Rachel Kodanaz

The idea of writing and speaking on all aspects of loss was part of Rachel’s journey following the unexpected loss of her husband when she was 31 years old. At the time, Rachel was a member of management in a large corporation and a mother of a two-year-old. Having worked in management for Fortune 500 companies, she learned quickly the see-saw created when personal and professional trajectories collide allowing her to providing invaluable insight to Human Resources departments. She created a program providing guidance to co-workers, managers and HR personnel in support of a colleague returning to work after a loss. Rachel speaks nationally to organizations, at conferences and in support of all aspects of loss. She has published numerous articles, books and blogs and has appeared on Good Morning America. Her books, best-seller Living with Loss One Day at a Time, Grief in the Workplace: A Comprehensive Guide for Being Prepared and her latest Finding Peace, One Piece at a Time: What to do with your or a loved one’s personal possessions have received international acclaim. Rachel lives an active healthy lifestyle in Colorado with her husband running, biking and hiking. She is an avid athlete including a Hawaiian Ironman Finisher.

Articles:

The First Anniversary after a Husband Dies

The First Anniversary after a Husband Dies Just like nothing prepares you for the death of a loved one, there is no preparation for the first anniversary of a death. […]

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Cleaning Out the Closet of a Deceased Loved One

Cleaning Out the Closet With the longer days of summer upon us, it might be the right time to tackle the organizing of your spouse/partner’s personal belonging. “Cleaning out your […]

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What to Do With a Loved One’s Possessions

Definition of Loved One’s Possessions Until Rod’s passing, I was unaware of the true significance of a personal possession – something belonging just to you, something that doesn’t have meaning […]

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Open to  hope

Ironman Experience Teaches Widow She Can Do Anything

Anyone who observed my life would have declared it to be perfect, a life that would only be found in a love-story book or movie. I was 31 years old, […]

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Open to  hope

Helping Others Helps You

Why is it that when we become widowed, we think we are the first person who has ever been widowed? We have a tendency to cocoon and not look around […]

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Open to  hope

The Holidays: Plan, Set Boundaries, Smile

For some reason, we all have embedded in our minds that once Thanksgiving arrives, it is time to increase the level of stress we place on ourselves. No matter what […]

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Open to  hope

Holiday Season Offers a Chance to Move Forward

As we walk the path of grief, we look for a passage to help us understand how to comprehend the complexities of anguish and how to channel our emotions into […]

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