I’m Ilana. Mom of 2 awesome girls (a threenager and a one-year-old) and a fur princess of the feline variety. From a young age, I always knew that I wanted to be a mother. I met my husband ‘later’ in life and became a geriatric (advanced maternal age - gotta love the medical descriptors) mom. I had my first child at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and shelter-in-place which, in addition to being a new mom, brought about a whole set of other challenges. Of course, I had nothing to compare it to being a first-time mom, but years later, I am now still experiencing the residuals of that experience. I know many others are too, which is part of my fuel to do this work and help all moms untangle the myriad of emotions that Covid added to an already complicated journey.

It took me close to a decade until I was ready to devote my heart and time to helping others navigate grief. I got certified in the Grief Recovery Method, later getting my advanced certification. In addition, I completed the Center for Prolonged Grief’s Complicated Grief Training I & II,  the Zen Caregiving Project’s Foundations of Mindful Caregiving program, as well as the Grief Educator Certification with David Kessler. As a forever student, and always looking for ways to deepen my skillset and add to my toolbox, I will complete the Mama Rising Certification in March 2025.

I founded the original Non-Linear Journey in 2018 and then merged with a partner for a few years before re-founding the Non-Linear Journey in 2024. My previous focus was providing grief support, education, and training to individuals and corporations. Once becoming a mom, I realized another true passion: helping moms navigate their ‘grief’ around all things motherhood (matrescence). Many are hesitant to use the ‘g’ word, grief, but all the changes that we experience as mothers are indeed grieving experiences. Our changes in identity, changes in relationships, body changes, the huge changes to our lives (gone are the days of lazy mornings and impromptu happy hours), changes in community, and more. We grieve the life that we once had and the person that we once were AND we fall in love with this tiny human that caused all the changes creating the new life that we have. Once we can start to identify and name the changes, that’s when the magic begins.

I received my bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University, a Chinese Graduate Certificate from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center, and a Master of Public Administration from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. I was fluent in Mandarin (now a bit rusty), speak broken Hebrew, and can say thank you in half a dozen other languages. I loved to travel (pre-kids and COVID) and have been to more than 24 countries - and have lived in Israel, China, and Costa Rica. I can’t wait to travel with my kiddos.

As a trained grief specialist, coach, and educator, I have the unique perspective and training - both personally and professionally - on how to work through all types of grief. As a mom, I combine my experience with all my training to bring you matrescence support and coaching.