My Story...
My name is Michele Dawn Edwards.
I, like you, am a Divinely Human Being.
I haven’t always known this to be true. In fact, I spent much of my life in a box, behind a wall, in the dark.
Emerging from a childhood of depression, self-hatred, and suicidal tendencies, I struggled most of my young adult life.
​
Until I uncovered my darkest secret… a secret so traumatizing, that I had buried it deep within my subconscious. It was at the age of 29, that I remembered being sexually abused by my alcoholic father.
In that moment, I was released from the box that was my prison.
I can recall laying there, suddenly filled with a deep knowing. A soul knowing. Suddenly, I knew that this experience of sexual abuse had been present in my bloodlines for generations and that I was the one who was going to end the lineage of secrecy and abuse. It was up to me!
And so, my journey began...
​
The rest is a story of self-discovery, healing and love. It is a story of spiritual strength, forgiveness, and self love. It is a story of remembering...
​
After my memories surfaced, I immediately dove deep into my healing. I attended yoga intensives, sweat lodges, began meditating, learning reiki and other energy healing modalities. I explored the teachings of Buddhism, Hinduism, Mysticism, Quantum Energy, New Age, Spiritualism - anything and everything I could learn about healing, spirituality, and energy. My healing became my priority. My passion.
​
As a mother of two young boys, I changed my career. Graphic design no longer filled my soul. It was not my path. My deep desire to transform my past into something positive, led me to the field of social work. I loved social work! It came naturally to me. It resonated so deeply within me that I had no doubt that this was my path.
The true miracle occurred while attending a yoga intensive. It was there, that I began to awaken. Looking back, I can only describe that moment in time as the gift of Grace. Suddenly, I began to see things differently. I began to know things, to understand them from a higher perspective. I saw my past, my abuse, my struggles, as a gift. I saw the beautiful lessons that I had learned.
As I connected to Mother Earth and to Spirit, I began to remember who I was. It was then, that I was able to reach a place of forgiveness for my father.
​
​As I drove home from the Ashram, I realized that it was the day after Father’s Day. I thought of my Dad and I suddenly felt overwhelmed with love. I phoned him and left a message, telling him that I loved him. Those were the first, and last words, I’d said to him in a year and a half. Ten days later, my father was gone. He had died of a heart attack.
​
It has been 17 years since that fateful night, when the shadows of the past were brought to the surface, and the course of my life was altered forever. Seventeen years of personal transformation, healing and self-discovery.
I have faced many challenges in my life... far too many to share here, however, I have come to realize how my past has served me.
By releasing old karmic energies, reconnecting to my Spiritual self, and opening my mind to new possibilities, I have been able to transform my pain into power, my wounds into wisdom, and the trauma I experienced into the fires of transcendence.
As I dove deep into the darkness of my subconscious, I found my spark!
My inner flame.
My soul.
​
And in doing so, I have found the courage to walk through the fires of fear.
To feel the fear and allow it to fuel me,
to intensify the flames,
to discover a ferocity beyond anything I’ve ever known – to discover my Self!
​
I have come to understand that it is often in the darkest moments of our lives, that we are presented with the opportunity to discover the spark within, to see the gift - to see ourselves for who we truly are. It is in these moments that miracles begin!
My Philosophy
As a partner in supporting change, I resonate most strongly with holistic, trauma-informed approaches to healing that focus on one’s strengths and inherent gifts.
My practice philosophy rests in the belief that you are the expert in your own life.
My role as a helping professional is to support, encourage, and help guide you to realize their own inner strength wisdom, to move beyond fear and limitations, into empowerment & self-realization.
​
I believe that self-awareness and critical reflection are key ingredients to being an effective counsellor. I view the relationship between myself, and my client, as a privilege founded in trust and respect.
Throughout my years as a social worker and counsellor, I have come to understand the relationship between healing and mindfulness.
Approximately 90% of our lives are directed by the sub-conscious mind. These unconscious beliefs, programs and influences of society and those around us are undercurrents that determine one’s identity, sense of self, beliefs, choices and behaviors.
To change one’s life, it is necessary to increase the level of self-awareness and mindfulness that allows the conscious mind to shift and reprogram the subconscious.
In other words, we heal through awareness. When one is aware of their patterns, triggers, and self-defeating beliefs, they can change and evolve into a more healthy, empowered version of themselves.
My Professional Bio
Mental Wellness Counsellor, Spiritual Coach & Mentor, Truth Speaker, Soul Activator, Awakener
As a registered social worker for over 16 years, I have worked in various capacities and with a wide range of clients, including those struggling with homelessness, addictions, mental health, grief & loss, intergenerational trauma, domestic violence, sexual abuse, incarceration, youth-at-risk, and many First Nations communities.
​
Although I have a strong foundation of knowledge through my social work education, it has been the interactions with thousands of clients, that have been the true educators in my career and my life. Each client has played a pivotal role in my personal and professional progression towards becoming an effective ally, counsellor and mentor.
​
In both my work and my personal life, I have witnessed and heard countless stories of incredible trauma and strength from my friends and clients. I am constantly astounded by the strength of the human spirit to overcome incredible obstacles and traumatic pain. As a result, I have developed a deep interest in understanding the impacts of trauma from a holistic, psychosomatic and spiritual perspective. I have taken every opportunity to increase my knowledge in these areas through study, personal development workshops, and various books. A few of the experts I have had the honour of learning from include Dr. Gabor Mate, Dr. Janina Fisher, Dr. Gordon Neufeld, Dr. Martin Brokenleg, Dr. Allen Wade, Mark Wolynn, to name a few.
​
By combining my University education with several years of client-centered experience, I am able to take the best of traditional therapeutic techniques, combined with the spiritual and energy modalities and my intuitive abilities, to create a powerful holistic approach to healing and self-discovery.