“I believe that learning to dance in the rain of life’s storms and finding breaks in the clouds can bring hope and joy even in the darkest of times”
— Emma Gray, Rainbow Hunting Limited
A bit about Emma Gray!
Childhood learnings…
The trauma of feeling that I did not “fit in” at a private boarding school taught me to disassociate. This was the beginning of something that I initially saw as a weakness but I now view as a strength that has carried me through the most painful and difficult times of my life.
A couple of years of counselling helped me to realise that our thoughts may not be the truth. Instead, the reality is that we are braver than we think and connection with others is vital.
Military respect…
Spending a couple of weeks at Sandhurst after I left university opened my eyes to a world where people are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for our safety. It taught me the importance of having “oppos” to watch our backs and how we can survive in the harshest conditions.
When I met the young Royal Marine officer who became my husband I was plunged into a world where the brutality of battle was a reality. His death was sadly always a possibility but cancer had not been on my radar. I had presumed that if he died young it would have been in a war zone or doing one of the risky hobbies that he loved.
Legal career…
During my 14 years as an award-winning solicitor who specialised in elderly client and end of life law, I witnessed the benefit to clients of having your legal paperwork and finances up-to-date as well as the unique nature of our reactions to grief and tragic illnesses.
I continue my links with the law through my role as a National Director for the Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly known as Solicitors for the Elderly) and other legal links that relate to my role as a non-practicing solicitor.
Widowhood…
When Simon was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in December 2013, overnight I found myself experiencing first-hand what it is like to care for a terminally ill spouse whilst trying to juggle the brutal oncology treatment, our two children and my work.
Losing him, my soul mate and husband, in July 2016 plunged me into a shocking world of heartbreak, depression and loneliness.
Becoming a Life Coach…
Only weeks before the pandemic began in 2020, I left the stable world of law to undertake a counselling qualification. It was the start of a two-year journey of unlearning the social constructions of our environment, absorbing a wealth of psychological knowledge and discovering that that therapists and coaches do not “fix” people’s issues.
I was awakened to the power of trusting the process, facing up to tricky subjects and understanding that the true healing comes from experiencing a secure, non-judgmental relationship with another human being who truly listens. I use all that I learnt on that course and subsequent grief training in my new profession as a grief and life coach, specialising in supporting clients with both what I call the “Sadmin” and growing life around grief.
Author dreams…
After Simon died I turned to writing to help me understand what what was happening in our world and I discovered the healing power of words.
I have written the story of my experience from my husband’s diagnosis to his untimely death to illustrate what life was like for us and how our struggles contrasted with other people’s seemingly normal and happy lives. That manuscript is still in draft… for the moment!
Searching for Rainbows…
From the dark place of wanting to find some good within our tragic story, I started a website to provide an online space where I could talk about tricky subjects, translate legal & mental health concepts into plain English and share my story of bringing up two young children alone.
Rainbow Hunting Limited now provides workshops, courses and one-on-one grief and life coaching sessions to help others sort their practical and emotional legacies and the legacies of loved ones and transform from stressed and overwhelmed to calm and feeling more prepared for the only certainty in life. I believe that organising your paperwork and processing your emotions can lessen the shocking blow of life changing events.
Getting personal…
The “gift” that my husband gave me was the confidence to reconnect with the person that he knew and love, and who I have always wanted to be.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time in nature and being creative. You can usually find me sea swimming with friends, hanging out at the stables with my two gorgeous daughters or generally chilling at home with our tiny Malshipoo dog!
If you’d like to know a bit more, you can read my CV here.
