Meet our Brave Widow Coaches

Hi I'm Allyson. I'm here to walk with you in the trenches at your pace, to offer a listening ear, lots of love, and my life experience.

When I was 21 I married my high school sweetheart.

After we had 4 healthy children, at age 36 I miscarried a baby boy. I was shocked by the grief that instantly crashed into my world. I had never been hit with something like this before. At 37 nearly exactly 1 year later I miscarried a baby girl. My grief was again difficult to deal with.

At 44 I was wholeheartedly loving my life as a wife and a stay at home Mom and pouring myself into a life I loved when my husband suddenly suffered a fatal heart attack on Christmas Eve.

I was shattered, but I tried to pick up the pieces and keep going.

It's been 3 years.

I'm still picking up the pieces, but I'm also still living a life I love.

I looked for resources to help myself and my kids. I continued with my long-time life coach. I read books. I listened to podcasts. I went to griefshare. I took my kids to grief camp. I went to conferences for widows. I found Brave Widow. I went through the grief recovery method class.

I'm here to walk this road with you. I'm glad you're here.

Nicole’s journey into helping others navigate grief began in the most personal way. Just three months and three days after celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary, she faced the unexpected and traumatic loss of her husband, Kirk. Overnight, life changed for her and their two children—then 19 and 17—as they stepped into a world none of them were prepared for.

Determined to learn how to walk this new road with honesty, faith, and resilience, Nicole committed herself to understanding her own grief while supporting her children through theirs. Community had always been a cornerstone of her life, and after Kirk’s passing, she knew she needed a safe place to process, connect, and begin rebuilding. God led her to a Christian widows’ Facebook group, where she found the support and understanding her heart was longing for.

Through the Brave Widow community, Nicole has been taking intentional steps toward healing and growth. With a deepening sense of purpose and a heart for helping others, she now walks alongside fellow widows—offering compassion, hope, and the reminder that even in profound loss, meaning can be rebuilt and life can be lived again with courage and grace.

Thirty-eight years ago, Patti prayed a life-changing prayer: that God would help her understand His Word more deeply. Just two weeks later, she met Steve, her husband—an answer to that prayer. They were married for 25 wonderful years, building a life rooted in faith, family, friendship, and active service in their church and community.  

In June 2023, Patti’s life changed forever when Steve passed away. She stepped into a journey she never would have chosen. In the depths of grief, Patti leaned into the support of God, faithful friends, several loving family members, Christian counseling, and GriefShare, eventually coaching with Emily Tanner through Brave Widow and attending Brave Widow Academy. Gradually, God began restoring her faith and her hope in his promises, enriching her relationships with her son and the people who showed up for her. 

Along this journey, Patti works to overcome dysfunctional family dynamics, develop healthier relationships, and establish good boundaries. In addition, she walked through a difficult season of numerous critical home repairs. Having to work through those tough situations strengthened her reliance on God, helped her build a support network, and allowed her to cultivate inner peace within the chaos.  

Today, Patti is passionate about guiding widows through the fear and disorientation of grief. She understands the confusion, frustration, and loneliness that comes with the territory. It is her desire to walk alongside widows, offering understanding, practical tools, and Christ-centered hope as new widow’s search for solid ground.  

If Sue looks familiar, that's because she joined us on the Brave Widow Show Episode #34 and again on Episode #85!

Susan Peters is the author of the best selling book, THE MIRACLE OF MARRYING MY HEART: A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERING NEW DREAMS AFTER LOSS, a co-author of the international best selling book, MANIFESTING MAGICAL MOMENTS: EMBRACE THE EXTRAORDINARY IN EVERYDAY LIFE, and the co-author of the best selling book, BREATH OF GOLD: STORIES OF HEALING AND AWAKENING THROUGH BREATHWORK. She is the creator of the “Heart to Heart Connections” Summit, “The Dreams After Loss” book reflection group, and "The 100 Hearts Connection" book signing tour. She is a grief facilitator, mentor, and guide. 

After the unexpected and devastating loss of her beloved husband, John, on Valentine's Day of 2021, she began a transformational journey of her heart to move through her grief. 

She discovered how creating new dreams helped bring her heart back into wholeness and authentic connection, allowing her to embrace the fullness of life. 

She hopes to inspire others to reconnect with their hearts after times of loss so they can once again find joy in their lives and discover what is possible by creating new dreams. 

She is in love with the new life she has chosen and truly believes that connecting into the depths of our hearts will transform grief into something beautiful!  

Sixteen days before her birthday in 2023, Sylvia experienced a profound loss when she was widowed after 44 wonderful years of marriage to James. The passing of her beloved husband was devastating, and Sylvia immediately sought various forms of support to help her navigate the difficult journey ahead. She began with counseling, then participated in GriefShare, and was later led to Emily for coaching.

Recently, Sylvia earned certification as a grief coach from the Institute of Professional Grief Coaching through their Grief to Gratitude Certification program. She also now serves as a GriefShare facilitator, supporting others as they face similar journeys of loss.

Sylvia’s background is in healthcare as a Registered Nurse, where she has held both clinical and leadership roles. Additionally, she is a licensed discipleship counselor through the National Christian Counselor Association. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing degree, with a focus on community health, from Wayne State University.

Sylvia is passionate about serving others, embracing a servant leader’s approach in her work. She finds fulfillment in conducting Bible studies, both one-on-one and with small groups. In addition, she enjoys reading and studying the Bible, and cherishes time spent with family and close friends.

Emily is the Founder of Brave Widow®.  She offers 1-1 coaching on a limited basis, investing much of her time into the Brave Widow® programs and the Brave Widow® Coaches.

Just one month shy of their 20th wedding anniversary, Emily was widowed unexpectedly at the age of 37.  She and Nathan have 4 children who were ages 10 - 19 at the time.  She founded Brave Widow and the membership community to help other young widows navigate grief, heal their heart, find hope, and dream again for their future. 

She is certified as a life coach from the accredited Faith-Based Coaching Academy and as a grief recovery specialist from the Grief Recovery Method Institute.

Prior to Brave Widow, Emily served as Senior Vice President of Revenue Cycle in the healthcare industry leading teams of ~4,000 associates in 100+ hospitals across the U.S.  She earned an MBA from John Brown University with an emphasis in leadership and ethics.   

Her passion for servant leadership, collaboration, helping people, and bridging gaps is the driving force behind why Brave Widow exists today.