- Waitlist
The Art of Holding Space: A Grief-Informed Approach to Communication and Connection
Course Description:
This 2-hour self-paced course is taught by coaching expert Sonja Ecklund and grief expert Sarah Kagan. Throughout the course, participants will explore the many ways in which grief shows up in our work, relationships, and communities, as well as how to support themselves and others.
The first half of this course focuses on understanding why grief support matters in both professional and personal contexts. Participants will learn to identify several different types of grief, recognize how grief shows up beyond death-related loss, and how to “spot” grief in subtle, everyday interactions.
The second half of this course invites participants to follow a practical framework for empathetic communication with a focus on how to support someone who is grieving a loss. This course also provides an overview of several different tools and methods for how to nourish yourself as a griever, helper, or caregiver. Using real-world examples and reflective exercises, participants will gain tools to create safer, more compassionate spaces whenever grief arises.
This course is open to coaching professionals and non-coaching professionals and may be eligible for employer reimbursement (see the FAQ section below). This course is pending approval for 2 CEs through the NBHWC (CEA-100213-1). Please join the waitlist if you'd like to know when this course is ready.
Course Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will:
Identify the individual and organizational impacts of grief and apply grief-informed strategies that strengthen communication and psychological safety.
Differentiate and distinguish between various types of grief, including anticipatory, ambiguous, and collective grief.
Recognize and respond to common emotional, behavioral, and physical expressions of grief.
Assess how grief-informed communication can be used to foster connection and build psychologically safe environments.
Apply the 6 pillars of the SOFTER framework to prevent compassion fatigue and caregiver burnout.
Meet Your Instructors
Hello! We're Sonja Ecklund and Sarah Kagan. A random LinkedIn comment of Sarah's that popped up in Sonja's feed introduced us to each other and connected us online. Then a Zoom chat uncovered our shared love for empathetic communication and the power of coaching presence. And a collective vision for increased grief literacy and psychologically safe spaces turned us into collaborators on this workshop.
We're thrilled to bring this course to life and to share it with you!
About Sarah
I didn’t set out to become a grief coach (does anyone?)
I’ve always been a deep feeler, someone in search of connection and meaning. I tried making meaning through yoga training, holistic health coaching, and nutrition certifications, but nothing felt like the thing I was meant for.
Until my mom died.
I tried to contain it. I went back to work, checked the boxes, told myself I could manage it.
But grief doesn’t stay quiet for long.
So I left my job to pursue a life more aligned with who I was becoming.
Today, I support individuals, teams, and leaders in learning how to truly show up when life hits hard. Through coaching, workshops, and speaking engagements, I help people build the confidence and language to navigate grief with care. My work has been shared on stages and in conversations that explore what it means to create grief-friendly cultures at work and beyond.
I believe grief isn’t something to move past, it’s something we can move with. And when we learn how to support each other through it, work (and life) becomes more human, more honest, and more connected.
About Sonja
I'm a board certified health and wellness coach (NBC-HWC) with 14 years of experience helping people build authentic and unapologetic lives, especially after loss.
My personal journey is grounded in my own experience with grief: serving as a caregiver for 3 family members with dementia and living through the heartbreak of losing a pet 16 times.
The loss of my dog Izzy in 2016 was a transformative moment that broke my heart open and reshaped my understanding of grief, helping me realize how much the world needs spaces for people to be honest and real after loss.
Since then, I've dedicated myself to creating safe, compassionate spaces where people can share their stories, honor their loved ones, and find connection and community in their grief. Today I volunteer as a grief group facilitator for a pet loss support group at a local animal shelter, where I support people who have recently said goodbye.
With 14 years of experience as a board-certified health and wellness coach (NBC-HWC), I guide clients through authentic, complex, and courageous conversations that empower them to embrace their true selves and find strength, resilience, purpose, and meaning as they navigate the complex journey of grief and healing.
Questions?
How long will I have access to this course?
You will have access to this course material for 6 months.
What's the refund policy? My CEU Guarantee
If you are an NBC-HWC seeking CE credits for reapproval, you are entitled to the CE guarantee and refund policy. This means that if you buy this CE course and decide you don't like it, we'll give you a full refund for up to 30 days (or until you earn your CE certificate).
I totally get that it's hard to know who to trust and who you want to listen to for your continuing education - I want you to feel comfortable taking courses from me. If you start taking my course and realize it's not your thing, reach out to me at sonjaecklund@gmail.com, provide me with a short explanation about why it's not working for you, and I'll give you a full refund.
Please note that no refunds will be given once you have earned your CE certificate and no refunds will be given to those who are not NBC-HWCs seeking CE credits.
Can I get reimbursed by my employer for taking this CEU?
NBC-HWCs:
Please check with your manager to make sure that this CEU Course meets the requirements of your employer's tuition reimbursement program.
You'll receive a certificate indicating that you completed all required elements of the course when you finish the course. I can also send you an invoice for reimbursement purposes if you need it! Send me an email at sonjaecklund@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Non NBC-HWCs:
Many companies will cover grief coaching under their professional development stipend or policy. Use the professional development stipend request letter provided to begin the conversation with your organization.
I'm an NBHWC-Approved Training Program - Can I license this CEU?
You bet!
I'm really passionate about making high quality coaching education accessible to students from all economic backgrounds, so I offer the opportunity for programs to license this course material at a significant discount. This would allow your students to access this material for free.
If you think this CEU Course could add value to your training program, let's schedule a time to meet and have a conversation about how I can support your program's goals.
If you're a student of an Approved Training Program who would like to see your program license this CEU Course, send me an email at sonjaecklund@gmail.com and I'll reach out to your program's coordinator.
What Sarah's Clients Have To Say
“I have often struggled with the ways companies deal with grief and your comments resonated with me.”
-Danielle
“Where I feel like I would have got this [growth] at, like, in, like, the sixth session, and I'm like, man, I'm getting this before we even start the second one. Like, I just had that I don't know, just that feeling, like "It sucks, but it's gonna be okay, you know?”
-Adam
“The idea of confronting grief and the employee experience is very powerful, and while I always talk to my employees returning from bereavement, I hadn't considered the larger challenge of how many at work are avoidant and the effects of that.”
-Steve
“Sarah, you just gave me tools that will be so helpful in every situation.”
-Allison
What Sonja's Clients Have To Say
"I was blown away by Sonja's training abilities. She has a natural way to deleiver deep complex coaching skills/topics in an elloquent manner that is so easily understood. Her story telling ability, knowledge, presence, teaching ability and inclusion of all people is truly second to none."
-Jamie
"Without a doubt - one of the best training professionals I have ever worked with. Sonja is thoughtful about her approach to program design and intentional with the information she delivers. Sonja is an incredible professional and leads with compassion, grace and curiosity. She is truly one of a kind."
-Kate
"Sonja taught me more about the heart of coaching than a textbook ever could; her ability to communicate, thoroughly explain, and engage a group in any topic is superb. She is a natural educator, leader, and she instinctively knows how to pull the best out of every coach that is fortunate enough to receive her trainings."
-Rachael
"Sonja’s ability to convey complex content and training materials in a concise and meaningful way via digital platforms is unparalleled. Her live trainings, in addition to the prerecorded content are measured, well-paced and accessible to multiple learning modalities. Her training and coaching skills are a joy to witness."