Michelle Amerman on LinkedIn: #inmemoryofmichelle #alumniprocessinggroup #pathwaysfamily (2024)

Reflecting on my journey with Memorial Online, I wanted to share the deeply personal motivations that led me to create this service. It's a story not just of entrepreneurship, but of finding a meaningful way to navigate through one of life's most challenging experiences - the loss of a loved one.The inception of Memorial Online was born out of my own encounter with grief. Like many of you, I've faced the heartache of saying goodbye to people dear to me. Each loss brought with it a profound sense of emptiness and a quest for solace and understanding. I realized that grief, in its many forms, is a universal experience, yet it often leaves us feeling isolated and misunderstood.This realization sparked a desire within me to create a space where individuals mourning a loss could find a community, support, and resources to help them through their darkest times. Memorial Online became that envisioned haven - a platform dedicated to sharing experiences, offering comfort, and providing guidance on coping with grief.My goal was to build more than just a service; I wanted to cultivate a community where every person, irrespective of their background or the nature of their loss, could find a voice and a listening ear. From sharing personal stories to practical advice on navigating the complexities of grief, Memorial Online is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of shared healing.The journey of creating and growing Memorial Online has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding. It's a constant reminder that in the midst of loss, we can find purpose, connection, and a path to healing. This service is more than just my project; it's a shared space for all of us to find a bit of light in the darkness.Thank you to everyone who has joined this community, shared their story, or found comfort in our content. Your strength and courage continue to inspire me every day. Together, we're not just navigating grief; we're redefining the journey of healing. #MemorialOnline #GriefSupport #HealingJourney

In the depths of grief, resilience emerges as a guiding light, showing us the extraordinary strength we possess to navigate the darkest times and transform our pain into a catalyst for healing. Join us on this episode as we dive into the courageous and resilient grief journey of Heather Heying Hunt. She is a young widow who shares her raw and authentic experiences of navigating loss, rebuilding her life, and finding hope amidst the darkest moments. In this heart-rending conversation, Heather takes us back to the days leading up to her husband Bryan’s passing and the emotional rollercoaster she faced as a caregiver and a new mother. She recounts the difficult decisions she had to make, from moving Bryan to hospice care to saying a final goodbye to her in the hospital room. Heather opens up about the profound impact of losing her husband on her identity and self-esteem. She reveals the overwhelming sense of loneliness and confusion that engulfed her as she grappled with questions about her purpose and life trajectory. But through therapy, support groups, and connecting with other widows, Heather discovered newfound strength within herself and embarked on self-discovery and healing.Heather’s words serve as a beacon of hope for anyone facing loss, reminding us that while grief may change us, it doesn’t have to define us. Join us in discovering how to be resilient in times of grief.https://lnkd.in/ekTqcDcx#podcast #griefsupport #grief #griefandloss #nonprofit #501c3

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The loss of a life partner is one of the most traumatic experiences we can have. But out of the resulting grief can emerge a lasting legacy, as our latest client case study shows:#lifestylefinancialplanning #financialplanning #leavingalegacyhttps://lnkd.in/e4NDnB4E

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Big news! Very big news! My book - All Is Well: Life Lessons From A Preacher’s Father - is ready for pre-ordering and will be available in June. It’s being published by Skyhorse Publishing and distributed by Simon & Schuster, a distribution powerhouse. 100% of the book’s profits will go to ALS research and care charities. Do me a few favor. Buy a book. Buy another book as a gift. Tell others about the book. Share this post on social media. The more books we sell together, we create ALS awareness, we engage others in the conversation and we move closer to a cure. I so appreciate my team at CohnReznick LLP for supporting me on this journey!It’s a story of the good life well-lived, plain and simple. Thoughts on simplicity, practicality, resilience, bucket lists, marriage, faith, business, joy, savoring and much, much more. And if you’re part of a large organization and would consider a book signing event, talk to me!#ALS#alliswell#leadership#businessbook#faith#marriage#lifeisgoodAll Is Well: Life Lessons from a Preacher's Father

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Contrasts of Command: From Solemnity to Celebration"In the narrative surrounding the decisions made by Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden during the period of mourning for a fallen NYPD officer, Jonathan Diller, Trump’s choice to attend the wake can be seen as an embodiment of heart and compassion towards the people directly affected by tragedy. This action, choosing to be present at a somber occasion over other possible engagements, highlights a prioritization of empathy and solidarity over political or personal agendas.Attending a wake or a funeral is a profoundly human gesture, symbolizing respect, condolence, and shared grief. It’s a moment where the presence of a figure like a former president can have a significant emotional impact, offering some solace to the bereaved while acknowledging the sacrifice made by the officer. This choice reflects an understanding of the importance of personal connection and support in times of loss, emphasizing a leader’s role not just as a policymaker but as a consoler-in-chief, someone who recognizes the weight of loss and stands with those in mourning.In choosing to attend the wake, Trump’s decision can be interpreted as one made with a deep sense of compassion and respect for the individual and collective grieving process. It sends a message to the family of the fallen officer and the broader community that their loss is seen and felt at the highest levels of leadership. This act of showing up, of choosing a moment of collective mourning over other engagements, can be viewed as an effort to bridge the gap between high office and the personal, often painful realities faced by citizens, especially those who serve in roles that risk their lives for public safety.In contrast, during this same period of mourning, President Joe Biden chose to attend his political fundraiser. This decision may highlight a different set of priorities, emphasizing the continual balancing act between political obligations and the personal touch that moments of national grief demand.Such actions are seen not just in the immediate comfort they may provide to those in direct mourning but in how they resonate with the broader public. They reflect a leader’s capacity to prioritize human connection and empathy, to place the needs and emotional wellbeing of individuals and communities at the forefront during times of crisis or sorrow. This approach to leadership, focusing on compassion and the human element, is what can often resonate most closely with people’s hearts and desires for empathetic governance.

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Difficult topic but so very important.

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The holidays can be a challenging time, especially when dealing with complex grief and trauma. Click the link to hear Cove staff members Renee A. McIntyre, Donna Nickdow, and Brooke Viens, LCSW, LADC discuss grief during the holiday season and ways to honor loved ones and care for ourselves: https://lnkd.in/eEdJsY3s#griefsupport #holidays #griefawareness #nonprofit #ctnonprofit

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Death is a constant and sucks (to put it mildly). So what could possibly surprise you about it? Here are 5 interesting behaviors we're seeing: 👇🏾1. Over 55% of our users are creating memorials for someone who passed 2 - 25 years ago, showing us that there is no expiration date on the desire to remember someone effectively. 2. Despite the desire and need to remain connected, the community surrounding someone who has died begins rapidly disintegrating ~90 days after the death 3. If a digital forum is created to retain these connections, the community will continue supporting each other in their shared grief journeys for 18 months, and will continue to stay connected beyond that for their own non-bereavement needs4. 80%+ of Chptr memorials are not created by family, but rather a friend or colleague of the deceased. The resulting memorial becomes a welcomed gift by the family at a time when they need it most5. People who are grieving a loss say most often that they feel lonely but don't want to burden anyone else with their grief. This is a response nearly everyone in any given bereaved community gives. We all share the same need, but feel it's a social faux pax to discuss it. It turns out that, if given a safe space to connect, the community experiences a more supported grief journey It's a basic desire to want to be remembered, that's no surprise. There is a massive, underserved need for communities to more affectively connect around the shared memories of their person. This is where we come in. If you are missing someone and just want to talk, we are here. DM me. If you want to get started on a memorial today, we're here to support you.

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Normalizing grief and loss conversations is important.On this date, five years ago, my late husband passed on after a couple of years in treatment fighting cancer. Clint was the most loving, caring and funny man. When he found something funny he would laugh until he lost his breath. I would end up laughing with him even if I didn’t quite get the joke because his laughter was incredibly contagious.He was a brilliant software engineer who dreamed up coding solutions and would wake up in the middle of the night to see if those solutions actually panned out.He was a loving son, a supportive friend, and private about his life. It took him time to trust people, but when he did, there was no one as loyal. He challenged me to become a better partner, a better human, and a better advocate for myself. He helped me rehearse a conversation about asking for a raise early in my career because he said it was time for me to get one. He knew my worth, and pushed me to recognize it too. Grief is a paradox. It hurts because you wish you didn’t have to lose the people you love. It also makes you grateful for the love you got to share and the memories you get to cherish for the remainder of your life.Grief also reminds me of my mortality and my humanity. At the end of my days, what will really matter? What will people remember about me? I become less attached to petty grievances and embrace the bigger picture when I think of how brief our time in this realm truly is. Clint would often say, “everything is going to be ok because it has to” when I was spinning out of control. And that is a lesson I carry with me: regardless of how hard things get, in the end, it all works out. Lessons will be learned. And life will go on.After losing Clint, I actively sought out communities that could understand the pain I felt. I gathered a few people at work who wanted to share more about their experience of grief too. We called our group “Sorry, not sorry” because we agreed that we should not have to apologize for our grief and for our tears. Hearing their stories made me feel more connected. And it made all the difference in moving forward with grief.To that end, this TED Talk will always be a favorite: https://bit.ly/43sDLrbA couple additional resources on the topic of community: 1) for caretakers and people currently battling or survivors of cancer, the Imerman Angels was an incredible place for safety, information, and support: https://bit.ly/3CiRchb2) if you are currently seeking a community who also understands grief, The Dinner Party is a welcoming place to share, laugh, and cry. Having food is just an added bonus: https://bit.ly/3WZCmGaI’m also here. Private message me if I can be helpful in any way, from sharing resources to sharing tears. Grief is hard. And we do not have to move forward with it alone. We are stronger in community with one another.#grief #loss #normalizegrief #gratitude #community

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Now that the dust has settled on the new year and we really land in 2024, it's time to get real about our goals, intentions and priorities.I'm excited to share with you this exclusive opportunity to kickstart your journey with the Find Your Way Forward LIVE virtual workshop.➡️ Join us for an evening of live coaching as I guide you through three transformative steps to rediscover JOY, PURPOSE, and CLARITY after loss.All proceeds from the Find Your Way Forward virtual workshop will be dedicated to supporting the incredible work of @gumbootfriday,making every registration an impactful contribution to supporting our young people of Aotearoa New Zealand. 🙌➡️ Register by donation for this workshop happening on Wednesday, February 28th, from 7 - 8 PM NZDT. Comment "FORWARD" below or register now via the link below.Here's a sneak peek of what we will cover in just 60 minutes:🧭 Clarity and Direction: Discover practical strategies to navigate the complexities of grief and find clarity and direction in your life after loss.❤️🔥 Rediscover Joy and Purpose: Learn actionable steps to reconnect with yourself, rediscover your passions, and find joy and purpose in life again.🔧 Practical Tools: Applicable tools to navigate the challenges of grief, empowering you to reclaim a sense of agency on this wild ride.🤩 Inspiration and Motivation: Find inspiration and motivation to embrace life again, as you explore ways to cultivate a fulfilling future, that honours both you and your loved one.It's time to reclaim your agency and control in your grief journey - here's everything you need to get started. 🫶I so look forward to seeing you there!

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