Anticipatory Grief Support
For the grief that arrives before the loss
You are still showing up.
You are still caring, loving, and holding things together.
And yet, something inside you has already begun to change.
Anticipatory grief is the grief of living with uncertainty.
It is the quiet weight of knowing life is shifting, while the world expects you to keep going as if it isn’t.
This kind of grief is often invisible.
There are no rituals, no clear endings, and very little space to talk about what it is doing to your body, your emotions, or your sense of self.
This work exists for that space.
You may be supporting a partner, parent, or loved one through illness or decline.
You may be grieving a future that is slowly slipping away.
You may feel exhausted, guilty for grieving too soon, or afraid of what comes next.
Anticipatory grief coaching is not about preparing for loss or forcing acceptance.
It is about helping you stay grounded, present, and intact while living inside uncertainty.
This is professional, structured support for those who need steadiness now, not answers they are not ready for.
What This Support Offers
A place to slow down
Support for your nervous system
Guidance for pacing, boundaries, and self-preservation
Space to be honest without being pushed into outcomes
You do not have to disappear in order to love.
A Gentle Distinction
This is not therapy.
This is not crisis care.
This is contained, anticipatory grief coaching designed to help you remain emotionally and physically resourced while life is asking more of you than usual.
RECLAIM™ Before Loss
Anticipatory Grief Support
Anticipatory grief is the grief that arrives before a loss has fully occurred.
It is the grief of loving someone while knowing change or loss is coming. The grief of uncertainty, caregiving, guilt, and holding two realities at once.
RECLAIM™ Before Loss is a structured coaching program designed to support emotional stability, nervous system regulation, and self-preservation during this time.
This work is not about preparing for death.
It is about learning how to stay present, loving, and intact while facing uncertainty.
Support focuses on pacing, boundaries, emotional regulation, and maintaining a sense of self while continuing to care, love, and live.
The RECLAIM™ Before Loss Framework
How This Framework Works
Stabilize
Supporting the nervous system in uncertainty
Living with anticipatory grief often places the body in a constant state of alert. This phase focuses on restoring steadiness and reducing emotional overwhelm.
We work with:
• Nervous system regulation
• Emotional pacing
• Reducing hypervigilance and exhaustion
• Creating moments of safety in the body
Stability is not about shutting down feelings.
It is about making them manageable.
Separate Love From Self-Erasure
Caring deeply without disappearing
Many people experiencing anticipatory grief slowly lose themselves while trying to stay strong for others. This phase focuses on helping you remain loving without sacrificing your own emotional or physical well-being.
We explore:
• Boundaries that do not feel cold or selfish
• Releasing guilt around rest and self-care
• Recognizing where you are over-extending
• Honouring love without self-abandonment
You do not have to disappear in order to be devoted.
Prepare Without Collapsing
Facing what may come without rehearsing the worst
Anticipatory grief can pull the mind into the future in ways that drain the present. This phase supports emotional readiness without forcing acceptance or premature grieving.
We focus on:
• Staying present while acknowledging reality
• Reducing catastrophic thinking
• Supporting emotional honesty without overwhelm
• Allowing uncertainty without constant fear
Preparation does not mean giving up hope.
It means staying emotionally resourced.
Preserve Self
Maintaining identity, energy, and emotional reserves
This phase supports the parts of you that must continue living, working, loving, and making decisions while uncertainty remains.
We work with:
• Identity preservation
• Energy conservation
• Emotional sovereignty
• Maintaining connection to self outside of caregiving
The goal is not resilience at all costs.
The goal is sustainability.
What This Framework Is Not
RECLAIM™ Before Loss is not:
• Therapy
• Crisis intervention
• End-of-life counseling
• Emotional processing of future loss
It is structured, professional coaching designed to support you in the present moment.
Why This Framework Matters
Anticipatory grief often goes unsupported because there is no clear moment of loss. Yet it can be just as destabilizing as grief after death.
This framework exists to:
• Reduce burnout before loss occurs
• Support emotional safety and clarity
• Prevent identity collapse
• Offer steadiness without pressure
A Grounded Intention
You are allowed to rest while still loving.
You are allowed to grieve without rushing the future.
You are allowed to matter too.
RECLAIM™ Before Loss exists to help you stay whole during one of life’s most tender seasons.
Anticipatory Grief Orientation Session
90 minutes | One-on-One
This session is designed to help you steady yourself while living with uncertainty.
We focus on calming the nervous system, understanding what anticipatory grief is doing to your body and emotions, and creating clarity around how to support yourself while life is still unfolding.
This session is ideal if you are supporting a loved one through illness or decline, feeling emotionally exhausted, or struggling to stay grounded while holding what may come.
Investment: $250
Best for:
Individuals living with ongoing uncertainty who need grounding, education, and emotional steadiness without entering a longer program.
RECLAIM™ Before Loss Program
4–6 Sessions | Structured Coaching for Anticipatory Grief
This is the core RECLAIM™ experience.
You are guided through the framework phases with education, reflection, and practical tools that support identity reconstruction and emotional regulation.
This program is structured, contained, and designed to support meaningful integration without dependency or emotional overwhelm.
Investment:
4 Sessions: $900
6 Sessions: $1,300
Best for:
Those living in prolonged uncertainty who want steady, compassionate support as they navigate caregiving, emotional fatigue, and identity strain before loss occurs.
Anticipatory Grief Decision & Support Intensives
1–3 Sessions | Decision & Direction Support
This offering is for those navigating difficult decisions while living inside anticipatory grief.
Support may include clarity around caregiving boundaries, work adjustments, family dynamics, medical uncertainty, or how to remain emotionally present without collapsing under the weight of what lies ahead.
This is not about preparing for loss.
It is about making grounded decisions while honoring both love and self.
Investment:
Single Session: $200
3-Session Intensive: $550
Best for:
Those facing emotionally complex decisions who need clarity, steadiness, and support without committing to a longer container.
End-of-Life Family Guidance Session
Death Doula Support
2 Hour | In Home Family Meeting [or at hospital is suitable private space is available]
When someone you love is nearing the end of life, it can feel overwhelming to know what to expect or how to support one another. Many families find themselves holding fear, uncertainty, and unanswered questions while trying to stay strong for the person they love.
This two-hour in-home family meeting is a calm, grounded space for you to come together, slow things down, and talk openly about what lies ahead. I will gently walk you through what is common during the dying process, help you understand what changes may occur, and answer your questions in a clear and compassionate way.
The goal of this time is not to rush or overwhelm you, but to help you feel steadier and more prepared. We focus on what is normal, how to support your loved one with presence and care, and how to support each other as a family during this tender season.
This is a space for clarity, reassurance, and guidance, so you are not navigating this alone or in fear of the unknown.
When families understand the dying process and know what to expect, it can significantly reduce the confusion and emotional weight that often follows a death.
Many people carry unnecessary guilt or self-blame afterward, wondering if they missed something, did something wrong, or should have acted differently. In most cases, these feelings come not from mistakes, but from not knowing what is normal or how to navigate such an unfamiliar experience.
Meeting beforehand allows families to understand what changes are common, what is within their control and what is not, and how to be present without feeling responsible for every outcome. It offers reassurance during the process and clarity afterward.
This kind of preparation does not take away the grief, but it often softens the shock and helps families move through loss with less regret, confusion, or second-guessing.
The intention of this time together is to provide understanding, steadiness, and a sense of peace around a moment that is deeply human and deeply personal.
Investment:
$450 [Starting Fee] - Firm quote provided after a needs assessment is completed
Pricing may vary based on location, travel time, and setting.
Best for:
Families seeking understanding, reassurance, and guidance during the final stage of life so they can be present with less fear and more peace.
Note on Scope & Safety
End-of-life guidance and death doula support are not a replacement for medical, psychological, or crisis care. If urgent medical or mental health support is needed, appropriate clinical or emergency services should be contacted.
This service is offered by an accredited and insured grief coach and death doula and is designed to work alongside traditional medical, hospice, and family support systems, providing education, emotional orientation, and grounded guidance in a professional and ethical way.
My heartbreak became my teacher. My nervous system became my compass. And my healing became the map I now place in the hands of every woman who walks beside me. You do not have to walk this path alone.
- Deanna Byrne