Being with people who really get it

When my son Ben died, I wanted to die too. I didn’t really, but I also kind of did. Nothing mattered.

Sounds pretty dire, huh? It was.

One thing that was incredibly helpful was meeting other moms who had lost a child. I was fortunate to find a grief center in my community with a group of mothers who understood this kind of loss as deeply as I did. Each one shared their heartbreaking story: a son who died of cardiac arrest during a routine procedure; a daughter killed by a distracted driver; a son lost to cancer; a daughter who’s heart eventually failed after years of struggle.

Some were 5 years out, some were 5 weeks. Despite our different circumstances, we were all shattered. We shared the same pain, and somehow, that connection made life less lonely. These women understood what it meant to grieve in every corner of life—to parent under these new conditions, to navigate a grief that looks different from your partner’s, to pick up the pieces of a fractured world.

Over the years we’ve talked, cried, wailed, hugged, laughed, and lifted each other up. They’ve shown me how vital it is to have people who really get it. Grief needs to be witnessed—it’s a key part of the healing journey. Finding that community can make all the difference.

Leaders, especially, benefit from having a trusted space where they can be completely honest and vulnerable without judgment. In my experience, grieving leaders rarely have such spaces and do not seek out grief counselors. However, this support can come from a grief-informed coach, a group of fellow leaders who’ve experienced profound loss, or both.

Stay tuned for an upcoming opportunity that combines these essential elements, providing grieving leaders with the tools to get unstuck, rediscover meaning, and create a renewed impact within their organizations.