Ellen Gerst is a grief and relationship coach who draws upon both her professional expertise and the lessons born from her own experience as a young widow to help her clients successfully travel from grief to renewal. It is a change in perspective, or adjusting the lens from which one views the world a couple of degrees to the positive, that can make the difference in how successfully loss is overcome and obstacles are transcended.

Ellen works with her clients, either one-on-one or in workshops, to help them maneuver through the maze of grief and other difficult circumstances while exploring the spiritual, emotional, physical and mental aspects of this journey. While she encourages clients to share their stories as a healing activity, she also cautions them to not get so comfortable with their story of woe that they get stuck and end up living their story instead of living their life.

Although Ellen started her career as an English teacher, she never embraced institutional academia; nevertheless, she is a teacher in all her endeavors. With the ability to quickly drill down to the essence of a matter, she is able to effectively coach her clients to focus on achievable goals that will bring the most benefit to their lives.

Ellen also clearly presents a path to renewal in all her publications. She is the author of over 30 books on subjects that include: coping with grief, how to find love after loss, spirituality, caregiving, the power of smiling, and building healthy relationships.

Additionally, Ellen is a member of the Advisory Board of Hope For Widows, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a non-denominational avenue that empowers widowed women to redefine their hopes, dreams and lives after the passing of their spouse.