Gentle Grief Coach in Madison, WI
Steady, compassionate support for the months after a loss — when the casseroles stop, the cards slow down, and you're left figuring out how to live around the empty space.
Built for Month Four
The call usually comes around month four. The funeral is over, the casseroles have stopped, and everyone assumes you're "doing better." That's the moment Lanternwood was built for.
Miriam spent twenty years as a hospice chaplain in Madison, sitting with families in their last hours together and watching many of them feel alone once formal support ended. Grief coaching isn't therapy; it's companionship with a plan — someone to walk beside you, help with the hard dates, and notice, gently, when you're ready for what's next.
- ✓Twenty years as a hospice chaplain
- ✓Clients of every faith and none
- ✓Evening sessions Monday to Thursday
Ways I Can Help
Every kind of loss is welcome here.
What People Often Tell Me
"I should be further along."
There's no schedule. We work with where you are this week.
"The second year is harder."
It often is. Support doesn't have an expiration date.
"I laughed and felt guilty."
Joy and grief can sit in the same day. Both are allowed.
"Nobody says their name anymore."
We'll find ways to keep them part of your life.
Someone to Walk Beside
After Tom died, everyone told me I was doing so well. I wasn't. Miriam was the first person who let me say that out loud — and then gently helped me figure out how to get through a Sunday, then a month, then his birthday.
Caring for my mom through her last year, I was grieving before she was gone and felt guilty about it. Miriam helped me make room for both the caring and the sadness.
Going back to the office after my brother's death felt impossible. We made a plan for the first week — what to say, when to step out — and it made all the difference.
Saturday Mornings by the Water
Once a month, from April to October, a small group walks the lakeshore path together at an easy pace. There's no program and no pressure to share — just company, fresh air and a cup of cocoa at the end. Anyone grieving is welcome, whether or not you're a coaching client.
- ✓First Saturday of the month, 9 AM
- ✓An easy one-hour walk
- ✓Free, with a limit of twelve walkers
Simple, Flexible Fees
Sessions are sixty unrushed minutes. Reduced fees are always available — just ask.
Single Session
Book as you need.
- Sixty minutes
- Video, phone or in person
- No commitment
Eight Weeks of Support
Weekly sessions for two months.
- Eight sessions
- A plan for upcoming hard dates
- Email check-ins between sessions
- Pause anytime
Back to Work
Three focused sessions.
- A first-week plan
- Scripts for colleagues
- A follow-up after week one
Support That Follows the Calendar
The First Weeks
Getting through the days: sleep, meals, paperwork and the people asking how you are.
The Hard Dates
Birthdays, holidays and anniversaries planned for, not dreaded.
The First Year
New routines, old traditions kept or changed, and room for both.
Beyond
Carrying them with you into whatever comes next.
Questions Grieving People Ask
Is grief coaching the same as grief counseling or therapy?
No. I'm a coach, not a licensed counselor. Coaching offers companionship, practical support and planning. If grief becomes overwhelming or unsafe, I'll help you find a licensed grief therapist.
What if I'm in crisis?
Please call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or 911 in an emergency. Coaching isn't an emergency service.
Is it too soon — or too late — to start?
Neither. Some people call within weeks; others years later, when a new loss or anniversary stirs things up.
Do you work with people of all faiths?
Yes — of every faith and none. Your beliefs guide our conversations, never mine.
Do you work with grieving children or teens?
I coach adults, including parents supporting a grieving child. For children and teens, I'll point you to specialist grief programs in the Madison area.
You Don't Have to Carry This Alone
Reach out whenever you're ready — there's no wrong time.
Write to Miriam
Sessions by appointment on Monroe Street, or by video and phone anywhere. Evenings Monday to Thursday.