Finding Hope Mandy Bird

In this final episode of Season 4, our producer Cindy Ballaro asks Mandy some key questions about her book “Tears are the Source of Your Passion: The Power of Authenticity and Grief” that she co-authored with Chris Saade. This is a great wrap up of Season 4 which is meant to serve as a companion to the book by offering episodes that focus on the book’s content, bringing it to life with engaging conversations and stories from people who have used the 7-steps as a guide in their grief journey. You can order the book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3sb5FGB.

“I’m so proud of Season 4 of Finding Hope and sincerely hope that it will help all who are grieving and in search of hope” says Counselor Mandy.

Here are the questions that Mandy answers in this episode:

- Why did you write this book with Chris Saade?

- What are the 3 main things you hope people will take from the book?

- What is the biggest problem you see in our culture today related to grief?

- What is the primary thing you tell your clients about grieving?

- How can this book help people who are grieving?

- What are the benefits of reading this book?

Mandy has been delivering her brand of hope and heart-centered therapy from the stage, the sound booth and through dynamic personal counseling sessions since 1993. She is a benevolent advisor, inspired author, and profoundly intuitive counselor and teacher whose personal experience with loss and tragedy helped awaken her, to her true purpose as a loving healer and grief guide. She started the Finding Hope Podcast as her creative response to the pandemic and all that is transpiring in the world at this time. Mandy considers it her purpose to free the hearts of those experiencing loss by literally loving their hearts into action. It is her highest wish that we live our authentic and purposeful lives with power and joy.

CONNECT WITH MANDY:

Website: http://mandybird.com/

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/counselormandybird

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselormandy

Co-Authors, Counselor Mandy and Chris Saade, are thrilled to announce the launch of their new book “Tears are the Source of Your Passion: The Power of Authenticity and Grief.” Season 4 of Finding Hope is meant to serve as a companion to the book by offering episodes that focus on the book’s content, bringing it to life with engaging conversations and stories from people who have used the 7-steps as a guide in their grief journey. You can order the book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3sb5FGB.

Section Two of the book covers the “7 Steps Toward the Power of Grief and Hope,” a heart-centered, self-coaching model designed to support individuals through the creativity of the journey of grief. In this episode I am discussing Step 7: Celebration with my co-author Chris Saade.

Chris and Mandy talk about how important it was to include Celebration in their grief model because, as Chris says “Celebration is not based on the denial of grief. It is based on the honoring of our tears and struggles. Without celebration the struggle can destroy us.” Mandy says that celebration brings us hope and even can act as a life jacket for our spirit. They both concur that the choice to celebrate in the midst of tears is a choice to love and honor your spirit. This is why they knew when this model was created that Celebration had to be a part of it.

Chris Saade is an author, a psychological and philosophical teacher, trainer of professionals, and a life coach. After years serving as a psychotherapist in private practice, Chris spent two decades training therapists, coaches, and the general public in two of his models: Integra: 6 Keys for Heart-Centered Living, and The Quest for Individual Authenticity and Global Solidarity. To date, Chris has led nearly 250 multi-day cutting-edge workshops.

Born in Beirut, he was involved in peace and humanitarian work for 14 years before and during the Lebanese war. The difficulty of those times led him to develop a great respect for freedom, authenticity, diversity, peace, and a passion for justice and solidarity, especially for children.

All of Chris’ books are available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Saade/e/B00ESFPUTY?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1626883680&sr=8-3

You can find out more about Chris on his FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisSaadeAuthor

CONNECT WITH MANDY:

Website: http://mandybird.com/

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/counselormandybird

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselormandy

Co-Authors, Counselor Mandy and Chris Saade, are thrilled to announce the launch of their new book “Tears are the Source of Your Passion: The Power of Authenticity and Grief.” Season 4 of Finding Hope is meant to serve as a companion to the book by offering episodes that focus on the book’s content, bringing it to life with engaging conversations and stories from people who have used the 7-steps as a guide in their grief journey. You can order the book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3sb5FGB.

Section Two of the book covers the “7 Steps Toward the Power of Grief and Hope,” a heart-centered, self-coaching model designed to support individuals through the creativity of the journey of grief. In this episode I am discussing Step 6: Service with school Social Worker, musician and author Barry Sherman.

Barry and Mandy talk about how our wounds are an opportunity to learn about our gifts and then there is great joy in using these gifts to serve the world. “We don’t have to be victimized by our grief. We can, instead, be an empowered creator” says Barry. Serving young people in an educational setting – helping them navigate their life in an empowering way – is Barry’s calling. He says to ask the question “What epic gifts can be unlocked by this grief experience?” Mandy adds “We must ignore the shaming voices that say our gifts don’t matter…they DO!”

Over the past three decades, Barry Sherman has worked side-by-side with Chris Saade (and a stellar team of noble-hearted people) supporting the development of his evolutionary work including Chris’s H Method model of deep authenticity and global solidarity.

Alongside this nonprofit work, Barry’s work as a School Social Worker, with Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools began in 1989, where he currently works at Wilson Stem Academy as the Coordinator for Social-emotional learning and student leadership. In 2021 he was named Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ Social Worker of the year.

Barry has an undergraduate degree in music education and a masters degree in social work from the University of South Carolina and is a licensed clinical social worker. He is a singer/songwriter with CDs that focus around themes of authenticity and solidarity.

CONNECT WITH MANDY:

Website: http://mandybird.com/

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/counselormandybird

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselormandy

Co-Authors, Counselor Mandy and Chris Saade, are thrilled to announce the launch of their new book “Tears are the Source of Your Passion: The Power of Authenticity and Grief.” Season 4 of Finding Hope is meant to serve as a companion to the book by offering episodes that focus on the book’s content, bringing it to life with engaging conversations and stories from people who have used the 7-steps as a guide in their grief journey. You can order the book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3sb5FGB.

Section Two of the book covers the “7 Steps Toward the Power of Grief and Hope,” a heart-centered, self-coaching model designed to support individuals through the creativity of the journey of grief. In this episode I am discussing Step 4: Paradox, and Step 5: Spiritual Fortitude, with grief specialist and licensed professional counselor Tammy Starling.

Tammy, an avid Rose gardener, uses this metaphor to talk about paradox, “The beauty of a rose is accompanied by very sharp thorns. The thorns don’t take away from the beauty and visa versa.” She continues “paradox allows us to fully honor the depth of grief AND see the beauty and joy in the world.”

When talking about Step 5 both Mandy and Tammy talk about how Spiritual Fortitude is what gives them hope. “We are not meant to carry big losses on our own” says Mandy. The spiritual force that lives IN each of us is available to partner and support us at all times.

Tammy Starling is a grief specialist and licensed professional counselor in Nashville, Tennessee. She was in private practice for 22 years, 16 of which she and Counselor Mandy were business partners together in Charlotte, NC. Over the years, Tammy has taught numerous classes on grief and led many large and small groups around living with loss. Currently, she administers behavioral health grant programs for a large managed care organization in TN. She is the mother of two adult children and has two amazing grandsons! Tammy also serves on the elder board of a new and very progressive Christian church, in Nashville, called Spero Day Church.



CONNECT WITH MANDY:

Website: http://mandybird.com/

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/counselormandybird

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselormandy

Co-Authors, Counselor Mandy and Chris Saade, are thrilled to announce the launch of their new book “Tears are the Source of Your Passion: The Power of Authenticity and Grief.” Season 4 of Finding Hope is meant to serve as a companion to the book by offering episodes that focus on the book’s content, bringing it to life with engaging conversations and stories from people who have used the 7-steps as a guide in their grief journey. You can order the book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3sb5FGB.

Section Two of the book covers the “7 Steps Toward the Power of Grief and Hope,” a heart-centered, self-coaching model designed to support individuals through the creativity of the journey of grief. In this episode I am discussing Step 3: Initiation with entrepreneur/writer and mother Amanda Taylor.

After tragically losing her high school sweetheart and military pilot husband, Neal, in 2012, Amanda found herself suddenly raising their four beautiful girls alone. Speaking about Step 3 she says “Initiation was the threshold from who I WAS, to who I was now going to be. I can look back, after 10 years have passed, and am proud of where I am today.”

When talking about Step 3 both Mandy and Amanda concur that we don’t get Initiated to “learn lessons” – but instead they are life events that allow us to transform into more of our authentic selves.

Amanda Taylor is an entrepreneur, writer, and yoga teacher, and the mother of, now five, amazing daughters. She believes that her grief transformed her and uncovered her life's calling.

Amanda has traveled the world with her daughters, and blogs about their adventures at mommyadventurer.com. She also writes both fiction and non-fiction books and articles.

Amanda has undergraduate degrees in both English and psychological neuroscience, and a master's degree in creative non-fiction writing. She is also a certified yoga teacher and loves teaching deep stretch and restorative yoga. Amanda recently enrolled in the Clemson New Farmer's program, and she has a vision for transforming backyards into food gardens all over the state.

CONNECT WITH MANDY:

Website: http://mandybird.com/

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/counselormandybird

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselormandy

Co-Authors, Counselor Mandy and Chris Saade, are thrilled to announce the launch of their new book “Tears are the Source of Your Passion: The Power of Authenticity and Grief.” Season 4 of Finding Hope is meant to serve as a companion to the book by offering episodes that focus on the book’s content, bringing it to life with engaging conversations and stories from people who have used the 7-steps as a guide in their grief journey. You can order the book on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/3sb5FGB.

Section Two of the book covers the “7 Steps Toward the Power of Grief and Hope,” a heart-centered, self-coaching model designed to support individuals through the creativity of the journey of grief. In this episode I am discussing Step 1: Affirm Your Grief and Step 2: Open Your Heart with author/coach and mother Elizabeth Catignani.

After several unexpected losses at the age of 27, Elizabeth passionately dedicated her life to helping others experience healing, joy, and purpose after loss. Speaking about Step 1 she says “It is SO important to allow our feelings of grief – it is OK to have those feeling and that they are normal. In fact, to NOT have these feelings is inhuman.”

When talking about Step 2 both Mandy and Elizabeth concur that it is so tempting to shut down when pain hits. As hard as it is, keep your heart open because that’s where your authenticity lives.

Elizabeth is a Certified Creative Grief Coach, Health Coach and author of Creative Grieving: A Hip Chick’s Path from Loss to Hope. She established Her Creative Wellness, a blog and online platform as a supportive space for women to become empowered on their journey in healing and wellness, from grief to hope. She believes in the transformative power of the human journey and our sacred stories. Through sharing her own story, she hopes to light the way for others seeking a healthy, heart-centered, and fulfilling life.

You can find out more about Elizabeth and her book/audiobook at www.hercreativewellness.com.

CONNECT WITH MANDY:

Website: http://mandybird.com/

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/counselormandybird

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counselormandy