Understanding Pregnancy Loss Coaching: A Path to Healing and Growth (2)
As a stillbirth loss coach, I often get asked about the difference between coaching and therapy. Today, I want to shed light on this topic and share my personal journey that led me to become a coach.
My Background
For years, I worked as a hairstylist and salon owner. It wasn't until a decade after my own loss that I attended a business workshop that unexpectedly changed my life. During a vision board exercise, I found myself struggling to envision a future - a common challenge for those who've experienced loss. This experience led me to my first coaching session, which opened up a world of healing and personal growth I hadn't known was possible.
What is Coaching?
Coaching is designed to help you move forward from where you are now. It can be particularly beneficial if you're:
Struggling with negative thoughts about your loss
Having difficulty returning to day-to-day life
Experiencing relationship issues (22% of married couples separate after a baby loss)
Facing challenges at work
Considering another pregnancy but feeling anxious
A coach helps you tap into your inner resources, quiet your inner critic, and create actionable steps towards healing and a new future.
When Coaching Might Be Right for You
You could benefit from coaching if:
You need support surrounding your thoughts about your loss
You're struggling to get back to day-to-day life
Your grief is affecting your relationships or work
You want to have another baby but are afraid to try again
Coaching is designed to move you towards healing and living into your new reality more quickly. It provides time and space to tell your story and recreate a new future. A great coach knows that you already have all the resources and answers within you. They help quiet your inner critic to unlock what you need to learn about yourself.
Coaches don't judge or offer advice. Instead, they help you tap into your own potential and create actionable steps to move closer to your goals. I often use visualization exercises to shift thoughts from one space to another.
If you're ready to take steps forward, process your loss compassionately, and imagine a new future - especially if you're considering another pregnancy - coaching may be for you.
When Therapy Might Be Necessary
Therapy may be necessary if:
You have overwhelming grief affecting sleep or appetite
You're having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm
You have past issues affecting your daily life
You need a diagnosis or medication prescription
Therapy is crucial for debilitating grief that prevents normal daily functioning. If you're inconsolable and having thoughts of harming yourself or others, please contact a professional therapist. Therapy and possibly medication may be prescribed.
There's no shame in seeking therapy. We all have different backgrounds and responses to grief, and such events can challenge even the strongest among us. Therapy can help you heal from trauma or whatever is triggering your response, allowing you to move forward.
Coaching vs. Therapy: The Key Differences
While both can be valuable, they serve different purposes:
Coaching focuses on the present and future, helping you envision and work towards your goals. It's about creating the life you want moving forward.
Therapy focuses on past traumas that affect your daily life. It's a treatment modality for healing disorders and processing deep-seated issues.
When to Seek Immediate Help
If you're experiencing debilitating grief that prevents normal daily functioning for more than 2-3 weeks after your loss, it's important to contact a therapist or your doctor.
Depression vs. Grief
The line between postpartum depression and grief can be blurry, as they share many symptoms. Generally, grief will start to subside slightly after a few weeks, while postpartum depression persists.
The Importance of Support
Whether you choose coaching, therapy, or lean on friends and family, the most crucial thing is not to walk this journey alone. Stillbirth and baby loss can be incredibly isolating experiences, but you're not alone in your feelings.
I encourage you to connect with other parents who've experienced loss through support groups or social media. Remember, your thoughts and feelings are shared by many others on this difficult journey.
