Ashley Mielke is the founder and CEO of the Grief and Trauma Healing Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She's a registered psychologist, a student pursuing her Doctor of Psychology degree, and a skilled trainer of the Grief Recovery Method.

Ashley's journey into this field is deeply personal. She lost her dad in November 2010 and began training with the Grief Recovery Method in 2013. Like many, she initially coped by staying busy, a standard piece of advice given to those in grief. At the time, she was in her second year of graduate school, dealing with immense pressure to perform and keep up with her clinical training, which had just begun a few months before her father's death. This period was filled with layers of complexity and pain, mainly because her father struggled with addiction and died by suicide.

When she began working with grieving clients, she realized the necessity of her healing. The training revealed a crucial insight: to genuinely help others, you must first address your wounds. Ashley's professional background initially drew her to the Grief Recovery Method, but the experience offered much more. It underscored the importance of personal healing in becoming an effective therapist.

Participating in the Grief Recovery Method training encourages you to do your personal work first. This approach allows you to uncover and address your issues and lead by example. Clients will trust you because you have walked the path you are guiding them on.

Remember, healing yourself is a personal journey and a professional imperative. Your ability to help others is deeply intertwined with your well-being. So, take the time to heal, and you'll find that you can serve your clients more effectively, leading them with empathy and authenticity.