Mike Edwards:

Our son and only child, Dylan, passed from a heroin overdose on November 28, 2016, just after his 24th birthday and just before receiving a chip to celebrate six months of continuous sobriety. My wife, Allyson, and I were devastated and really struggled to release the new hope we had from the enormous progress Dylan had made. We attended various grief meetings and two things always stood out – the meetings weren’t designed to help parents continue to live when they came out of “the fog” and very few fathers ever participated. So we turned to an evidential medium to hopefully find some answers and that reading put us on a path to attend the 2018 Helping Parents Heal Conference. The conference provided even more validation and a venue to share with other parents who were searching for answers. For the first time, we left a meeting feeling lighter and more hopeful than when we arrived.

We will always remember and miss Dylan but now understand that we’re living and learning what is meant for us. I’ve decided to help other parents, and particularly fathers, learn how to have good lives after their loss and come to know their own “truth” which will certainly help me to do the same.

Andy Bohart:

I’m a father of 3 amazing men, two here on this side and one across the veil. On September 16, 2019, my oldest son, Josh, exited this life in a single car accident. At that time, I was in England on a business trip and was flown home immediately.  From the outset, Josh worked hard to let the family know he was still with us and was safe and happy on the other side.  My spiritual awakening started that day and has been growing and evolving to this day. HPH/HFH has been central to my healing and growth, and I am extremely glad that I can help facilitate the growth and healing of other shining light fathers.  I feel particularly called and I am passionate about standing alongside my brothers in grief and helping give men a safe and secure space in which to heal from what we have all been through.  Josh is with me every day helping me, assist others and for that I am immensely blessed and honored to be able to help in whatever way I can.

Jeff Cottrell:

Our son Austin, forever 24, passed in a tragic and unexpected accident involving cold weather on December 15th, 2019. HPH has helped my wife Nan and I navigate this grief journey together and has opened doors to a higher understanding of the afterlife. I am a member of HFH and want to give back the love and support I have been shown by an incredible group of fathers.Austin loved his family more than anything. Nan, Kevin, Baylee and I will cherish his memories forever and knowing he is still part of our lives gives us comfort.

Warren Gibbons:

The meetings are held every Wednesday on Zoom; 7:00- 8:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada).

Searching for answers this past February 2017, I was online considering going to a conference by Susanne Wilson. When I realized it was booked and I’d have to be placed on a waiting list, I said out loud to my son, “OK Sean, if I’m supposed to do this, get me into this conference”. Within 30 min, I received a phone call from the coordinator that there was a cancellation and I was in. Thus began my introduction to Helping Parents Heal. I was embraced that day by Elizabeth Boisson and Carol Allen and so touched by many others like Ernie, Kristine and Quinton, and of course by the love and healing touch of Susanne Wilson and her team including Camber Wilson.

I realized, though I was only 4+ months out, that these parents were grieving with hope and joy. It was genuine and true and though I wasn’t ready to put myself in that space, I knew that I had been lead to these people by my son for a reason. I followed up by attending Carol Allen’s group in Cave Creek shortly after and knew that this was going to be my lifeline. Signs and blessings have flooded my life as a result; too many to recount in this bio. The more that I receive, the stronger my connection to my son and spirit and to the bigger picture of Love and Light that I feel.

Since then, I have been blessed with a core group of parents in Flagstaff who face the same heartaches and are similarly motivated to not only honor their kids in this life but to help others to survive and find a purposeful way to continue living and loving. As I am feeling led to form this chapter in my own area, I couldn’t imagine doing it without these amazingly brave women who have agreed to be co co hosts on this venture.(Dana, Jessica, and Gina) We are strong and ready to share the Collateral Beauty that is this journey. We welcome all parents who have children on the other side.

My ever present spiritual journey became most evident when my middle son, my free spirited child named Derek, transitioned at 20 years old from an accidental overdose in September 2020. I was immediately on a quest to find like minded individuals that could support me on this unchartered journey to further connect to my boy. Helping Parents Heal became that life line. My husband, Jim, and I have 3 boys, Devin, Derek, and Dylan. Our 3Ds. We fortunately always believed life doesn’t end simply because the body does. Derry is included in our everyday lives just like his brothers. He has taught me so much from his perspective. Our children are always with us and I couldn’t feel more grateful.

Lisa Wilcoxson:

I am the mom of two beautiful boys, both in spirit. Michael Angelo was born in 1988 and crossed in 2000 at the age of 12 from pneumonia. Michael was born very healthy, but had special needs due to having had a severe toxic reaction to his first DPT shot at the age of 4 weeks. Michael never spoke or walked, but taught me more about love than any other human possibly could have. He was as beautiful in life as he is in spirit, and being his mom remains to this day to be the greatest privilege I’ll ever have on this earth. Anthony is my other shining light, and I know he was born as a golden gift. Anthony was six when Michael crossed, and everything I lived for was in Anthony’s eyes. Anthony told me when he was two that he was waiting forever to be born so I could be his Mommy. Then, when he was four, he was crying. He said he was sad because he was going to leave me when he was 18. I thought he meant he was going to college. He was a freshman at Arizona State University when he transitioned from being poisoned by a synthetic drug at a party in 2013. During this dark night of my soul I was able to find my boys again in meditation, and have since learned that Spirit has chosen to use me through mediumship to prove that love never dies. My boys are at my side 24/7, and with this I’ve learned to live peacefully and joyfully having one foot on this earth plane serving Spirit and one foot in the spirit plane with them.

Craig Nelson:

I am Craig and I am the proud father of a child named Alex. I am here because the universe chose me for a special journey. A journey that allowed me to experience expressions of love on a higher level. I say higher for multiple reasons. One reason is because my son transcended to a higher place at the age of 16. My loss, so I thought, forced me upwards as my heart longed to be with him. However, he quickly showed me that our journey did not end here. Since his trancendance, I have felt him guiding me back to him and ultimately my true self.
The journey with him has been leading me down some paths that has offered me a wider and higher perspective on this life. Soon after my son transitioned he showed me some tools to help me with this process. The process of awakening to a higher place. This is just one reason I say I am a journey to a higher love. My son has been the one guiding me for sometime. He came into my life through an international adoption. My partner and I adopted him from Ukraine when he was only 6 months old. At the age of two we were told he was a classic case of autism. This was a very unique experience because my son was literally my baby until the day he transcended. That was at the age of 16. His transition forced me into a transition. My heart was shattered as he was truly my everything. I found my souls purpose through him and the day he left made me feel lost as if I no longer had a purpose. However, I have since found my purpose again and it still involves my son. I am honored to be a part of this group. I have always had the heart of wanting to lift the spirits of others. I know my son, our children are still here with us and as we all work together we can open these doors. The doors that lead us into a new way of thinking. As we expand our minds with our most beloved one by our side we create beautiful waves of energy. These waves are reshaping the face of the universe or the force we all call out to, as the highest force of love.

Lisa and Craig will hold their Zoom meetings from 5:30 - 8:30 pm AZ time on the second Monday of the month.

Helping Parents Heal Parents of Children with Special Needs Monthly Chat
Starting January 24th, 2022
5:30-6:30 pm MST
(Every 4th Monday of the month)

Allison and David Alison are the parents of three amazing adult children: Jocelyn, Davey and Julia. Davey transitioned on July 20, 2016; he was involved in a solo car accident at the age of 24. This is documented along with their journey in David’s book Finding Davey (https://amzn.to/2oeBuxO). We felt Davey right away and knew he was not gone. We found out about HPH and it has helped us heal and connect with other patents. We enjoy talking about the signs we get from Davey and hearing about other parents’ experiences. Being a “Shining Light Parent” has helped us find meaning. Now with the HPH Meditation group, we would like to help others through positive energy and love with the help of our children on the other side.

The Zoom meetings are the third Wednesday of the month at 9:00 pm EST.

Casey Crossan:

My name is Casey Crossan and I am Conner’s mom. My son, Conner, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer) when he was 9 years old and in the 3rd grade. Cancer is relentless; every time you think you landed a winning punch, it comes back swinging harder and more persistent. Conner passed away April 5, 2018 at the age of 11. After Conner’s passing, I knew he was right there in front of me but I couldn’t see him through my grief. Helping Parents Heal helped me to see other parents were still connected to their children.

Sunita Krishna:

Hi, my name is Sunita and I am a proud mother of twin boys, Dhruv and Arnav.  Arnav was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma when he was 14 and battled the disease bravely for two and half years. He lost his battle with cancer in 2018 and transitioned at the age of 16. Helping Parents Heal has helped me go through one of the toughest situations of my life and now it is my turn to give back. I would like to help as many parents as I can through this tough journey.

Mary Bertun
I am an instructor and writer. My 19 year old son Chas took his life and passed on April 3, 2012. Deep grief, healing and spiritual growth are all part of my journey forward. Chas is always with me, and I hope to help other parents who have suffered the loss of a child. I have attended a Serving Spirit class with messenger of hope Suzanne Giesemann and continue to attend her webinars.

I believe that if we share our experiences, resources for healing such as Suzanne, and celebrate the life of our children, we will move onto pathways of light and love. I am honored to be leading a Helping Parents Heal chapter in Madison, Wisconsin and honored to be meeting other parents.

Tava Wilson
Hello! I am a Mental Health and School Guidance Counselor (currently not working in this field), and the mother of Nico, age 24, Christina, forever 17 (6/24/97-3/5/15), and Wilson, age 5. I was trained in grief and loss, and my professional career involved working almost exclusively with individuals struggling with the “loss” of loved ones. None of it prepared me for 3.5.15, when the person I most admire and with whom I was the closest, ‘moved’ to a different level of consciousness. I have no idea how I functioned those first months. My healing journey began when I read Wolf’s Message by Suzanne Giesemann, and subsequently spoke with her between May and August of 2015.

When Suzanne learned of Helping Parents Heal she told me about the group. To say that it has been a blessing would be an understatement. I can say today that I have experienced more joy and peace in the past 2 years than at any time prior to my daughter’s physical death. This is in large part due to the HPH family: meetings, online support, online meetings with experts in a multitude of healing modalities, the amazing conference, and new, special friendships. I still have rough patches, difficult days and I still miss the physical presence of my sweet peanut, but I am so blessed to have an ongoing relationship with her and feel so proud to be her mother. Helping Parents Heal is literally my heart. When I do things involving HPH, I feel joy. So, being a co-leader of the Madison affiliate group just makes my heart sing. I look forward to meeting many new Shining Light Parents. Our kids seem to bring just the right parents into my life at just the right time. They never cease to amaze me!!!

With love and so much gratitude,
Tava Wilson

Details:
Helping Parents Heal – Connecting with Our Loved Ones meets online using Zoom once a month on the third Tuesday evening of the month. For more information contact faithinangels.academy@gmail.com.

Sometimes we host speakers, but more often we discuss our experiences and our children. So we learn about miracles and we hear about love.

Zoom Meeting time is 6:00pm – 8:00pm.

Hi, I was born in Lima, Peru.  I came to the US when I was 18. I live in Philadelphia, PA and I have been doing translations and interpretations for the past 25 years.  I have worked in court and in medical offices doing simultaneous interpretations for special needs children and enjoy doing so.  It is extremely important that the message get translated in the same exact manner in which it was spoken.  Over the past 5 years, I have also worked in voice overs.  I love being able to use my native language, Spanish, in various ways.

I am a single mom, divorced, and have 4 children, all boys: Franky (25), Cesar (22), JoseLuis (20) and Armando (14).  2 of my boys are in spirit; JoseLuis and Franky (In order of their transition)

After the transition of my 2 beautiful sons, I watched the documentary by Craig McMahon, ‘Life to Afterlife: Mom, Can You Hear Me?’ and all of the following ones and I became a member of Helping Parents Heal.  I have met and I am still meeting many wonderful parents.  This is now my new family and I am so very grateful.  Helping Parents Heal saved my life after the transition of my two boys.

Please join Irene & Kathy for a chat room every Tuesday afternoon, 2 pm AZ/PT and 5 pm EST.  

Irene Vouvalides: 

I lost my best friend, my only child, my beautiful 24 year old daughter Carly Elizabeth Hughes to esophageal-gastric cancer on February 17th, 2013. Like so many of us who have experienced this devastating loss my daughter’s passing sent me on a spiritual quest. I have found friends and comfort through this remarkable group Helping Parents Heal. In the short time since Carly’s passing I have had definite proof that consciousness survives physical death, that Carly is well, and with me always. I have been fortunate to speak with mediums who were able to provide absolute evidence of the afterlife, indisputable information relayed bringing comfort and helping to lighten the heavy weight of grief. With family and Carly’s friends we have created a foundation in her honor- Carly’s Kids A Foundation For Education, I hope you will take the time to read about us and what we are doing in Carly’s memory.

Visit: Carly’s Kids

Kathy MacMannis:

We all wear many hats and carry many titles. I’ve worn many, but Mother has been the one that brought the most profound joy I could have ever imagined. My husband, Andy, a retired Marine and I have been blessed with 3 beautiful and very active boys, Conor, Jack and Aiden. We have been fortunate to travel the world and live in many different places. I was always very aware and appreciative of the beautiful life I was living. My life, came crashing down in March of 2013. Aiden, my youngest son, died by suicide at the age of 15. Eight months later, just as I felt that I was learning to breathe again Conor, my oldest son, died in an accidental fall while away at college at the age of 20. This culminated in not only the deepest grief and pain a mother can experience, but also an extraordinary journey of awakening and enlightenment that came in the surprising form of signs, messages and real time communication. All of this has led me to know that our loved ones are still very present. I am not waiting to get to Heaven to continue a relationship with my boys. They let me know often that they are by my side and together we have much work to do! I have found Heaven in my Heart….

Visit: www.heaveninmyheart.com

About Claudia: Vorbesc Romaneste

Claudia Ardelean lives in Toronto. Her darling Emma was diagnosed on March 2016 with osteosarcoma, the same type of cancer that Terry Fox had. She was 12 years old and she was a provincial gymnast before. She transitioned on April 7, 2019, not before she told Claudia, “Mom, even if I am not going to be here with you to see me, I will be here in spirit, I will send you signs and you will know that is me”. Sure enough, Emma delivers every single day and Claudia is so grateful to be open to receiving her love and guidance. Please watch Emma's video from 'Romania's Got Talent', where she was invited to participate as a talented gymnast: https://vimeo.com/419080618 Here is another short video where Emma talks about her cancer: https://youtu.be/PNC6MG-JA3w

Claudia lives in Ontario.

About Ramona: Vorbesc Romaneste

My name is Ramona Vizitiu. I was already a mother of two beautiful daughters when I found out I was expecting again. My husband and I always wanted a big family so we were incredibly happy to have another child. Beautiful Mia was born on January 5, 2020. Unfortunately, she was born with an incredibly rare genetic syndrome with little chances of surviving. She passed away on February 7, 2020 being a month old. I had a month to get to know her and hold her in my arms and love her with all my being. After she transitioned, I did not want to live without her. It made no sense to me that she was there and I was here. My two living girls saved me. I decided to continue living for them and to carry Mia in my heart. It was and still is a heartbreaking experience. A while after Mia passed I started to receive signs that she is still here with me. At first I thought that it's just my imagination, but after joining the Helping Parents Heal Group I realized that I am not the only one receiving signs and that THIS MIGHT BE REAL. I never thought I would feel alive again and want to live again. But Mia showed me the way. SHE IS STILL HERE. I want to give hope to the moms that are new in this journey and that feel that all is lost. Our children are here. You just have to believe. 

Ramona lives in Ontario

My daughter Nida transitioned through suicide at the age of nineteen. She was a bright, intelligent, and deeply caring soul, always searching for the true meaning of life. Her smile and passionate enthusiasm for her ideas always shone through her essence.Giving back to the community was an important aspect of her life. Starting in high school, Nida was an active participant in political clubs, leadership activities, and more. She cared about the people around her so much. Even though she was only nineteen years old, Nida always followed the most current local and world news. Her dream was to help others and make an impact on humanity. Nida’s personality was larger than life.

At the time of Nida’s passing, her extraordinary soul merged with my spirit, sending many significant signs of her continuing existence from behind the veil. I experienced a profound spiritual transformation. It’s as if Nida continues to live through me, as if she took my hand and is leading me through this new life phase. That’s how I was led to the Helping Parents Heal organization, where we support and understand each other in a more unique way, where we feel and connect with our children. We know that energy isn’t created or destroyed, it merely changes its form. 

This transformation opened up energy channels that started flowing through my body. I became an intuitive energy healer. I practice and promote a conscious and an environmentally friendly lifestyle. 

You can reach me at: healingmeditations19@gmail.com. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpjednvNivu8BCTlHxAMp9Q

Our meetings are held online. You can join us via Zoom, once a month.

Toly and Rita Kozushin are Zoom coordinators for the newly established Eastern Region of HPH. They provide Zoom support and schedule meeting for Easter Region members.

They lost their daughter Sarah in September of 2011 due to prescription drug overdose. She left here her parents and a brother Alex who lives on the West coast.

They have found HPH shortly after Sarah’s passing, and are very grateful for help and support provided by HPH in the most difficult time. They found Sarah on the other side of the vail. They are very glad to have the opportunity, to the best of their abilities, to help the HPH parents to communicate, and to the organization – to grow.

Irene Vouvalides:

My best friend, my only child, my beautiful 24 year old daughter Carly Elizabeth Hughes passed to esophageal-gastric cancer on February 17th, 2013. Like so many of us who have had this devastating experience my daughter’s passing sent me on a spiritual quest. I have found friends and comfort through this remarkable group Helping Parents Heal. In the short time since Carly’s passing I have had definite proof that consciousness survives physical death, that Carly is well, and with me always. I have been fortunate to speak with mediums who were able to provide absolute evidence of the afterlife, indisputable information relayed bringing comfort and helping to lighten the heavy weight of grief. With family and Carly’s friends we have created a foundation in her honor- Carly’s Kids A Foundation For Education, I hope you will take the time to read about us and what we are doing in Carly’s memory.

Lisa Wilcoxson:

I am the mom of two beautiful boys, both in spirit. Michael Angelo was born in 1988 and crossed in 2000 at the age of 12 from pneumonia. Michael was born very healthy, but had special needs due to having had a severe toxic reaction to his first DPT shot at the age of 4 weeks. Michael never spoke or walked, but taught me more about love than any other human possibly could have. He was as beautiful in life as he is in spirit, and being his mom remains to this day to be the greatest privilege I’ll ever have on this earth. Anthony is my other shining light, and I know he was born as a golden gift. Anthony was six when Michael crossed, and everything I lived for was in Anthony’s eyes. Anthony told me when he was two that he was waiting forever to be born so I could be his Mommy. Then, when he was four, he was crying. He said he was sad because he was going to leave me when he was 18. I thought he meant he was going to college. He was a freshman at Arizona State University when he transitioned from being poisoned by a synthetic drug at a party in 2013. During this dark night of my soul I was able to find my boys again in meditation, and have since learned that Spirit has chosen to use me through mediumship to prove that love never dies. My boys are at my side 24/7, and with this I’ve learned to live peacefully and joyfully having one foot on this earth plane serving Spirit and one foot in the spirit plane with them.

Meetings will be held by Zoom on the third Wednesday of the month at 8 pm EST.

Liz Bland

My son Joseph Tymkow IV passed away on 8/26/2019 from brain cancer.  His cancer started as a grade 1 and progressed over many years to a GBM by 2017.  He was a brave soul who went through this battle all of his adult years.   Shortly after his passing I somehow came upon HPH and joined the group.  I was especially curious about others’ views of the afterlife as I had a strong belief in it.  I ended up meeting other parents whose children had passed from the same cancer.  We formed a small group chat on messenger, sharing our helplessness with the disease, as well as our children and who they were.  Since that time, we celebrate the lives of our children in many ways and signs and synchronicities we experience.  

Nell Rose Foreman

In August of 2017, I got the call no one wants to get. My son had just gone to Bangkok with his girlfriend. They both had just graduated college and wanted to play before adulting. He awoke with a headache and then started screaming. He was having a hemorrhaging brain tumor that we had no idea he had. He was rushed into life-saving surgery. This began our nine-month horrific battle with glioblastoma, GBM. Jack passed away in our home in June of 2018. All of us were shattered, as I am sure you all understand.

Compared to other groups, I immediately felt connected to HPH as I believe there is life after death. It felt comfortable, I had found my tribe. Being in a safe space to explore all of that has been extremely helpful in my grieving journey. What also helped was finding other parents who have experienced losing a child to GBM. Having people that understand the experience of brain cancer has been very helpful to be validated in what we have experienced. The journey of grieving a child, thankfully, does not have to be done alone.   

Shiome Healing Circle

with Judith A. Hancox, MSW, LCSW, BCETS

2^nd Monday of each month on Zoom – September through May

2 - 4:15 PM EST

Transforming disturbing memories to positive images/thoughts/feelings in the ‘magic circle’ is a protocol developed over decades of study and practice with significant mentors and healers - from Dr. Art Frankel, founder of the Gestalt Institute of NJ, to Grandma Mechi Garza, Indigenous American Cherokee Medicine Woman.  Shiome means ‘rip current,’ and the Shiome Shift is designed to transfer one’s disturbance to peace of mind within this 2-hour session.

There are four steps I employ to facilitate the process:

1) Creating a sacred space with Energy Correcting Meditations (ECM) combining the science of yoga and energy psychology with spiritual affirmations. (https://shiome.com/shiome-the-way/)

2) The “Flash Technique,” designed by Dr. Philip Manfield (https://flashtechnique.com/wp/)  to desensitize traumatic memories with a positive engaging focus.

3) Evolving Thought Field techniques (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/evolving-thought-field-therapy-sheila-s-bender-phd/1140046463) to continue desensitization for the body/mind.

4) The Shiome Shift in the medicine wheel to facilitate the transformational process for body, mind and spirit.  It includes a home healing practice.

Bio:

I received my undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education in January, 1973 at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ.  My husband and I moved to Vermont that year where I established a nursery school in Bristol when my son was 3 years old.

Life’s events brought us back to NJ in the late 70’s where I studied environmental health and law at Rutgers University, receiving my environmental health specialist license in 1980. It was during this time I began searching for my true purpose. I fell in love with yoga, philosophy and meditation early in life, and my husband Bill and son Jesse and I moved into the American Yoga Conservatory in Blairstown, NJ (1980-86) where Bill and I became yoga teachers. When the ashram disbanded, I changed my career and received my master’s degree in social work at Rutgers University in 1990.

During my internship in social work, I founded the Sussex County chapter of Parents Anonymous, and found myself guided to the field of holistic trauma recovery. I worked as a social worker on a child study team in Sussex County, NJ, and then became a therapist at a private school for special needs children in Morris County, NJ (1990-97). I worked at school by day, and in my private practice in the evenings, developing my skills as a trauma recovery specialist. I integrated all I learned in yoga, Gestalt, EMDR, and Energy Psychology and always felt spiritually guided to methods that would help me help others accelerate their healing process for body, mind and spirit.

After the transition of my godchild Carly, in 2013, I began to connect with Helping Parents Heal (HPH). My sister, Irene, Carly’s mom, encouraged me to study with Rochelle Wright in Gig Harbor, WA (2014) to become certified in Guided Afterlife Connections (now named RRGT, Repair and Reattachment Grief Therapy) and to take Dr. Brian Weiss’ week long training at Omega (2015) to become certified in Past Life Regression Therapy. I now live in Vermont full time with my husband and soul mate Bill. I work part time, and teach RRGT to other licensed therapists. I mostly enjoy my volunteer work each month with HPH.

I practice all these modalities to safely guide people who are traumatized to find peace of mind and strength of spirit. My book, the Energy Correcting Meditation (ECM), and 2 CD’s -the ECM and Creating Healthy Boundaries, feature guided meditations and musical tracks with bilateral sound stimulation. These beautiful musical tracks were produced with the highest good of spiritual healing in mind. The co-producer and musician of Creating Healthy Boundaries, Munro DeJohn, told me he received the music from the angels, and so named it, Angelic Sea.

Gina is the mother of Zachary forever 22 years, Garrett 25 and Emma 18 .

We raised our three kids in Rio Verde and most recently here in Cave Creek. Zachary gained his angel wings on April 20, 2017 after being hit by a car while riding his motorcycle. I was devastated and heartbroken, living my worst nightmare ever. I reached out to another angel mom Carol Allen, who introduced me to Helping Parents heal, I found support through other angel moms and I would like to offer new, and continued hope to parents on this journey with me. I will be holding monthly Hopeful Happy Hours at my home for us to socialize and engage in life’s new journey after the passing of our children. All our welcome, I hope to show all that it is possible to smile, live life and enjoy each others' company knowing that our children in spirit are with us, every step of the way.