Mike Wadel
Advanced Grief Recovery Method Specialist® - Trainer
My name is Mike Wadel and I have been a Grief Recovery Method Specialist since 2004. I was trained and mentored by former National and International Grief Recovery Method Trainer, the late Dr. Nancy Martin.
My grief recovery journey began when she came to my video production company and asked me to produce a video for her and to take her class as a fact finding mission... and boy did I find facts.
The fact was that I was living my life out of a broken heart.
The fact was that a heart attack at 26 years old, two divorces, devastated children, broken relationships, business struggles, by-pass surgery, betrayal, a 100 lb weight gain and a whole list of destructive bad habits and life threatening addictions were symptoms of the undiagnosed emotional cancer that had kept me in a perpetual spiral of self destructive behavior, mood swings and bad choices.. I had always felt as though I was meant to soar, but instead I kept nailing my feet to the floor.
And perhaps most sadly, the fact was that I couldn't see how my unpredictable behavior kept the people I cared about consistently on edge and pulling away.
The fact was I needed The Grief Recovery Method, and didn't have a clue.
You see, I thought I had dealt with the hurts I had experienced... I learned to suck it up and be strong. I learned when I experienced a loss, hurt or regret, I just held it inside where no one could see and I quickly replaced what was gone with another relationship or changed the situation entirely... after all, big boys don't cry.
Through this Grief Recovery Method program, I was shown that the tools I had been given to navigate the ups and downs of life were myths. I quickly realized that if I was ever going to rise out of the perpetual funk I was in, I had to learn to let go and move on... and that is where my journey began. Through the program I was given action steps that made sense and a plan to regain the quality of life I so desired. Needless to say, Nancy got the video for FREE.
Through her guidance and inspiration, I found my calling and have taught these principles in the US, Kenya, and Uganda, and Russia. I hold a Masters Degree in Pastoral Counseling and am executive director of the Chattanooga Center for Grief Recovery.
I am married to my amazing wife Jinger who is also a Grief Recovery Method Specialist and together we have 4 children and 3 beautiful grandaughters.
That's my story. I'd really love to hear yours.
Mike