Cole James
Cole W. James is the son of Founder John W. James and, as of January 2017, the official Executive Director of the Institute. Cole joined the Grief Recovery Institute in 2010 after determining that he needed to shift his career from the entertainment industry to a field that focused on helping others. Having been raised by John, this was not a difficult choice.
Cole brought a strong background in communications to the Institute, working for Fox Movie Channel and the FX Network for six years prior to joining the team. As a result, he has been instrumental in the successful rebranding of the website as well as all of the marketing materials. He has used his technological ability to reorient the daily functioning of the Institute towards a more current business model, bringing it into the 21st Century and thus allowing the Grief Recovery Method to reach more people globally than ever before.
In addition, Cole travels nationally and internationally, leading workshops that train people to become Certified Grief Recovery Specialists. He co-authored the Institute’s most recent publication, The Grief Recovery Handbook for Pet Loss, a comprehensive book addressing recovery from a type of loss that has been historically ignored.
Cole lives in Bend, Oregon with his wife, Ashley, and their two sons. He enjoys camping, hiking, skiing and snowboarding when he is not busy helping improve the lives of others.
Read More