma, divorce, job loss, the end of a relationship, the passing of a beloved pet, the loss of health, or even the shattering of dreams and expectations,” said Darcy. “In grieving, you want to cling onto something. And I think this can give so much hope to people.”
For more information on Choose Connections Grief Coaching, visit chooseconnectionscoaching.com [1].