Laraine Holt
grief recovery specialist
“GRIEF IS THE
NORMAL AND NATURAL REACTION TO LOSS”
John James
Loss of a Child
Learn the actions to heal
When your child dies, everything stops, it feels like life is over.
You are emotionally drained, exhausted beyond words, and sleep is impossible. Nothing feels real anymore, or worth-while. When people try to help, they usually say something that makes it worse. They don’t understand, they don't get it, they can't.
You begin to try different things. You try therapy. You drag yourself back into work or keep busy with a hobby—anything to avoid the pain. You hide your feelings, try to be strong for others. You want to lean on family or friends, but they just don’t understand, and they aren’t able to help. You just want something—anything—to take the pain away. But how could that even be possible? Your child is gone. No matter what you do, that heavy weight inside is always there, in your broken heart.
The idea of wanting to feel better or healing can feel wrong and unnatural when you’ve lost your child. It seems like a betrayal-as if healing means forgetting, or letting go, or losing your child all over again. In the same breath, the pain is also unnatural, and in fact, it is not sustainable. We are meant to heal. Gradually, we reach a point when we start to think about healing.
Then one day,
when you are ready,
you find something different.
Like right now.
This isn't another way to distract you from the pain. That’s not what this is. This is something entirely different. It is something that gives you a real way to get through it. It is a process that doesn’t ask you to forget, to move on, or to be strong. It is a path that understands the depth of your loss and guides you toward relief.
The Grief Recovery Method
is about completing the pain
in your heart so that
you can breathe again
It guides you through meaningful actions that complete the pain of your loss. Healing is effective and it lasts.
Step by step, you’ll release the weight you’ve been carrying, freeing yourself to live more fully again.
Women report finding peace and joy they thought were lost forever.
Learn the actions of grief recovery
When the time feels right, you don’t have to face this alone. Through six weeks of gentle guidance, many women have said they feel lighter—like a weight has lifted, and they’re no longer living in the pain.
Rest assured you can feel better, your heart can heal, recovery from grief is possible.
"One of the best things I have now is an awareness of a new relationship with my son. I have discovered that he is with me in my joy. I can sit in awareness of him without falling to pieces. I’m easy and relaxed. When I’m in the garden he shares his presence with me with little signs that I am open to receive. Sometimes I hear his voice. He’s still funny. Before this work I had a relationship with pain. I thought if I didn’t have the pain then I wouldn’t have him anymore. Thank goodness I was wrong. Now I have so much more. I have peace, joy, and I have my son."
Losing a child is profoundly challenging
Having someone who understands can make a significant difference in the healing process
Loss of a Spouse
Your Partner
Grief is the normal and natural reaction to loss. With accurate information and actions you can learn how to recover from your loss. In our sessions you will have the privacy to discuss your emotional pain, and to learn the tools to deal with the heartbreak that has impacted your life.
"It feels as though the pain has been removed"
Other Losses
Loss of a Family Member, Divorce, Loss of Trust, Safety, Security
At the end of relationships due to death or divorce, there is a high probability that you are suffering from a broken heart. You may feel as if you are stuck in a bad dream, that you don't know who you are anymore, or that you'll never laugh again. These sessions will teach you how to heal your emotional pain and feel whole again.
This program is also designed to help parents, and others who care for children. Parents learn skills which are of great benefit to the child who has endured the loss a parent, grandparent, sibling, a divorce in the family, or the loss of a pet. As a parent you will see that these tools will not only help them today, but for the rest of their lives.
"Life was so heavy after my separation. Since doing the grief method with Laraine I'm feeling free. I don't feel so stuck anymore"
The Grief Recovery Method
The Grief Recovery Method is a program that’s been helping people heal from loss for over 40 years. It’s made up of a series of simple, purposeful steps laid out in the Grief Recovery Handbook, and when you complete them, they help bring real healing.There are at least 40 different life events that can cause grief, but most of us aren’t really taught how to deal with the emotional pain that comes with losing someone we love.
We tend to cope the way our parents did—by using terms like “it takes time,” “be strong,” or “keep busy.” These words don’t really help because grief isn’t just something you think through; it’s something you feel. To heal, you need to take action.
How is this different
Grief is a matter of the heart—and surprisingly,
the heart needs action to heal
not just the power of the mind. The Grief Recovery Method offers a step-by-step process that guides you through proven actions that do heal heartbreak.
It’s a well-designed structure that brings effective and lasting results. Each session includes reading and writing 'homework' which assists you, the griever, to express your emotions that come from losing your loved one.
Evidenced Based
The Grief Recovery Method is the only evidenced based program in the world. The results are published in The American Journal of Health Education and show—with high confidence—that those who follow the Grief Recovery Method Action Plan find happiness in their lives despite the loss they suffered.
The Grief Recovery Method helps grievers deal with those things they wish might have been different or better. It gives them the chance to address those hopes, dreams and expectations that were not fulfilled. It helps with the words that were left unspoken. These things may sound too good to be true, but the research shows this dream of a better tomorrow is very possible using the Grief Recovery Method Action Plan!
The Grief Recovery Method® is a structured, action-oriented approach
My Story
Loss and Grief
I lost my beautiful son, he was 31.
For a long time, I lived with a broken heart. I forced myself to show up, to smile, to get back out to work. On the outside, I looked like I was managing—but it was all an academy award–worthy performance. I was pretending to be ok. Behind every task, every interaction, I carried the weight of my loss, my pain, and my grief.
One night, I had an argument with a girl at work. That was an eye-opener. I knew my act wasn’t working anymore. Nothing was. I had reached the end of pretending to be ok.
That night, I went home, sat down, and typed the word grief into the search bar. That’s when I found The Grief Recovery Method. I was curious—so I decided to give it a try.
What Happened to Me
I didn’t know what to expect, but something inside told me I couldn’t keep going the way I had been.
I started a one-on-one process with The Grief Recovery Method. It wasn’t about analyzing or fixing. It was about taking real actions that lifted the weight I’d been carrying for so long. By the end of my third session, I noticed a very dramatic change. I heard myself laughing and I felt peaceful—both were monumental to me. The change was noticeable—I didn’t just feel better, life became good again. I experienced a joy I had never known before.
By the time I had completed the program, I realized my broken heart had healed. I never dreamed such a thing could happen. There’s no way you can bury your child without living with a broken heart forever—or so I believed.
And yet, as a result of this process, I can now say that I am happy. I feel joy. My heart is full.
If you’re burdened by this weight and it feels too heavy—I know—please know that healing is possible. You don’t have to live with a broken heart forever.
Professionally
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I have worked in mental health counselling for decades.
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I completed my 200 RYT and taught Yoga in my community.
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At 50, I answered the call to become a nurse, and returned to high school to become eligible for nursing school from which I graduated with high honours.
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I continue to practice as a nurse today.
My Specialty
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I am a trained and certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist, endorsed by The Grief Recovery Method Institute, now helping others who are suffering with loss and grief.
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With a lifetime of experiences, including the profound loss of my beautiful son and a history in mental health counseling, yoga, and nursing, I’ve come to see that every step has led me to this point of spiritual growth and well-being. Having healed through the Grief Recovery Method, I now live my life founded on joy, helping others to resolve their grief. It is a privilege to be part of each person’s path towards healing. There’s a way forward—let this process guide you toward the peace and joy that are waiting for you.
I'm being told by friends that I'm smiling and I'm feeling better. I feel like my heart is starting to shine through again. Thanks so much for helping me open my heart and soul. K.H. Campbellford
I learned a lot about the sadness and grief I've been carrying since childhood. The heaviness has been lifted and now I feel a deep peace, and calm. I'm up for life now. R.D. Toronto
My relief comes from being heard and understood, and I wanted to thank you for that and for making me feel validated. B.H. Toronto
What a difference, I'm noticing that I'm more free and more in control of my emotions, it feels amazing to know what triggers my emotions and deal with them quickly without letting them linger around! D.D. Moncton
I am feeling so...light! It's the only way I can explain it. Like a weight has lifted off. K.L. Warkworth
I wanted some help from holding on to the weight of my grief, so I decided to try the Grief Recovery Method with Laraine. She was great, very competent and caring. I feel a definite sense of relief having done this work. I would recommend Laraine to anyone suffering the pain of loss. K.H. Montreal
I'm feeling good, managing everything has been so much easier, I'm continuing to use these tools to work on some more of my progress as well :) Thank you for everything Laraine, you're amazing! A.L. Sudbury
Thank you for your Leadership and encouragement during the Grief recovery process. I am sure I couldn't have done it with anyone else. You made me feel safe in sharing my experiences of grief. I'm sure that there will be many more people who will in time, say the same thing to you.
I'm sure the good Lord has many more people He will bring to you who have suffered just like you and me. I'm sure that your son is looking down upon you with so much pride knowing that you've turned his and your pain into fruit, peace and healing in the life of not only your clients but those that you encounter in everyday life. F.K. Peterborough
CONTACT ME
As a Grief Recovery Method® Specialist, I provide a safe and effective space for individuals to process their emotions and find the hope and strength they need to move forward. If you are struggling with the loss of a loved one, please connect with me. Together, we can work towards your healing and recovery.