In this special episode honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Michelle continues her conversation with Gary Vogel, LMHC perinatal grief expert and founder of HEAL, a Central Florida support group for bereaved parents. Gary shares the beautiful story of The Angel of Hope and how we here in Central Florida acquired our own statue. Together they discuss the vital role of the validation of our grief experience, feelings, and emotions plays; the impacts of the word “should” and the shame it can create; how grief is transformational; and how our US culture no longer has outward signs of bereavement and the value that can bring.
"I think as a culture, we've gotten much, much better at recognizing that this is something that does take place. The reality is that every year in the United States approximately one million families will experience a pregnancy loss."—Gary Vogel
About Gary Vogel, LMHC:
Gary is Licensed Mental Health Counselor and has been in private practice since 1980 in the Central Florida area. His specialties include dealing with anxiety and depression, addictions, grief & loss (especially the loss of a child), post-traumatic stress, and general "life adjustment".
As a Clinical Psychotherapist and through his own personal experience of losing his daughter, Chelsea, to stillbirth, Gary has helped thousands of parents struggling with the loss of a child.
Gary has been facilitating the support group HEAL (Helping Endure InfAnt Loss) for couples who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss since 1991. He has written three books on the subject of perinatal and neonatal loss. Gary has testified to House and Senate Subcommittees concerning legal issues surrounding these losses. He has lobbied in the state legislature for the passage of a bill to allow parents of a stillborn to receive a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth. The bill was unanimously passed into law in 2006. Gary has appeared on national and local television, and has traveled across the country speaking on the unique issues experienced by parents who have incurred the loss of a child. Gary is proud to be a member of the Board of Directors for the SIDS Alliance of Florida.
Gary feels his greatest achievement is bringing the Angel of Hope to Central Florida, which hosts two ceremonies a year at our site, one on October 15th, a National Day of Remembrance for Pregnancy & Infant Loss, and December 6th, a day of remembrance at all Angel of Hope sites for parents who have lost a child.
Resources:
HEAL: Helping Endure infAnt Loss Support Group
Link: Helping Endure Infant Loss (HEAL)
Angel of Hope Central Florida:
Facebook: @AngelofHopeCFL
Website: https://angelofhopecfl.wordpress.com/
Grief Resources:
https://www.birtheaseservices.com/baby-loss-grief-resources
Connect with Michelle Smith:
Website: BirthEaseServices.com
Facebook: Birth Ease, The Birth Ease Podcast, Birth Ease Baby Loss Support
Instagram: @birtheasemichellesmith, @birtheaselossssupport
YouTube: Birth Ease
LinkedIn: Birth Ease Michelle Smith
Pinterest: Birth Ease
Show: Birth Ease
