Welcome to Transformation Talk. Every Thursday for a year, starting in September 2012, I’ll post an interview with someone who is a force for good in the world. These men and women have either deepened their passion or found their calling after experiencing a loss, trauma or diagnosis.

I want to broaden the conversation around grief and its transformative power. My hope is that in their words you’ll find echoes of your story. In their inspired actions, you’ll see yourself and your immense possibility.

*Special Request: The technology of Skype is amazing and imperfect. Please listen with your heart and forgive the occasional blips on the screen.

This week’s interview is with Vicki Culling, a social worker in New Zealand who supports bereaved parents and who educates health and caring professionals on the front lines of pregnancy loss and child death. I had the pleasure of meeting Vicki and hearing her speak at the MISS Foundation conference this fall. Her talk blew my mind and heart wide open (and you get to see me cry a little as I talk about it).

Running time is 23 minutes. Link to download audio only is below the video.

Download the audio file: (right-click or control-click on the link)

Vicki Culling, PhD, is a bereaved mother whose first daughter’s brief life changed the trajectory of her life considerably. She has a social work and research background but has worked in the area of perinatal and infant loss support and information for over 10 years now.

Vicki has been involved in Sands New Zealand, an organization that supports parents and families following the loss of a baby or infant no matter their gestation or age and no matter how they died. Her work with Sands has also led to working at a national level with government agencies and committees. Vicki recently set up her own business providing training to health and caring professionals who work with bereaved parents and families.

Vicki lives in Wellington, New Zealand with her husband Kevan and daughter, Phoebe a dog and cat and a house bus they regularly take holidays in.

You can find her at www.vickicullingassoc.co.nz or email her at [email protected] if you have questions about her work.

Welcome to Transformation Talk. Every Thursday for a year, starting in September 2012, I’ll post an interview with someone who is a force for good in the world. These men and women have either deepened their passion or found their calling after experiencing a loss, trauma or diagnosis.

I want to broaden the conversation around grief and its transformative power. My hope is that in their words you’ll find echoes of your story. In their inspired actions, you’ll see yourself and your immense possibility.

*Special Request: The technology of Skype is amazing and imperfect. Please listen with your heart and forgive the occasional blips on the screen.

Today’s interview is with hypnotherapist and life coach Monica Park of Heal Real. She talks candidly about the lasting effects of her father’s suicide, her mother’s attempts to take her own life, and how becoming a mama changed the way she saw herself.

Running time is just under 15 minutes. Audio link available below.

Right-click or control-click to download the audio version: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/40076880/Monica%20Park%20For%20Internet.mp3

In Monica’s words:

Welcome to Transformation Talk. Every Thursday for a year, starting in September 2012, I’ll post an interview with someone who is a force for good in the world. These men and women have either deepened their passion or found their calling after experiencing a loss, trauma or diagnosis.

I want to broaden the conversation around grief and its transformative power. My hope is that in their words you’ll find echoes of your story. In their inspired actions, you’ll see yourself and your immense possibility.

*Special Request: The technology of Skype is amazing and imperfect. Please listen with your heart and forgive the occasional blips on the screen.

This week’s interview is with inspirational speaker, energy healer and coach Maryann Hesse (see full bio below). She talks about the lasting impact of a teenage experience on her relationships and well being, how her mother’s decline into dementia is affecting her, and how she sees clarity as an integral part of life and grief.

To take advantage of the special offer she makes in the video, email her at [email protected] with the subject title “Transformation Talk”. (Offer limited to the first 5 people. I will post here when it’s no longer available).

Running time is 28 minutes. If you’re reading this via email, click through the title to watch the video. I’m working on a way to include audio files for all the talks, for those who prefer to download and listen when on the move. Stay tuned!

Maryann Hesse is a Relationship Clarity Coach and Personal Power Expert, Intuitive Energy Healer, Inspirational Speaker and owner of Optimum Wellness Inc.

Her mission is to lovingly facilitate people to crystal clarity about their situation and their Next Step in their evolution.  Stress, overwhelm and indecision become a thing of the past as they OWN their personal power.

People who work with her experience lives that are creatively and personally fulfilling, while enjoying optimal health, longevity, and emotional well-being.  They freely and joyously express their unique Gifts to the world.

Her expertise of seeing and reading the energy of a situation is the foundation for facilitating people to be released organically from power struggles and self-defeating behaviors.  They move forward with confidence, experiencing peace and ease in all aspects of their lives.

Maryann is someone who is continuously evolving, learning, healing, dancing, hiking, doing yoga, and constantly reinventing herself. She can be counted on to know the best sources for dark chocolate, and marvels every day at the gift of Nature’s beauty and serenity as she continually falls more in love with life and the glory of her True Self.

She is a contributing author to: Empowered Voices: True Stories by Awakened Women.  Her chapter “My Journey Back to Love” takes the reader on a relationship journey from her teen years to the present, where she discovered the ultimate clarity in the relationship with herself.

She is a founding member of Essence Coaches LLC, an Enwaken Coach and Leadership Graduate, Reiki Master, Transformational Prayer Practitioner, Personal Fitness Trainer, YogaFit instructor, Certified Nutritional Consultant, and former high school business teacher.

She is passionate about helping people clarify the dynamics of their current situation and supporting them to reclaim and OWN their own Personal Power.

You can connect with her at: [email protected].  For additional information about her go to: http://maryannhesse.com