My name is Andie Ayers. For over a decade, as the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Fairy Godmother Project, a nonprofit that serves families facing pediatric cancer, I dedicated my time to understanding the impact of pediatric cancer diagnoses on families, particularly caregivers. Through observation, surveys, and conversations, I realized the need to address that grief goes beyond loss associated with death. This prompted me to delve deeper into grief and how to support the grieving. I read books, attended seminars, asked questions, and opened myself more to learning from others. I began to understand that most hard things are grief and people want to be seen and heard, not fixed. I asked the caregivers, who became my friends, what people could do better and geared FGP’s training and interactions around their suggestions and experiences.

And then, in December 2022, as I was leaving the role of Executive Director of FGP, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. No longer the helper, I was now the one needing help and facing the grief of a diagnosis. After years of reminding people that accepting help from someone was a gift to the helper, I had to remind myself. It was an uncomfortable & humbling place to be. Essentially, I experienced what had been shared with me for years: many people say the wrong thing because they don’t know how to support someone facing grief.

As I sorted through what was next professionally, I knew I wanted to focus on grief in some capacity. I decided to look into ways to further my knowledge and chose to become a facilitator for GRM. I knew of the GRM from a therapist I saw in 2012 during my divorce.. When I started exploring the beliefs of the GRM, I felt excitement and relief that it aligned with my own about grief and how to help those facing loss. The experience of GRM was eye-opening, freeing, and helpful. I am so thankful that through this program, I have learned how to help others through grief with the 1:1 and small group programs and am able to teach others how to help children face grief. This opportunity combines my passion for education (I was a teacher for 10 years) and supporting the grieving.

I am located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and hold an MEd and a BA in English and Elementary Education and can't wait to help you with The Grief Recovery Method.