Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandi Atmore.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sandi. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in Upstate New York in what would appear as a nice middle-class family. However, behind closed doors it was a different story. I was physically, verbally and sexually abused for most of my childhood. I was raped several times starting at the age of five until the age of thirteen by many different men both in and out of my family. Unfortunately, family image was more important then truth as all of the abuse was encased in a cloak of denial and I was left to believe that all the bad things that were happening to me were my fault.
By the time I was a teenager I had suppressed most of the sexual abuse and minimized the other experiences. On my life journey, I vacillated between drug and alcohol use and extreme physical exercise. I was also very driven and did excel in my corporate career.
In the early 2000s, though still vocationally successful, I had experienced a murder attempt (an ex-boyfriend tried to kill me) and I was smoking methamphetamine every day. I felt lost, hopeless, confused and finally began to look at what may have brought me to this place.
Facing the abuse of my childhood was painful and frightening. However, after taking steps to bring the abuse to light and reporting one of my main abusers, I walked away from a three and a half year meth addiction (literally overnight) and joined a healthy faith community.
Though I was no longer using drugs and was surrounded by healthier people, my heart was still broken and I was riddled with depression and anxiety. That is when I was led to the Grief Recovery Method program by a dear friend. It had never dawned on me that all of the traumatic events in my childhood were experiences that needed to be grieved. I had lost innocence, love, connection, control, boundaries, nurturing, parenting, family and identity. Walking through Grief Recovery and grieving all of the experiences and relationships that had contributed to my pain was both terrifying and freeing. I began to experience life in the present moment and my depression and anxiety lifted.
In 2010, though newly married, I decided to resign as co-owner of my corporate business and get Certified to facilitate the Grief Recovery Method. Over time I added Life Coaching and childhood trauma specialty. Today, I own Grief Unchained and have a private office in Granada Hills, CA. I am also a speaker and am about to publish my first book, which not only relates the story of my painful childhood but also my journey of healing.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Because my healing journey is what led to my current profession, I had many challenges in facing my own pain and believing that I could experience something good and powerful in my own life. I had been conditioned to believe that I was forever a victim and that I was powerless. Even after emotional healing these negative beliefs often plagued me.
When I first when into full-time practice as a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist in 2012 I had vision. Yet, my larger obstacle was me. I held beliefs inside that were completely counter to my vision. I was also over forty and just starting a new business. I was riddled with doubt and fear. I nearly quit on several occasions simply because I didn’t believe I would have any success.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Grief Unchained – what should we know?
I am the sole owner and operator of Grief Unchained. Grief Unchained provides Grief Recovery and Life Coaching services (which help people learn how to grieve the over 40 different types of loss that one can experience in their lifetime).
As a company, I am very proud of the hundreds of people who have been helped through significant loss and pain. People who have felt that no one understood and that there was nowhere to turn.
What sets Grief Unchained apart from others is that the people I work with report significant improvement in their quality of life. Unresolved grief can show up as depression, lack of energy, illness, out of the moment, anger, relational issues, isolation, vocational frustration and the feeling of being stuck just to name a few. Addressing grief can alleviate these symptoms.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Because I have personally walked through incredible emotional pain, overwhelming negative belief systems and interpersonal turmoil and now live a life of freedom and hope, I bring a level of compassion and understanding that creates safety and hope for my clients. This characteristic means that I have blazed a trail that others can follow in their own way. This characteristic also means that I did not give up, even when it was difficult.
Contact Info:
- Address: Grief Unchained, LLC
17715 Chatsworth Street, Suite 210
Granada Hills, CA 91344 - Website: www.griefunchained.com
- Phone: 323-698-5570
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandi_atmore/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandiatmore/
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