Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Craine.
Hi Ellen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I have been a clinical social worker for over twenty-five years. During this time, I have had a lot of professional experiences. My life totally changed in 2014 when my now nineteen-year-old was diagnosed with cancer at the age of eleven. Through this experience, I uncovered a passion to support my son and others on an integrative approach to healing. This included using an integrative medicine approach incorporating homeopathic and anthroposophical remedies, essential oils, and other treatment modalities in my son’s care. Two years after my son’s diagnosis, in 2016, just when we thought we could start living a “normal” life again, we were blindsided by my husband’s diagnosis with a stage IV inoperable glioblastoma (a brain tumor). My husband died six weeks from diagnosis. I write about these experiences in my first co-authored book, Women Who Empower, a #1 International Bestselling Book on Amazon. Through these experiences, I found my passion to help others on their lifelong journey through grief. Then, I was gifted with another story to tell when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020. In the #1 International Bestselling Book on Amazon, Women Who Dream, I write about the first year in my journey. This experience has added to my passion to assist others on their journey through grief. Through all of these experiences, I have come to understand that loss is not just death. It can be the diagnosis of an illness as well as so many other things. Any and all losses or life transitions can result in grief reactions which encompass many emotions, thoughts, and experiences all unique to who we are and yet similar. I was honored to be asked by my publisher, Kate Butler, of the Impact Book Series and Kate Butler books, to be in another co-authored book that became a #1 International Bestselling Book on Amazon called Leading with Legacy. In this book, I write about how we all have a light within us; we just need to find the right tools to help us find it. What works for one may not work for another. In addition, I am a #1 International Bestselling Author in the book Dear Younger Self. In my chapter, I write about finding my voice and how it is a lifelong journey. Through my writing, I hope to provide inspiration, empowerment, and support to anyone who needs it. Today, I am a social work ethics consultant, grief specialist, and trainer on a variety of topics for social workers and others. More information about my services can be found on my website at www.crainecounseling.com
Alright, 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?
No, it has not been a smooth road. It is not easy being a single parent raising two boys, who are now 19 and 23. There has been a sense of lack of fairness that their dad is not here to see them become the men that they are becoming and to share in their successes. It is difficult to not have him here when things are challenging in our relationships with each other. In addition, I faced challenges when my 19-year-old son had cancer with balancing time with both boys and having time with my husband. Going through treatment for breast cancer was very challenging. It provided all the expected medical challenges, but it was upsetting that my children had to watch me go through the things that I did and that they had to experience another cancer journey after all we had already been through.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
I am a licensed clinical social worker in the State of Michigan. I am a social work ethics consultant, grief specialist, and trainer. I provide training on a variety of topics related to social work ethics. In addition, I do trainings related to grief, self-care, and inspirational or motivational topics. What sets me apart from others is that I have the professional and personal experience to share from. In addition, I believe that many struggles that people have in their lives is related to losses they have experienced or are experiencing and that with the right tools, we can all find the inner light we need to guide us on our journey. My job is to help people find the right tools for them. My offerings include my books, workshops, one-on-one counseling, and social work ethics consulting.
What do you think about luck?
I do not think luck has anything to do with it. I think that my successes have been due to me being good at what I do, me being open to receiving the miracles that the universe has in store for me, and connecting with the right people at the right time. I believe every challenge, though difficult to often see in the moment sometimes, has gifts that are to be received if we remain open to them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.crainecounseling.com
- Instagram: ellenrostker
- Facebook: Craine Counseling and Consulting Group
- Linkedin: Ellen M. Craine
- Other: Facebook Group: Living Through Loss and Grief
