Excited to Share: My Third Feature in Candlelight Magazine's Issue 009!
- Jun 3
- 2 min read
By: Waiting Room Publishing Issue 008
Published: June/July 2026
Hello everyone,
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve been featured once again as an expert contributor in Candlelight Magazine Issue 009!
This marks my third time participating as the expert in their thoughtful “Dear Candlelight” column, whereI respond to real letters from readers navigating grief and loss.
Each time I contribute, I feel more connected to this beautiful platform and the community it serves. Candlelight Magazine creates a gentle, honest space for conversations around grief—conversations that are so often needed but can feel hard to start.
Being invited back is deeply meaningful to me. It’s an honor to hold space for readers’ heartfelt questions and offer compassionate, practical insights drawn from both clinical experience and the realities of human healing.In this issue, I respond to several brave submissions about processing grief. Topics touch on the unique ways loss shows up in our lives, the importance of giving ourselves grace, and gentle ways to support our nervous systems through the ups and downs of bereavement, and how grief coincides with trauma recovery and nervous system work. Grief is not linear, and there is no universal timeline—my hope is that these responses help readers feel seen, validated, and a little less alone.
I’ve poured care and intention into every reply, and I’m proud of how this feature continues to evolve. Collaborating with the Candlelight team and Waiting Room Publishing has been a true joy; their commitment to making grief-aware content accessible and human-centered shines through in every issue.
You can view the full digital edition here:
If you or someone you know is walking through grief, I encourage you to explore Candlelight Magazine. Whether it’s this issue or past editions, it’s a resource filled with personal essays, expert advice, poetry, and stories that remind us healing is possible even in the midst of pain.Thank you for following along on my journey and for supporting work that centers compassion and connection.
If you read the feature, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
With warmth and gratitude,
Michelle Smith, LMHC, LPC, LCMHC
Licensed Therapist | Grief-Informed Care
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