Transforming Grief
with Shanti Vani
Transforming Grief Testimonials
Jorelle Degen is a Licensed Mental Health
Counselor in Gainesville FL.
In this video she talks about her personal experience with Transforming Grief.
Jorelle refers her clients to Shanti when their hearts need to heal after loss.
She told her sister about Transforming Grief. See Shana's comments below.
Mental Health Professionals Comment
on Transforming Grief Programs
"Thank you for this opportunity to come together and learn and share our grief together. Thank you for being so open to share your personal losses with us, this has been a wonderful experience!" - Julia S.
"I have learned to listen with my heart, to not shy away from using the word death, and say nothing and just being there can be more helpful than speaking out of uncomfortableness." - Milia S.
"It went beyond my expectations. The flexibility provided to work with our busy schedules was so important and appreciated. I am so excited to take this information back to campuses and personal relationships." - Shanel M.
"I feel the biggest thing I learned is to let myself and others feel in the moment the emotion does not need to be changed or the 'problem' fixed." - Danielle D.
"I learned that there are stages, paths, doorways etc. but a process to heal and recover." - Ruth G.
"Shanti is a great facilitator. Enjoyed the images that connected with the material. The videos incorporated in the presentations were helpful. Shanti does a great job communicating with everyone and it was really nice of her to support us for make-up dates when unable to attend the regular scheduled meeting." - Vanny P.
"I cannot express enough how deeply grateful I am for Shanti and her incredible work. Her willingness to share her personal experiences with grief made me feel truly understood and connected. The well-structured material and thoughtful guidance she provided helped me navigate my own grief journey with grace.
The homework assignments, while never burdensome, were thought-provoking and relevant, offering valuable opportunities for further discussion and growth. As the weeks unfolded, Shanti's enlightening PowerPoint presentations and carefully curated videos and supplemental materials kept me engaged and inspired.
Having gone through Shanti's series, I now feel a profound sense of healing and support. Her work has allowed me to appreciate the incredible power of healing and has gifted me with a newfound respect for this important journey. I am now able to embrace the complexity of life by living with both joy and pain, and the realization that I can hold space for both has been nothing short of empowering.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Shanti, for holding space and walking beside me during this challenging time. My gratitude for your unwavering support is immeasurable." - Isabell
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More Testimonials
“Before Transforming Grief, I believed grieving was just for a death experience. After a set amount of time, you should be over it. I discovered there is a lot more to grief. It manifests itself in many ways, it may never go away. We learn to live with it in a healthy way. It doesn’t have to consume us. I can now talk about the process with others. I was silent for the eight weeks. I kept it private. I didn’t want outside opinions about my journey. I can use the tools I learned to enrich my life and others. Shanti was warm, gentle, always eager to listen. I’m truly appreciative that she came into my life.” - Norma O.
"Transforming Grief met my expectations. It's been an experience I will call on for weeks, months and years to come. I've learned strategies that I can use as I continue down my path of recovery and beyond when I find myself stuck. I've also connected with others that I might reach out to in an hour of need. Thanks for your encouragement, compassion and guidance!" - Debbie S.
"I have come to recognize how my response to tiny losses (disappointments/sadness) is integral to the pattern for how I handle more significant losses. The insights and the opportunity I have taken to practice new ways of responding to the little losses are truly transforming my responses in so many parts of interaction. This new practice has also enabled me to face potential losses with less fear." - Tasha S., PhD, RN
"I never considered types of losses. It was interesting and I realized I have more than one type of loss. I have learned that we each grieve at our own pace. The intensity of grief fluctuates. Loving responses and active listening are most important attributes to help others with their grief. You created this program to be user friendly. The concepts from Grief Recovery are beneficial. You put a lot of hard work into this and presented new ideas and facts. It was a well-rounded program. Thank you, Shanti. You have such a precious gift! Count me in to any of your new programs and groups. I will gladly be your lab rat. ha ha" - Claudia "Sam" R.
"There is no timeline or textbook for grief. The way to help is listen with your heart. Don’t offer advice or dismiss someone’s feelings. Before - I didn’t understand the true process and thought I just wasn’t ever going to get better. I also thought I needed to just get past it. After - I now understand that everyone is different, and grief is specific to the person. Also, I have to feel the feelings and emotions. Allow myself to grieve and don’t dismiss what I’m going through. I now have a process for my emotions and feelings. I know that what I’m experiencing is normal and I’m not broken. While I may never get 'past' my loss I know it will get better as time goes by." - Lee Kirby P.
"Thank you, Shanti, for transforming your grief and challenges into positive changes for you and all the people you serve through your work. You are absolutely right, there is much need for this in the world. You are a beacon of hope in so many ways. God bless you." - Nicholas O.