I met Yve when my therapist referred me to her at the worst time in my life, just a few months after my sister Rachel had died. I was struggling to leave my house, or more accurately my couch, which was unusual as I was quite active before she died. Grief was keeping me sedentary. The first time I went on a grief hike, I felt so uncomfortable.It was hard to be that sad around strangers, but Yve created a space that was exactly what I needed, a gentle and thoughtful walk that included my grief and made space for silence, so I didn’t feel pressured to talk. Over the months, we hiked, rain or shine, and I showed up even as I hoped it would cancel. The commitment to being there, and the knowledge that I would be around people that understood, kept me coming back. The support and community that Yve has created has helped me to discover new pathways to healing, including her grief Yoga series, and some newfound artistic expression. I would rather my sister had never died, but I am so grateful that the most awful thing I could have imagined brought Yve into my life and reignited my ability to find comfort in nature.

Yve has the perfect disposition for this complicated work. She is consistent, present, inviting, calm and curious. I never feel like there is a right answer or way to feel; however I feel in the moment is welcome. … She meets me where I am. She also leads by example. It’s so obvious that she has done a lot of work with her own grief and in her own emotional life, which makes her feel like a companion and student of grief, instead of a teacher of it. She embodies the saying that “we’re all just walking each other home.” Yve has a heart for helping others. She doesn’t have to say it - you just know it when you’re with her. She has always made me feel safe, seen, and less alone on my journey. Grief is something we all experience, but it can feel so isolating. I leave our walks feeling like I’ve been wrapped in a warm hug. Everyone deserves that feeling.

Having read each of Yve’s blogs, I appreciate how she openly shares her personal experiences in a way that helps broaden my own thinking on life and death. This has also taught me how others might be struggling with loss and how I can be better at supporting them. Because of my trust in Yve, I have referred several of my patients who were feeling isolated, lost, and emotionally wounded. She has a calm way of listening and guiding people on their journey. We will all experience loss but, on the whole, our culture doesn’t teach how to help others during these transitions, and Yve is doing her part to fill this void.