CerCertAbout Grief Grit Grace

Grief Grit Grace is a space to explore, experience and process grief.

My grief, your grief, our collective grief.

I share my own journey of losing my mother when I was in my 30s and through the process of emerging from that terrible experience, finding myself.

Now that the paperwork is done, my mother’s house has been sold and her ashes (mostly) scattered, I have the luxury, the pleasure, of celebrating her life. My hopes are that by sharing my stories, and talking openly about grief, I can help others who may be at any point in their own journeys.

About Me

Hi, I’m Charlene. I’m a writer. A curator. A daughter with a dead mother. A New Yorker. A grief guide.

Grief Coaching

I developed my unique Curating Grief framework to help guide people through their grief in a practical and accessible way.

I help busy people navigate the practical and emotional aftermath of losing a loved one. And when they’re ready, to transform their pain, loss and grief into something beautiful so they can move forward with living their own fullest lives.

Speaker, Author and Curator

I speak, write and present exhibitions about grief and loss, sharing my Curating Grief framework for grief and mourning.

My work as a creative grief guide is informed by my background as a journalist, independent curator, communicator, and certified life coach.

The Grief Gallery

As curator of The Grief Gallery, I commission artwork and present exhibitions exploring death and grief during international design events and festivals, including NYCxDESIGN and the London Design Festival.

I’m particularly interested in the role of art, design and creativity in meaning-making after loss and facilitating narrative development for post-traumatic growth.

My Story aka my journey to becoming a Grief Curator and Grief Guide

When I was faced with the difficult task of clearing out my mom’s 3,000 square foot house after she died in 2013, my instincts as an independent curator kicked in. I asked myself:

“If I was to curate an exhibition about my mother, which 100 objects would I choose?”

Little did I know, that question and way of thinking would transform my life in so many ways. It sparked:

A practical strategy for getting me through the arduous process of emptying my mom’s house, one of the most difficult and loneliest periods of my life.

A creative practice: The objects I selected for that imaginary “exhibition about my mother” were the catalyst for a real-life exhibition called Proof of Life in Clerkenwell, London, in October 2015. I continue to commission artwork in memory of my mother and orchestrate installations, exhibitions and activations that explore grief and loss. Visit the The Grief Gallery online.

A grief coaching modality: My experience of curating while mired in grief formed the essential framework for my grief coaching practice to guide other people through their grief journeys. I share my process through writing, speaking, coaching and the forthcoming Curating Grief podcast.

In learning to sort through and be more discerning about what we hold on to, whether memories or physical artifacts, we learn how to let go of painful stories and ways of thinking that hold us back from living our fullest lives.

– Charlene Lam, Curator and Certified Grief Coach

Monthly Grief Gathering

Join us for The Grief Gallery's monthly gathering for community sharing and creative inspiration on Zoom the last Wednesday of the month.

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Monthly Grief Gathering

Join us for The Grief Gallery's monthly grief gathering the last Wednesday of the month.

Contact

Email me with questions:
hello@griefgritgrace.com

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Book a free 15min "Hello" call

Ready to work with me?
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