About me 

Kintsugi plate

Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, serves as a powerful metaphor for resilience, healing, and finding beauty in imperfections.

My path to becoming a grief coach started early in life and included many stops along the way.

I became a motherless daughter at the age of 10.

That loss has shaped me - teaching me what it means to carry absence, to be curious about grief over time, and to still find ways to live with meaning and joy.

This work is my way of honoring all of it—the pain, the love, the longing, the resilience.

I offer a quiet, steady space for you to share your story. No fixing. No rushing. Just room to grieve in your own time, your own way.

Because grief is not a detour from life—it’s part of how we live it.


Karen Vernof Gurian, MD, ACC

  • Mayo Medical School, Doctor of Medicine

  • Mayo Clinic, Residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology

  • Life training, being a Mom of 4

  • Certified Martha Beck Wayfinder Life Coach

  • International Coaching Federation Certified Coach

My Education & Training

  • Grief training with both David Kessler and Megan Devine

  • Certificate from the Institute of Reproductive Grief Care

  • Certified Mother Loss/Motherless Daughters Grief Provider

  • Certificate from the Mindful Coach Method

  • End of Life Doula training, University of Vermont

Testimonials

  • Karen coached me around grief. After our six sessions together, I felt that I had developed some solid ways of continuing the relationship with my son who died in 2020. She helped me come up with ways to remember him, honor him, and essentially, continue to grieve his death, which is something that I will be doing throughout the rest of my life.

    ~AR

  • Even the smallest steps make a difference in moving forward. That is a lesson I personally experienced in working with Karen and is a lesson that I find myself using regularly now.

    ~B

  • Karen was able to help me explore an experience with grief that I had not fully processed, it was deeply healing. Through being able to just talk and have someone who is listening deeply, I was able to gain a different perspective on issues that had been causing suffering.

    ~MH

  • Karen is an amazing coach who combines empathy with a warm, caring presence as she helps her client navigate the stormy waters of grief and loss. I would highly recommend working with her as a bereaved person, or anyone wrestling with strong emotions. Karen can hold space for her client exceptionally well, while also nudging them ever so gently toward growth.

    ~A

  • Karen's warmth and instinct are so wonderful. She challenged me, pretty strongly at times, yet I always felt cared for and very much seen as I worked through the very important pattern she challenged.

    ~M

  • Karen has many strengths as a coach but her ability to "meet you where you are" really stands out. She is extremely knowledgeable on many topics but lets you (as client) lead the conversation. She is empathetic and kind, but also willing to really take a hard look at issues. If you are looking for coaching with a thought partner to help you process, Karen is a great choice.

    ~FC