An Open Letter to Pastors
and Church Leaders

 Dear Church Leadership Team,

 Hello, I hope your congregation is doing well. However, in a recent study of adults over 40, a third of individuals reported experiencing severe grief symptoms after the loss of a loved one (Thimm, Kristoffersen, & Ringberg, 2020). Present in many of our churches are those who are mourning. Ongoing grief care is recommended for individuals for, at a minimum, the first 13 months after a significant loss. Further, the avoidance of talking about death and grief leaves many individuals unaware of what to expect in mourning and its effects on everyday living.

 Who is caring for the grievers in the church? Often, this burden is placed on leadership teams with little or no specialized training. Leaders overloaded with a congregation's spiritual, educational, material, and technical needs are overwhelmed by the ongoing needs of grievers in their congregations. After the first six weeks, care for mourners becomes bewildering as the mourners continue to repeat the same stories and are deaf to verses offering hope and heaven.

 What is the best way forward? The answer is a Grief Specialist. I am trained as a Pastoral Counselor and Grief Coach. I provide a biblical model of grief care to churches where tears are sacred, the grief journey must be taken, and every journey is unique.

 Who am I? My journey to Grief Coaching came after I began healing from losing my support system through death and abandonment in my forties. I am a testimony that God gives life after loss. I have a Pastoral Counseling Master's from Liberty University and a Grief Coaching Certification from Coaching at End of Life.

 I am committed to partnering with grieving individuals in the Body of Christ, offering them a sacred space to express their loss and discover life again despite their pain. I have led grief groups in person and online, conducted private sessions, and spoken at events, all with a focus on a biblical model of grieving and building resilience through coping skills and social support. If you want more information about me professionally, you can view my www.linkedin.com/in/cherylbreland profile.

 How can I help you and your ministry? In the busy pace of life, we bring specialists to give the greatest care to essential issues. Don't hesitate to contact me if I can help you through speaking, training, facilitating, or coaching for those in your congregation.

 Kind regards,

 Cheryl Breland, MA

Grief and End-of-Life Coach 

"Grief Hurts, but you don't have to journey alone."

https://www.daisy-coaching.com

(205) 259-8120 

 Resource: Thimm, J. C., Kristoffersen, A. E., & Ringberg, U. (2020). The prevalence of severe grief reactions after bereavement and their associations with mental health, physical health, and health service utilization: a population-based study. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 11(1), 1844440. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1844440

Services to Churches

What can I provide? There are several possibilities for adding more robust care for grievers in your congregation.

  • Training for leaders and staff to become more grief informed and to embody a biblical model of grief care.

  • Facilitate monthly grief groups for your congregation virtually or in person.

  • Present a four-week grief education for grievers, "Moving Forward Through Grief."

  • Support your congregation with personal coaching for individual grievers.