Gabrielle Michel BA, C.HT., Grief Recovery Specialist, Interfaith Minister
Gabrielle Michel Quick Facts
Main Areas:Infant Loss, Pregnancy Loss, Unresolved GriefCareer Focus:Spiritual Grief Counselor, Speaker/Workshop Leader, Author, Non-profit President
Affiliation:Graceful Grieving, Inc., Pregnancy Loss Advisory Council - Western North Carolina, National League of Medical Hypnotherapy
Gabrielle Michel, a pioneer in the grief movement is an ordained interfaith minister, a certified Grief Recovery Specialist and spiritual counselor who has been helping people work through spiritual crisis for over 15 years.
In 2004, she experienced a spiritual crisis of her own. February brought the miscarriage of her first baby; July, the death of her younger brother. In October, she said goodbye to a dear friend who succumbed to emphysema. On December 22nd, she joyfully welcomed her second baby into the world, only to say goodbye to her the very next morning when death claimed her as well.
Seeking solace in the midst of great spiritual pain, Gabrielle struggled desperately to find her way back to faith. During this time, she found the Grief Recovery Institute led by Russell Friedman, Executive Director and best-selling co-author of The Grief Recovery Handbook and When Children Grieve. Inspired by Friedman’s work and approach to healing, Gabrielle pursued and achieved certification as a Grief Recovery Specialist.
Continuing her quest for healing and wholeness, Gabrielle researched over 50 books about grief and infant loss, and while each, including The Grief Recovery Handbook, had something to offer, none of them addressed the deep spiritual wound she had suffered upon losing her infant daughter. She found that the books on the market were either memoir-, psychology- or religious- based, and as such did not offer specific tools required to heal the unique grief a parent experiences after the loss of a baby. Each focused solely on the loss, and each seemed to lack the applicable spiritual components parents need to find hope.
Gabrielle’s extensive research and personal experience, both as a grieving mother and a grief counselor, confirmed that while it is important to acknowledge the loss of an infant, what is even more important is to acknowledge and honor the very real relationship a parent had with their infant.
Gabrielle provides parents with specific tools to fully express their grief and honor the life they shared with their baby. She also offers practical tools to work through anger at God, which so often accompanies infant loss, as well as tangible ways for parents to reconnect spiritually, and maintain that connection, to their little angel.
Gabrielle has vowed to shine a light on the path back to faith, peace and joy for parents who have suffered infant loss. Her studies, training and ministerial and spiritual counseling experience, along with her own recovery from deep despair, make Gabrielle a compelling, relatable writer and speaker on the topic of grief. Though the subject is dark and painful, her resilient spirit, accessible demeanor and disarming sense of humor allow her to produce books, workshops and lectures that engage, inspire and empower.
Other Programs & Highlights
Interactive Workshops:
- Birth Write: The Write Way to Grieve
- Surviving an Infant or Pregnancy Loss
- The Memorial Mandala Workshop
Spiritual Grief Counseling:
- Private Sessions - In person, on the phone or via Skype
- Group Sessions
Favorite Quotes & Thoughts from Gabrielle Michel
"Our culture does not allow for true and complete grieving, particularly for the loss of an infant. Grief cannot be effectively processed in a 'drive-thru, microwave, three-day-bereavement-leave' manner. The message we receive is clear: move on, don't dwell on the negative. We are forced to bottle up our true emotions as a means of making others comfortable when we are the ones needing comfort. We are congratulated for being stoic, but I assure you, stoicism in the face of loss is not graceful!"
"We must learn that expressing our grief is true strength."
"Sometimes, when we lose a loved one unexpectedly, our spiritual beliefs are challenged and even shattered. After my daughter died, I lost all faith in my spiritual belief system. My faith taught me the power of prayer and positive thought, and I believed with every fiber of my being that our daughter was going to make it. When she didn’t, my faith crumbled. I couldn’t reconcile what had happened to me with my old belief system and I learned that once my relationship with God (as I understand him/her) was breached, my spirituality had to evolve or die."
Getting Started With Gabrielle Michel
Visit http://gracefulgrieving.com for more help dealing with grief and loss. If you would like to get to know me and my take on meaningful spiritual issues including grief, visit my blog at http://giftsofgab.blogspot.com
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