Becoming the
Light I Needed
about me
Welcome to A Light in the Chaos. My name is Val, and like many, I’ve faced seasons of life that seemed impossible to navigate. Through the unimaginable loss of my partner, Derek, and the grief of losing many loved ones, I found that healing didn’t mean erasing the pain—it meant discovering my light within it.
I support people who are grieving, overwhelmed, anxious, or rebuilding their lives after significant loss, heartbreak, or major transitions. Through grounded tools, emotional clarity, somatic practices, and self-reconnection, I help you create a life that feels steady again.
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As an inspirational speaker, storyteller, and guide, I now help sensitive, soul-led people find peace and clarity during life's hardest moments. My work is built on the belief that even in the darkest times, we can transform our experiences by shifting the way we see them. Through courses, words, and tools for self-reconnection, I’ll help you find your light—just as I did.
I believe self-work ripples out into everything we do. It helps us connect through compassion, to offer laughter and love in difficult times, and ultimately, to see that we’re not alone in our struggles.
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A Light in the Chaos was born in 2012, starting as a blog chronicling my life as a widow and my journey through deep loss. What began as a path through personal grief transformed into something larger—a way to help others find healing in the chaos of their own lives.
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Healing isn’t about fixing yourself—it’s about coming home to yourself, one step at a time. And I’m here to walk with you through it.
My journey to finding light in the unimaginable began with unimaginable loss. I lost my mother before the age of ten, stepping into the role of caregiver—and best friend—for my maternal grandmother.
By the time I was 36, I had lost both parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and many other loved ones. Despite carrying more grief than most, I managed to maintain a sense of normalcy in my work and everyday life—until the man I loved died suddenly, shattering the world I knew.
Grief cocooned my heart. I used work as a distraction, ignoring the physical and emotional toll of unprocessed pain. My body and spirit began to break down. Therapy helped—but only on the surface. I kept going through the motions until one night, I dreamed of Derek. In that dream, he asked if I was ready to give up and come with him.
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In an instant, my life flashed before me—every moment of love, laughter, friendship, and purpose. And I remembered: in spite of the darkness, I had built something beautiful. I had been choosing, over and over, to find light in the chaos.
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For a long time, I had told myself a story: that my life didn’t have meaning without him. But stories can be rewritten. I began a new chapter by embracing all parts of myself—even the ones I used to hide.
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I needed the darkness to find the light. Tragedy may have
co-written the beginning of my story, but now, I’m holding the pen. Today, I honor the past, live fully in the present, and help others find meaning, beauty, and light—no matter what they’re facing.
Sharing My Story of Loss
learning to own my narrative...
Mastering My Practice
my credentials...
Throughout my journey, I’ve become an international spiritual teacher, grief counselor, speaker, mentor, and Reiki Master, devoted to helping others reconnect with their light, embrace their authentic selves, and find peace that once felt unimaginable.
The people I work with learn how to calm their nervous system, gain emotional clarity, and rebuild their sense of self with compassion and steadiness.
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I am an Ordained Minister and a certified Usui Reiki Master and Teacher. Under the guidance of spiritual mentor Gale Haas, I completed The Masters' Way, a three-year course developed by international spiritual teacher In’Easa Mabu Ishtar and the Ascended Masters. This profound training teaches students how to understand energy and live from the power of light and love in everyday life. I am now an accredited teacher of this life-changing program.
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I’ve also completed Open to Channel, an advanced course (also by In’Easa Mabu Ishtar) focused on deepening intuition and building a conscious relationship with the higher self. These teachings have become central to how I support others in their healing and transformation.
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With more than 20 years of experience in the media and creative industries, I deeply believe that creativity is a spiritual tool. Through writing, music, and storytelling, I help people gently explore the pain-bodies—emotional imprints formed from fear, trauma, and loss—and guide them in transforming those experiences into strength, compassion, and love.
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I am a Lightworker—by birth and by choice. In addition to my formal training, I have lived the path. I have navigated trauma, tragedy, and the depths of grief. I know what it means to spiral into depression and numbness. But I also know what it means to rise, to heal, and to remember the power we each hold to reclaim authorship of our lives.
Joy is possible, even after deep loss. I’m living proof of that.
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I’m here to walk beside you as you find your own light in the chaos. Together, we will gently uncover and embrace the parts of you that feel alone, fearful, or forgotten. We’ll co-create a path forward—one filled with beauty, meaning, healing, and freedom.
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I will illuminate the way and hold space for you—until you are ready to light it yourself.
a few of my favorite things...
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Creamy coffee, matcha and turmeric lattes.
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Anything by the water.
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My puma sneakers.
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Video games, old movies and music of all kinds.
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Natural sunlight & the smell of coconut on
sun-kissed skin. -
The after-magic that a storm brings, making everything look fresh & new.
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Long drives & taking back roads to discover new places and meet new people.
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Good food and laughing with friends.
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Traveling! Maine, Vienna, New Zealand,
Machu Picchu… I can spontaneously get up &
go anywhere. -
Crystals, synchronicity, angel and oracle cards.
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Looking up at the stars in amazement of the Universe.
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Helping people heal.
