Statement from collegues, organizations and the bereaved. 

From Dr.Darcie Sims                                           January 9, 2012

If you are looking for a speaker on grief and loss I wish to recommend Mitch Carmody as a speaker he is awesom. His programs, Proactive Grieving®and The Twenty Faces of Grief®re both well written and presented with integrity and compassion.  His experiences as a griever give Mitch an important insight into the mental, emotional and physical aspects of grief.  These experiences allow him to speak from the heart as well as the “head” and I believe you will find his presentations to be both educational and enlightening.

Mitch has done considerable work in developing his S.T.A.I.R.S®process of working through grief and it is accessible to anyone coping with the death of a loved one.  Many times clinical knowledge is not easily grasped by the bereaved and therefore unavailable to them.  The workshops that Mitch provides are both well researched and presented.  I believe that anyone would benefit from his work.

As an artist, Mitch has been able to bring his grief to life and gives the viewer an opportunity to experience not only Mitch’s grief, but to access their own as well.  His Twenty Faces of Grief® cards are an excellent tool for use with the bereaved.

I would recommend Mitch’s presentations to any audience.

If you need further information or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at the address below.

Sincerely Darcie

Darcie D. Sims, Ph.D., CHT, CT, GMS

From  Dr. Gloria Horsely

"While Mitch's wisdom is forged through the tragic loss of his beloved son Kelly James and his twin sister Sandy he radiates a light and beauty of spirit seldom seen on this planet. His book is a testament to the world that there is hope and healing after loss. This book is a must for anyone who is struggling to put their life back together following the death of a loved one" 

From John DeBerry   CHT, CT, GMS

Director, American Grief Academy
Grief Inc.
FAX (206) 339-5486

An Endorsement of “Proactive Grieving”

By John DeBerry, M.A., M.P.S., CT

Grief Counselor and Consultant

Chicago, IL

*            *            *

In my 25+ years of working in death and dying, grieving and bereavement and funeral service, I had not come across  Mitch’s term, “proactive grieving” nor did it ever occur to me until I attended his lecture.  Very innovative and very much on target! 

 We encourage people to accept responsibility in every other area of life; why not grieving?  In my opinion, Mitch’s model is exactly what needs to be available so grieving people can have a new choice to consider as they reconcile to their own losses.  Mitch gets the credit for putting it so precisely and concisely!  I commend him! 

For some years, it has concerned to me that grieving is being too much dominated by research and academics.  While they are options and certainly have their places, Mitch is a real man who has lived, and continues living, where the rubber meets the road.  He offers what he’s learned, developed and is now sharing.  He gives his audiences “Proactive Grieving,” S.T. A. I. R. S. and his other tools for the taking.    

While sitting but a few feet from Mitch when he was in Evanston, IL last year lecturing, I clearly recall how impressed I was, and continue to be, at his model that grew out of his personal and poignant experience.  Death ends a life; it does not end a relationship, as I have read.  He was suffering from “grief overload”; I know of no other way to accurately describe it.  Finally, by looking at his son’s photograph one day, his dam broke!  A tsunami of dramatic and traumatic thoughts and feelings came crashing over him and he was swept to a new and different place.  (These are my words, not his.)  The time had come when he decided to surrender to the process of his own multiple death experiences.  And the rest is history, I’m going to say.

In its powerful presence, we know grief has to “out” at some point, at some time and in some way.  To me, it had to have been the start of a new phase of Mitch’s life journey.   In his own time, in his own way and at his own pace, Mitch started doing what Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D. calls “reconciliation as healing.”  Out of the ashes of Mitch’s devastating experiences, a new paradigm was beginning to emerge.  He created it; he owns it and he’s ever so willing to share it.  This is all because Mitch was proactive.  You, are to be commended for inviting Mitch to come and spend time with you and your guests; all will all be the richer for it.  

John DeBerry

Book Reviews:  Letters To My Son 

· While Mitch's wisdom is forged through the tragic loss of his beloved son Kelly James and his twin sister Sandy he radiates a light and beauty of spirit seldom seen on this planet. His book is a testament to the world that there is hope and healing after loss. This book is a must for anyone who is struggling to put their life back together following the death of a loved one. - Dr's Gloria and Heidi Horsley hosts of the CBS-Open To Hope Show and founders of Open to Hope Foundation.

-Heidi Horsley, PsyD, LMSW, MS Licensed Psychologist & Social worker.

“ Letters to MySon is a wonderful book,Mitch is a passionate writer and gifted artist. His insights as a result of his tragic losses, have helped me find meaning in my journey as a bereaved parent. His book is a resounding testament to the fact that survivors of catastrophic loss can experience joy again and that our loved ones are never far away."

                    -David J.Roberts

              LMSW, CASAC, Author, writer,               hospice volunteer, social                       worker,addictions professional               and Jeannine’s dad

· Letters to My Son is beyond just inspirational. It has poems, essays, quotes, photographs, and artwork by Mitch. It reminds me of a symphony that balances many noble themes with those of deep despair. In the end it has its readers singing a chorus of joy with love that ties us to our Maker and each other. This is a book that makes us cry, laugh, feel inspiration, and rejoice in love. It’s a creative masterpiece dedicated to the Divine connection in us all. I highly recommend it to anyone.

                                 -Harry McDonald



                 Author of Touched by Love:

                             A Parable for Today

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 ·  Letters to My Son is an inspirational story of the Carmody family and their testimony of the healing power of faith, miracles, and love in reconciling the death of a child. With each essay and poem, the most intimate and painful aspects of grief are exposed and examined in a manner that is seldom recognized or understood by the non-bereaved. The Carmody’s story will touch your heart and challenge you to live a more conscious and compassionate life.

                                     -Carla Blowey, Author of Dreaming Kevin: The Path to Healing. Former editor of Living With Loss Magazine