Woman sitting quietly by a mountain stream — contemplative and peaceful

My Approach

You Deserve Support That Meets You Where You Are

What I Believe

Grief is not a problem to be solved. It is not a phase to move through as quickly as possible. It is not a sign that something is wrong with you. Grief is love with nowhere to go — and it deserves to be treated with the same tenderness as the love that created it.

The same is true for the pain that comes from broken relationships, divorce, heartbreak, and difficult family dynamics. These are not failures. They are the weight of being human — and they deserve honest, compassionate support.

My approach is built on one foundational belief: that you are the expert on your own life. My role is not to tell you how to grieve, how long to grieve, or what your path forward should look like. My role is to walk alongside you — with presence, honesty, and deep respect for your process.

"Grief is love with nowhere to go — and it deserves to be treated with the same tenderness as the love that created it."

Core Principles

What You Can Always Count On

No timelines

Grief doesn't follow a schedule, and I will never suggest you should be further along. We move at the pace that is right for you — always.

No toxic positivity

I won't tell you everything happens for a reason, or that your loved one is in a better place. I will sit with you in the hard parts, honestly and without flinching.

Forward, not away

We move forward together — not by leaving your loved one behind, but by learning to carry them differently. Continuing bonds are healthy. Love doesn't end.

Your grief, your way

There is no right way to grieve. My role is to support the path that is true for you, not to prescribe one. Your experience is valid exactly as it is.

Whole-person presence

Grief touches everything — identity, relationships, purpose, the body. We don't compartmentalize. We look at the whole of who you are and what you're carrying.

Strengths-based

You have survived things that would have broken others. My work is to help you see and build on the resilience and wisdom you already carry — even when you can't feel it yet.

How We Work Together

Step 1

Discovery Call

A free 30-minute conversation. You share where you are. I listen. Together we feel whether working together is right for you. No pressure, no commitment.

Step 2

First Session

We take our time getting to know each other. You share your story at whatever pace feels right. I listen — really listen — and we begin to understand what you need most right now.

Step 3

Ongoing Sessions

We meet weekly or bi-weekly, building a rhythm that supports your process. Sessions are 50 minutes via video call. The work evolves as you do.

Step 4

Regular Check-ins

Every few months, we pause to reflect on how the work is going — what's shifting, what you need more of, and what feels right for the path ahead.

Frameworks I Draw On

My practice is informed by several evidence-based approaches to grief and coaching. I hold these as tools, not rules — always in service of what's most helpful for you.

Continuing Bonds Theory

The understanding that maintaining a connection with a loved one after death is healthy and normal — not a sign of being 'stuck.'

Narrative Grief Therapy

Using story and meaning-making to help clients integrate loss into their ongoing life narrative.

Strengths-Based Coaching

Identifying and building on the resilience, values, and capabilities the client already possesses.

Trauma-Informed Practice

Recognizing that grief can be traumatic, and approaching all work with sensitivity to the nervous system and the body.

"There can still be meaning, connection, love, and hope after life changes you."

Deanna Farmer Coaching

Grief coaching and personal development rooted in compassion, presence, and the healing power of the Colorado mountains.

Bayfield, CO

Ready to begin?

A free discovery call is the first step. There's no pressure — just a gentle conversation about where you are and where you'd like to go.

Book a Discovery Call

© 2026 Deanna Farmer Coaching. All rights reserved.

A Brighter You Ahead