Advocate Interviews: Michelle T.

How long have you been working at Carson’s Village?

I have been with Carson’s Village since March of 2022.

What do you find unique about working with Carson’s Village?

The thing I find most unique about working with Carson’s Village is the type of work that we get to do because with all the resources that we find and connect families to, I have yet to find another organization that does what we do, specifically. I also find that the uniqueness of what we do, becoming a “village for others,” is only possible because of the true cohesiveness and family-like structure of our team. It is rare to have as many team members as we do, in a single workplace environment, where each brings separate strengths and talents to the table and support the initiative so well. There is true respect for one another as teammates, and for the valuable work that we do for the communities that we serve.

To you, What does it mean to be an advocate?

To me, being an Advocate is about being the voice for those that have lost theirs; helping others do what needs to be done at a time that they may not have the fortitude and walking alongside them during what is one of the most vulnerable and tragic moments in their lives offering support and guidance with respect and dignity.

In one word, how would you describe working at Carson’s Village?

Impactful.

What is one piece of information regarding grief or end-of-life matters you wish more people knew?

I recently lost my Dad, and it is one of those single life experiences that completely changes you and the way you see your world, but death and grief are one of the few universal life experiences of all humans and it changes how everyone sees their own world even though their grief experience is different from anyone else. Walking, and learning, through my own bereavement, I wish more people knew that there aren’t “stages” to grief as many believe based on previous teachings/books/etc; it’s an outdated concept and I wish more people knew how harmful the ideology is to those walking through grief. Grief cannot be explained in stages. There are no stages. There are emotions with no order to follow. It is not consecutive; it is all-encompassing; every day. Sometimes in waves; sometimes not at all. Your grief cannot be explained by stages, but it can be explained by one word: Love. Grief is a whole lot of love with nowhere to go, and that doesn’t need to be explained by a “stage” or a process, it just is. However, grieving looks and feels for you on any given day at any given moment is right and your feelings are valid.