Phil Cox, PhD

Phil spends most of his time in Rolla, Missouri, but he’s also certified to help people cope with grief online, no matter where they are. He started teaching groups about the Grief Recovery Method back in 2010. With over 18 years of experience as a hospital chaplain, Phil knows firsthand how to support patients and families during their toughest moments. Plus, his eight years as a hospice chaplain gave him a deeper understanding of how loss impacts those nearing the end of their lives, as well as their loved ones. He spent countless hours with patients and families dealing with critical health choices and those facing life-changing losses due to trauma or illness. In his final two years as chaplain, he was right there with COVID-19 patients and their families, witnessing the overwhelming amount of death and grief firsthand, which deeply affected him and his colleagues. You can also find more about his experiences in the book “The Gift of Silence: Being silent when you want to speak,” available in Kindle format on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Silence-Being-silent-speak-ebook/dp/B00UPB8MOA. Phil has also appeared on YouTube segments with the medical center where he worked, speaking about different aspects of loss and trauma, showing how they affect everyone in life. Coping with Tragedies | The Scope | Phelps Health on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4wXptWZsG0 Also, Phil has been a guest on a podcast, which you can hear here:https://anchor.fm/hopeagain/episodes/Grieving-During-the-Holidays-with-Phil-Cox-e1qm1ei/a-a58fgi His own losses of parents and grandparents, among other family members have given him experience of losing loved ones through death. In addition, divorce brought him loss of hopes and dreams and loss of stability. Loss of jobs and career through health issues have resulted in losses of trust and finances. Both tangible and intangible losses accumulated to bring about the need for an action-oriented program to regain the ability to live life with fond memories and hope for the future. As a disabled veteran whose career ended early due to service-connected health issues, he understands the grief and loss of health changes, and losses of career, identity and security. He also has seen how tragedies affect children throughout their lives, and feels strongly about our Helping Children With Loss program. He can lead adults through the ways to help children learn to deal with grief in a healthy way, and avoid some of the destructive patterns that lead to lifelong heartaches. He also has experience in working with individuals in addiction rehabilitation who are dealing with grief issues, and who see the connection between their grief and the destructive behaviors that can result. He has earned the trust of those who administer those programs. He is ready and equipped to walk you through from confusing pain and burden to completion and happier memories. Your life is more than your pain.