Celebrate Their Life
MEANS REDEFINING HOW WE SUPPORT GRIEF —AND HOW WE BEGIN TO HEAL
I was 14 when my mother died, and what followed shaped everything I do today.
There were counselors, yes. But in the spaces where I should have felt seen and supported—like school, like community—I encountered silence. Discomfort. Misinformation. I watched well-meaning adults try to manage my pain by ignoring it. Or worse, by punishing the ways I expressed it.
That’s the reality for so many grieving kids, teens, and adults. Grief isn’t the problem—how society responds to it is.
I built my life’s work around changing that.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Educator, and Grief Specialist.
I work on two levels:
With those grieving,
through my grief therapy services, where I provide compassionate counseling to individuals and families navigating loss.
With professionals,
through the Center for Informed Grief, where I train therapists, educators, and clinicians to truly understand grief—and respond to it with insight, not fear.
My approach
BLENDS CLINICAL TRAINING WITH REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE AND THE LATEST RESEARCH ON GRIEF, INCLUDING HOW IT SHOWS UP IN CHILDREN, TEENS, AND ADULTS.
I also explore emerging practices—like ritual, storytelling, and creative techniques—that help people move from pain to purpose.
Because grief doesn’t follow a timeline. It isn’t something to “get over.” And healing doesn’t mean forgetting—it means remembering, differently.
By learning to “Celebrate Their Life” and honor their loved one’s memory, individuals can shift both the pace and direction of their healing journey.
Hope is restored, healing is active, and life is embraced again with meaning.
This work is about more than healing. It’s about honoring.
Grief isolates. But when we celebrate a life, we reconnect—with memory, with love, and with what still matters. That’s what I help people do, whether they’re grieving a loved one or guiding someone through that pain. And I want you to know: you don’t have to do it alone.
My Bio
Kelly Daugherty, a seasoned social worker with over two decades in the clinical field, is a Fellow in Thanatology: the study of death, dying, and bereavement.
Anchored in Malta, NY, she owns a private practice and the Center for Informed Grief, LLC. Her commitment to the domain of grief stems from her personal journey, which began with her mother's death from breast cancer during her teenage years. This significant loss led Kelly to volunteer with a Hospice Children's Bereavement program and set the foundation for her career. Every day, Kelly finds purpose in her grief by helping both individuals navigate the complexities of grief and professionals aiming to understand it better.
Determined to revolutionize how grief support is provided, Kelly offers a wealth of tools and insights to those grappling with the death of loved ones and to the professionals dedicated to helping them. The Center for Informed Grief aims to create a more grief-informed society by benefiting individuals, families, schools, and broader communities. Through comprehensive training for educators and therapists, consultation with schools, online courses, and active social media communities, Kelly ensures that nobody faces their grief journey in solitude.
Kelly also co-owns Healing Strides, LLC, which blends emotional and physical well-being. This culminates in a unique seven-week program that pairs therapeutic grief groups with 5K race training for women. The program aims to foster improved coping, emotional well-being, and physical fitness, leading to a richer sense of personal growth and meaning making.
In addition to her work, Kelly is a co-author of several books, including Holistic Mental Health Volume 1 and Brave Kids Volumes 1-3, and the lead author of the award winning book The Grief Experience: Tools for Acceptance, Resilience, and Connection.
Outside of her professional life, Kelly cherishes time spent with her husband, Kevin, their pup Benny, and her seven nieces and nephews. She also enjoys DIY art projects, walking, and running, and loves visits to Zoos, the beach, and Disney World.
Certifications and Professional Highlights
Florida State University MSW Graduate (2002)
Fellow in Thanatology: Death, Dying & Bereavement
Certified Grief Counselor since 2002
Licensed Clinical Social Worker- Licensed in NY, FL, and SC
Co-Author of Holistic Mental Health: Calm, Clear and In Control for the Rest of Your Life
Co-Author of Brave Kids: Short Stories to Inspire Our Future World-Changers Volume 1, 2, and 3
Lead Author of The Grief Experience: Tools for Acceptance, Resiliency & Connection
2024 International Book Awards in the Death & Dying Category and 2025 COVR Gold Award
Senior Faculty Member for EngagedMinds Continuing Education
Whether you’re grieving or guiding, I’m here to help.
I’ll support you with counseling, resources, and training designed to bring clarity, compassion, and connection to grief.