Breanne Cook is a grief coach. Here, she explains how her background in social work – and losing both her parents in the space of three years – has led her to taking a holistic view when it comes to loss
Can you remind readers who you are and what you do?
I’m Breanne. I’m a former social worker and manager of the NSFT Recovery College. For the last few years, I have been self employed as a qualified coach and gift shop owner.
We last featured you in Feb 2022 – what has happened since then?
I was last featured when I opened a physical gift shop in Holt called The Pied Wagtail. At the same time, I finished up my level five diploma in wellness and resilience coaching. I worked at the shop and had coaching clients around the shop opening hours. The shop lease ended in May, so the shop is closed now, however it does continue online. I’m now pursuing full time coaching.
What has led you to setting up as a grief coach? And can you remind people of your professional background?
My background is in social work. During my social work degree, I completed a module in loss and bereavement and since then I knew that it was important work that I needed to explore.
My first introduction to grief in social work was not bereavement related. It was the transition of life events. People’s health failed and relationships changed, and jobs and roles ended. Life consistently creates things that we grieve, and they are all valid.
I did go on to work within bereavement. I volunteered with Cruse, I was a social worker for a children’s hospice and worked with end of life and continuing healthcare as a social worker in the community and in hospitals.
I’ve set up as a grief coach because I am passionate about grief and loss. It’s one of the hardest things that we, as humans, journey through and I have learned the skills professionally and personally to guide someone through it. Witnessing, guiding and holding space for someone’s grief is a privilege. This work has been calling me to return for a long time.
My mum died three years ago which was a very challenging time for me – and my father died last December. I have learned a lot through these personal experiences which has given me a much more holistic outlook and way of working.
I have also completed world leading grief expert David Kessler’s three month grief educator programme which has added so much more depth to what I can offer. I am looking forward to creating some free educational content in terms of webinars and workshops.
How are you hoping to help people on their grief journey?
What I know about grief is that one of the most important things is for it to be witnessed and held which is something that I will do for people. I am a coach and part of the makeup of being a coach is that we look towards the future. I can help people do that in different ways such as exploring difficult thoughts and feelings around grief and how to cope with those, looking at how people are looking after themselves and what behaviours or they using to cope with grief. I can also help people to reintegrate with life again and live alongside their grief. This doesn’t mean getting rid of the pain and fixing it, and it’s not about forgetting the loss or the person who has died, it’s about integrating pain and love to rebuild life and engage in meaningful activity once again.
I can support anyone who is grieving any type of loss. It doesn’t have to be grief through bereavement. All types of grief are valid. If you have lost something or something has changed that is important and you are finding it hard to manage that, then I can help.
I can support people in the following ways: 1:1 coaching, grief circles and mindful photography for grief – and I have a particular interest in helping carers where the caring role has changed or ended.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
I want to contribute to a compassionate community where grief and loss is spoken about and expressed more openly without stigma and where all types of loss are accepted and seen as valid.
Any way this manifests for me will be a success. I’m hoping to build on the services I can offer, to provide education and support to those grieving and ensure access to those services regardless of people’s individual circumstances. I envision a lot of the work will be collaborative, building a strong and supportive community.
Visit www.breannecook.com, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, plus Breanne has recently started a private Facebook group which can be joined here.
Featured image of Breanne Cook by Nadia Jolly Photography
Leave a Reply