The key to recovery from unresolved grief is action, not time. I’m an artist. Over a five-year period, I lost several people from my immediate family: my father, my mother, my youngest brother and three grandparents. I was heartbroken, lost, and felt the world didn't want to talk about grief or acknowledge it. These feelings made me focus on creating more artwork, then showing it in a public sphere. Grieving people came up to me during my art shows, confused and heartbroken from their experiences with loss and not finding relief. I only knew how to help people with art tools and was at a loss how to support them more.

I began looking for options I could share. I found the Grief Recovery Method. I started sharing this book at my art openings. Showing my artwork publicly lead me to a becoming an Advanced Grief Recovery Specialist and to a master’s program at the University of Oregon Law School in conflict and dispute resolution focusing on art as a reconciliation tool and the effects of grief in conflict.

Since graduating law school and finishing my training as a specialist, I have facilitated restorative justice groups for youth offenders and their caregivers, Courageous Kids and their caregivers, a grief support program for youth ages 6-17, sexual assault survivors, mediation clients, grief topics for artists and several one-on-one clients. I was even able to present a Tedx talk on art, grief and reconciliation. I’m available for one on one sessions. Let me know when you are ready to take action to heal your heart.