Hi, I'm Gayle
I’ve hit my 50s and throughout my life I have experienced a lot of grief without always recognising that I was grieving.
I experienced the deaths of my brother and sister, my dad, grandparents, other relations and some very good friends. But I’ve also experienced grief with lost friendships, bullying and abusive relationships, divorce, career challenges, redundancy, caring responsibilities, loss of identity, changes in health or loss of direction.
All of these have triggered grief, because I lost something that was important and valuable in my life.
Through these times and reflection, I’ve realised that each of these life challenges have led to me becoming the person I am today. A person who has developed resilience, determination, self-awareness and has made the choice to grow from the experiences and embrace the new life that each occasion brought with it.
Is it easy? Sometimes but mostly not. It has taken energy, encouragement and a change in mindset (more than once!) but it is most definitely worth it.
To focus on what I can control, what is important to me and to honour the memories of my loved ones and learnings I can enjoy life and overcome new challenges.
One of the challenges I faced was following a redundancy ending a 26-year career. Serendipity played a part and I embarked on a coaching diploma which led to further training in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Core Transformation, and mBit.
Following the death of my sister and dad in 2023, the past and current grief hit me like a tsunami, and I walked my own journey with some counselling.
This is when I had my light bulb moment.
I wanted to take the grief of my life which has taught me so much, mix it with all the love I have felt for what I have lost and the love of what I have gained and use my learnings, my resources and my knowledge to help others experiencing grief.
Grief is a perfectly normal human emotion, as much as love is. And yet there is a stigma, a taboo about showing or talking about these emotions. There is a culture of suppression and an uncertainty of how to support or even talk to those who are grieving.
I am determined to do my part in breaking this taboo, whether it’s through 1 to 1 coaching, training, workshops, knowledge sharing or other opportunities which may come my way.
I believe that grief isn’t a punishment or something to be ashamed of; it is an important and very necessary part of our healing process and if suppressed it will only lead to an unhealthy person and society.
By working with me you will build your resilience, develop your own toolkit and discover your next path in life. You will be contributing to normalising grief, supporting people in their grief and encouraging a healthy way of living.
When I’m Not Coaching
- My family, friends, and golden retriever are at the heart of my world. (And yes, I do talk to my dog like they’re a person!)
- My golden retriever isn’t just a companion—they’re my main hobby and my personal coach in living life to the fullest.
- Sharing a meal out is my favorite way to connect and celebrate with others.
- Cooking from a recipe helps me reset and focus, turning overwhelm into creativity. (I’ve collected more recipe books and magazine clippings than I care to admit!)
- Gardening—well, pottering about—is my escape, and where many of my best ‘aha’ moments happen.
- Dance has always been part of my life, from ballet and tap classes as a child to turning up the music and dancing around the house today.
- Yoga is my sanctuary, a time to breathe deeply and focus on myself.
- On the rare occasion I have extra energy, you’ll find me cranking up the music and powering through a HiiT session.
- And when I do get the chance to put my feet up, there’s nothing I love more than grabbing a good book and getting lost in its pages.