Check Out Gabreelynn Daniels’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabreelynn Daniels.

Hi Gabreelynn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hey Loves! My name is Gabreelynn, but everyone knows me as Bree. I’m a licensed therapist, CHD/chronic illness advocate, and a woman of faith who is thriving while living with multiple lifelong illnesses. I was born with a congenital heart defect called Atrial Septal Defect. My journey has also included living with Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD), and Sickle Cell Disease (SCD, Sickle Cell Beta Plus Thalassemia). These diagnoses have shaped much of my life, but they’ve never defined my worth or diminished my passion for creating spaces of healing, inspiration, hope, and joy.
I once heard that when you have a story, you must tell it. We all have our own stories, and each of us has something unique to offer this world. My drive to give back to others was developed at birth. I wasn’t supposed to live, wasn’t supposed to survive, and certainly wasn’t supposed to thrive.
My entrance into this world was something straight out of a television show. I was born in my mother’s bed at six months in Inglewood, California. I weighed just two pounds, had no lungs, was still in the sac, and later doctors discovered two holes in my heart. Since then, I’ve undergone six heart surgeries, four of them open-heart. My last surgery, in December 2014, gave me an artificial mechanical heart valve. Despite these challenges, I grew up as a regular child, learning early on to be self-sufficient and never use my condition as a crutch.
I started my blog, Thee Heart of the Matter, in spring 2015 while recovering from my fourth open-heart surgery. I had just finished my first semester of graduate school and wasn’t supposed to return that spring, but I did. Since I couldn’t work, my compromise with my cardiologist and my mom was to attend class and come straight home to rest. For someone whose calendar is always full, slowing down was hard. But that season taught me the importance of healing, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.
Writing became my solace. It has always been my outlet for creative expression, whether journaling, poetry, short stories, or sharing travel experiences. Blogging felt different this time, it felt purposeful. Thee Heart of the Matter was born from that stillness, a space of reflection and renewal, and became a way to share my story and connect with others navigating their own healing journeys.
Over time, that passion blossomed into my work as a therapist, advocate, chronic illness content creator. I’ve made it my purpose to help others feel seen, understood, and supported especially those living with chronic illness or carrying invisible pain. Today, I weave my personal story into my professional calling as a licensed therapist. Through this, I hope to remind others that even in the midst of uncertainty, there is still room for joy, healing, and becoming who they were always meant to be.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey has not been a smooth road. Living with multiple chronic illnesses comes with daily physical challenges, hospital visits, surgeries, and the uncertainty of what the next day may hold. There have been times when I’ve had to slow down completely, missing out on experiences I wanted to be part of, and learning to accept help when I’ve always been self-sufficient, and even taking a year-long medical leave, I felt the weight of falling behind.
Beyond the medical challenges, there have been emotional and mental hurdles: moments of isolation, frustration, and fear. Recovering from surgeries while balancing school, work, and life often felt overwhelming. But those struggles shaped me, taught me resilience, and fueled my passion to create spaces of healing, inspiration, and hope for others. I’ve learned that the road may be bumpy, but every challenge is also an opportunity to grow, serve, and thrive in ways I never imagined.
Since I was diagnosed as a baby, I don’t remember life before illness. It’s all I’ve ever known — attending doctor appointments, navigating procedures, hospital stays, and limitations long before I had the words to explain them. What I do remember is growing up always aware that my body had different needs. I knew my heart couldn’t keep up like other kids’, that I had a scar down my chest that drew questions, and that I had to rest when others ran free. That knowledge shaped my emotional world early on, yet my mother always reminded me not to use my condition as a crutch, but as a source of motivation and strength.
As I’ve gotten older, new diagnoses have entered the picture, each bringing waves of frustration, grief, relief, and ultimately, acceptance. I’ve realized that real strength includes softness, rest, asking for help, and embracing the body I was given, even on hard days. I’ve learned to feel my feelings fully while still believing in beauty beyond the pain.
Some of the biggest challenges haven’t just been physical; they’ve been emotional and spiritual. Living with chronic illness means navigating fear, medical gaslighting, grief over missed milestones, and uncertainty about the future. It also means managing not only symptoms, but expectations: my own and those of others. There were seasons when I felt like I was falling behind, carried guilt for needing rest, or feared advocating for myself in medical spaces where I wasn’t always heard.
Over time, I’ve done the inner work. Therapy, self-awareness, and trusting God wholeheartedly have taught me that healing doesn’t always mean being “fixed.” Sometimes, healing looks like acceptance and redefining progress. It’s recognizing that rest is radical, boundaries are brave, and slowing down is sacred. As a therapist, I’ve had to practice the same compassion I offer others. Professional training helped me name what I was experiencing, but it’s my lived experience that taught me how to walk through it with grace, honesty, and resilience.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), chronic illness advocate, and content creator. My work focuses on trauma-informed care and crisis intervention, supporting at-risk and trafficked youth as well as individuals living with chronic illnesses or navigating trauma. I specialize in supportive psychotherapy, creating safe spaces where people feel seen, understood, and equipped with tools to manage not only their mental health but also the emotional and practical challenges that come with chronic conditions.
I’m known for blending my professional expertise with my personal experience living with multiple lifelong illnesses has given me a perspective that allows me to connect deeply with my clients and audience. I often share strategies for self-care, emotional resilience, and navigating complex medical journeys, all while emphasizing the importance of hope, joy, and purpose even in the midst of challenges.
When I reflect on my journey, what I’m most proud of is how I’ve turned my lived experience into purpose. I’ve transformed pain into something meaningful, creating content that blends advocacy with comfort and joy, mental health tips during the hard times, and building safe spaces for others navigating life with chronic illness. I’ve learned to honor my health without sacrificing joy, and to treat myself with the same gentleness I offer to others. I’m not just surviving, I’m thriving, and doing it on my own terms. That’s a kind of growth I’ll never take for granted!
What sets me apart is that I don’t just offer clinical guidance, but I offer lived experience, empathy, and a belief that even in difficult circumstances, growth, joy, and thriving are possible. Whether it’s through therapy, advocacy, or content creation, my mission is to help people feel empowered to embrace their stories and create meaningful, healing-centered lives.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
When I think about risk, I don’t just see it as doing something scary, I see it as an act of faith. For me, risk often means stepping into the unknown and trusting that God is guiding me toward something greater. Living with chronic illness has taught me that life itself is unpredictable, so every decision from pursuing higher education to sharing my story publicly carries its own kind of risk.
One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was choosing to be vulnerable and use my voice. When I first started sharing my story online, I wasn’t sure how people would respond. It meant opening up about deeply personal parts of my life: my health, my surgeries, my mental health, and moments of weakness. But that risk turned into purpose. It allowed me to connect with others who felt unseen or unheard, and reminded me that authenticity is one of the most powerful forms of courage.
It also gave me a beautiful sense of community with other heart, CGD, and sickle cell warriors. For the first time, I was able to connect with people who truly understood my pain and experiences not because they read about it, but because they’ve lived it too. That kind of understanding is healing. It reminds you that you’re not walking this journey alone.

Through every risk I’ve taken, I’ve learned the importance of trusting God through the process. There have been moments when I didn’t have all the answers or even the strength to move forward, but my faith reminded me that obedience and trust are often the first steps toward purpose.
I’ve learned that risk doesn’t always mean leaping without fear sometimes it’s about taking one small, steady step forward despite the fear. Whether it’s advocating for myself in medical spaces, creating new opportunities, or pursuing my dreams even when my body says rest, I’ve learned that every risk rooted in faith, purpose, and growth is always worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theeheartofthematter.com/
• Instagram: theeheartofthematter
• Other: TikTok: theeheartofthematter

Image Credits
Sahmia Parks and Whitney Lauren