Nicole Collins

About Me

Not long ago, I was exactly where many of my clients find themselves — searching for support, for a place to land, and for proof that deep grief can soften with time and care.

Within a few short years, I lost my partner Christian to brain cancer, my dog Assi, and my mother — all while holding a demanding senior leadership role. I know firsthand what it feels like to carry profound grief while the world continues to move around you, and to long for someone who can simply witness what you're going through without trying to rush you toward feeling “better.”

Before becoming a grief coach, I spent decades as a senior People & Culture leader guiding organizations through layoffs, restructures, and large-scale change. That work gave me a deep understanding of identity disruption, nervous system overload, and what it means to keep showing up while carrying something heavy beneath the surface.

Today, I support people navigating partner and close-relationship loss, pet loss, job and identity-related grief, and ambiguous grief — including grieving someone who is still living, such as a loved one with dementia or chronic illness.

My work is grounded, trauma-informed, and paced entirely to the individual. I believe grief is not a problem to solve — it is a reflection of love that deserves to be witnessed and integrated.

Coaching with me

Results & Goals

Working together isn’t about “fixing” grief or rushing toward closure. Instead, our work focuses on helping you reconnect with yourself and learn how to carry your loss in a way that feels more supportive and sustainable.

Clients often experience:

• Feeling seen and understood in their grief without pressure to move on

• Greater nervous system regulation and emotional steadiness

• Language and tools to understand complex or ambiguous grief

• Reconnection with their identity after loss or life disruption

• Permission to honor the love beneath their grief

• The ability to navigate daily life with more clarity, compassion, and self-trust

Over time, many people begin to feel less alone in their experience and more capable of living alongside their grief rather than being overwhelmed by it.

How I like to coach

My approach is warm, grounded, and deeply human.

I’m not here to analyze or fix you. You are not broken. My role is to create a steady, compassionate space where you can tell the truth about what hurts, at your own pace.

Our sessions combine conversation, gentle reflection, and trauma-informed practices that support nervous system regulation and emotional integration. I bring structure when it’s helpful, while allowing plenty of space for whatever naturally arises.

Humor is welcome here too — sometimes the thing that helps us breathe again is a well-timed laugh in the middle of the heaviness.

Most importantly, this is a space where you don’t have to perform strength or hide your emotions. You get to show up exactly as you are.

Offerings

Coaching

I offer one-on-one grief coaching for individuals navigating personal loss and life transitions.

Sessions are available virtually or in person on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Each session provides a confidential, supportive space where you can explore your grief openly while receiving thoughtful guidance and practical support.

Initial coaching sessions are 75 minutes to allow space to settle in and explore what’s bringing you here.

Follow-up sessions are 60 minutes.

For existing clients who need additional support between sessions, I also offer 30-minute crisis support calls.

In our work together, we may explore:

• Partner or close-relationship loss

• Pet loss

• Job loss or identity disruption

• Ambiguous or disenfranchised grief

• Anticipatory grief (such as caring for a loved one with dementia or chronic illness)

In addition to private coaching, I also facilitate group grief sessions and workshops, and offer speaking engagements for organizations looking to build grief literacy and create more compassionate workplaces.

Experience, Certifications & Training

Certifications and Degrees

• Grief Coaching Certification through the Institute of Professional Grief Coaching (IOPGC)
• Certified Sound Healer through Solshine Wellness
• Certification in Trauma-Informed Leadership – University of North Florida
• Ongoing training with David Kessler’s Grief Educator Program (expected completion May 2026)

Professional and life experience

My work as a grief coach is informed by both professional leadership experience and profound personal loss.

For many years, I worked as a senior People & Culture leader, helping organizations navigate layoffs, reorganizations, and large-scale workplace change. That experience gave me a deep understanding of how identity, stability, and emotional well-being are impacted during times of disruption — and how little support people often receive while carrying those experiences.

Personally, I experienced multiple significant losses within a short period of time: the death of my partner from brain cancer, the loss of my dog, and the death of my mother. Moving through that season of life while maintaining professional responsibilities gave me an intimate understanding of grief’s complexity and how isolating it can feel.

These experiences shape a coaching approach that is compassionate, grounded, and deeply respectful of each person’s unique grieving process.

Fee description

Our initial session is $175 for a 75-minute session.

Follow-up sessions are $160 per 60-minute session.

Crisis Support Calls for Existing Clients are $85 per 30-minute session.