“I think this is so important… that’s why I so wanted to do this show.”
– Oprah
“Sheryl’s work was indispensable in helping me soothe and address my fears and anxieties around my engagement and approaching wedding day. Without her guidance, wisdom, and assurances, my overwhelm may have clouded what turned out to be one of the calmest and most incredible days of my life”
– Alanis Morissette
“When I was going through all my anxiety, I couldn’t sleep or eat, and I would just search the Internet for answers all night long. When I finally found your site, I was in tears after seeing other people were going through this and I was not alone. That message board was my lifeline for months. I truly can’t thank you enough for making me work through all the thoughts that were going through my head. I really married such a wonderful person. We are expecting our first child in July, so new adventure here we come!”
– Anna Minzel, Seattle, WA
“The value of Sheryl Paul’s work is priceless. Sheryl’s private counseling sessions are extremely helpful for all brides and grooms during this time of transition, and her books and Conscious Weddings E-Course provide confidential ways to receive her information and guidance so that you can have a joyous wedding and set the stage for a healthy marriage.”
– Debbie Orwat, Owner and Creative Director of Save the Date Events, Denver, CO
“Sheryl validated every feeling I had throughout the journey to my wedding day. She offered insights grounded in mythology and psychology that served to soften the storms within my evolving soul. She created a safe harbor for symbolic dreams, irrational behavior, and the general madness that threatens to overtake even the most prepared and in-love bride. I could not have gotten married in such a calm and centered way, assured that all the waves were a natural part of a very deep process, without the profound and truly caring work of Conscious Weddings.”
– Jessica Hicks, bride, San Francisco, CA
“When I found “The Conscious Bride” I was amazed at the explanations of the range of emotions one experiences during the engagement process. I was feeling so overwhelmed and confused, it was the only place where these emotions were discussed openly and with out blame on the relationship or individuals. “The Conscious Bride” and most importantly the phone counseling sessions with Sheryl were my only touchstones to understanding that what I was going through was somewhat “normal” and had less to do with my fiance and our relationship and more to do with my ability to go through the transition of marriage, clearly one of the biggest decisions of my life. I was unprepared for the depth of emotions I was facing, I felt alone and terrified. Our society does little to prepare us for this transition, in fact I believe it does the opposite in providing us with on-going mythology to the contrary. The engagement process of transition, from my point of view, seems to be almost a taboo subject that no one is able to discuss or acknowledge. I found “The Conscious Bride”, my phone counseling sessions with Sheryl and the message board on her website, to be incredibly insightful and helpful. I learned a great deal and have personally grown so much as a result of looking deeper into the emotions surrounding the transition to marriage.”
– Jessica, bride, Los Angeles, CA
“I found both the counselling sessions and the message board to be most helpful. It was great to see that so many other brides go through the exact same feelings, and it really validated my emotions to hear stories from other brides. In the beginning, I was so scared to tell anyone about my feelings for fear they would advise me to call off the wedding, which is the last thing I wanted. I never would have imagined that I would feel scared after becoming engaged, especially since I was pushing for the engagement and we had picked out a ring! If it wasn’t for the Conscious Weddings Web site, I would have surely called off my engagement and subsequent marriage, and missed out on one of the best, most rewarding relationships and experience that life has to offer. I have been married for nearly a month and I am so happy! Thank you, Sheryl, for offering an ear to listen to and a shoulder to cry on. The community is a safe place to explore all of the feelings and fears surrounding the journey into marriage and I’m so grateful for it.”
– Anna, Colorado Springs, CO
“I can honestly say that the entire process from start to finish was wonderful. I guess that one of the things that altered my feelings the most was how empowered Sheryl made me feel. While I once felt responsible for all the negativity I was feeling, I learned that it wasn’t ALL about me. She also made me feel normal, which was so huge at a time where I felt so incredibly alone. I felt listened to, understood, and most importantly, learned to trust myself…what a gift!”
-Nathalie de Fabrique, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
“Throughout my engagement period, I constantly reminded myself that “A wedding lasts a day, but a marriage lasts a lifetime.” Nevertheless, I still obsessed about every last detail of the wedding – even on the day itself! The event was a blur, and when the last guest left I felt completely numb. I thought to myself, “Ok, so I’ve married the man of my dreams, but what now?” I spent the duration of my honeymoon in tears, obsessing about the minor flaws of my wedding day and how I was unable to control them. On my first day back at work, I closed my office door and broke down. That’s when I called Sheryl. I don’t know how she understood me through my sobs, but she did! She assured me that my feelings of perfectionism, confusion and loss, although very painful, were not unique. Sheryl has a great gift for listening and setting expectations. She was my rock through a very difficult time. I certainly was not a “conscious bride,” but thanks to Sheryl, I am now a “conscious newlywed!”
– Newlywed, Chicago, IL
“The ability to be honest was the most helpful part of my counseling experience. The feelings one has that causes them to get involved with Conscious Weddings are feelings that society does not talk about or want to hear about. So, having a venue to discuss them openly and get feedback is great. The feelings are very uncomfortable and scary. Just having the Planner and reading that some of the “unheard” of thoughts are normal, is so comforting and helpful. I’m forever grateful for Conscious Weddings and the platform it gave me to explore and understand my feelings…and the strength to examine them. I cannot imagine where my head would be right now if I did not get involved with Conscious Weddings. Just thank you, thank you, thank you!
– Bride, New York
“The book opened the door for me to understand my feelings and the subsequent telephone sessions helped me in providing a more personal confirmation that my experience is understandable and common. In addition, it felt quite valuable to recognize that my perception of my wedding has more to do with my own ego than with the actual events. This was ultimately comforting as I know that my ego is something I can control (to a certain degree) and even possibly change, while how a given day unfolds and the mishaps that go along with it are things that are out of my personal control. However, it takes an outside perspective often to pinpoint that one’s ego is at the root of difficult emotions and I doubt that I would have figured this out on my own. It’s so much more tempting to want to point the finger to external causes. I have since been able to apply this to other parts of my life in a pretty constructive manner.”
– Newlywed, Geneva, Switzerland
“The validation I received that I am not alone in my feelings as a newlywed was the most helpful part of my experience with Conscious Weddings. I only wish I had known these feelings were coming before the wedding!”
– Allison Scott, newlywed, Knoxville, TN
“The most helpful part of the work for me was the simple acknowledgment of the unpopular notion that we CAN be kinda miserable during this time! It felt good to feel ‘normal’ and the tips about listening to your ‘gut’ were very helpful. Mine are very good now but they were NOT at peace when I read your book or talked with you. I didn’t want to face it nor admit it but it all came to a head. I was seeking help anywhere and everywhere to feel better which lead me to your book and then to the counseling sessions. It was a blessing in disguise. And now my gut is peaceful, relaxed, trusting, not afraid to take the risk of marriage again! Now that my gut feels everything is ‘right’ we have been able to relax about things, let our relationship evolve, and the intention of our relationship is evolving too. By the time we marry we will know very clearly our intentions and direction we will choose as a couple in life. Once an intention is chosen it is an ‘anchor’ in every storm and a reminder and a motivator as you’ve written! Our intial responses to that question were deep friendship, loyalty, passion, comfort, strong support. We are honing in on these areas and I think first and foremost we have grown closer by being best friends. The phone sessions worth every penny!”
– Kelly McMaster, Aliso Viejo, CA
“I think the most helpful thing about Conscious Weddings was to find out that what is happening to me is normal and that other brides also have the same experience. It is also very helpful to know that all these feelings and thoughts are not a sign that I should not get married or a sign that my marriage will fail. It was really helpful to have somebody (Sheryl) listen to me and understand my transition, and also I could express myself without any fear that someone could think that I don’t love my partner or that I am making a mistake. Just express my fears and thoughts without being judged. It was also very nice for me to have the sessions by e-mail becuase writing is a very useful tool to express and to let feelings and thoughts go out of my body. I found it helpful because I could read my sessions over and over again and I could remind myself that everything that was happening to me was normal, that they were not red flags, that it was part of a transition…”
– Bride, Mexico City
“As soon as I heard of Sheryl’s work, I immediately wanted to make contact with her. I don’t know of anyone working with the sacred side of the engagement for the bride and her family and bringing consciousness to the pre-wedding process. The work is powerful and essential; it has encouraged me to “give away my daughter” in a whole, complete way, grieving the changes in our relationship and celebrating her new role as wife.”
– Dan Viele, father of the bride, Santa Rosa, CA
“Conscious Weddings raised my level of consciousness around my pre-wedding emotions and made the wedding itself nothing but enjoyable. I plan on recommending this service to everyone who gets engaged!”
– Maria Tancredi, bride, New York
“Conscious Weddings did so much for me, but most importantly, it provided a sense of comfort that I was not alone. When a woman feels fear and anxiety surrounding her wedding, society automatically labels it as “cold feet” and the wedding should be called off immediately. I would agree, these are not feelings to be taken lightly, but there is so much more to it. Conscious Weddings was one of the few resources to explain why these feelings can surface in a seemingly healthy and loving relationship. Conscious Weddings allowed me an avenue to explore some of the areas in a woman’s life that might cause her reason to grieve her upcoming nuptials. Marriage is one of the most awesome and powerful commitment two people can make. With it comes a host of transitions that should be addressed so that a woman can understand why she may feel things in her experience that other women have not shared in theirs.
“I never expected to go through full-blown panic when it came to thinking about my future with my now husband. It was so strange since I always knew, even before we were in a relationship, that he was the person I wanted as a partner for the rest of my life. About four months before our wedding, some thoughts terrified me. What if our love doesn’t last? What if I am not a good wife? I am changing so much, this isn’t fair.
“What I discovered through Conscious Weddings was that these fears are normal and I would be able to be honest about my feelings. I was moving across the country, changing jobs, and leaving my single life behind when I was married. I was sad to lose the relationship I have always treasured with my immediate family and I didn’t think I could handle the change. I needed a chance and the permission to grieve. What I discovered was this had nothing to do with the love I have for my husband, but rather, all the changes I was about to encounter in my life. I wanted to be a little girl again and be safe in my parent’s arms with all of my old friends and life. Through the book and my sessions with Sheryl, I discovered that the engagement period- although joyous in many ways, is also a time to let go and say good-bye to your single life. As an independent woman, this was a hard process for me. It wasn’t that I needed to party and live the single life again, but I needed to be prepared for the feelings that may surface in those beginning years of marriage. In a sense, the engagement process for me was a death: an end to a season, a way of life. Of course there were reasons to be scared. And with this fear, the truth and love for your future spouse can be hidden.
“After working through some painful emotions and sad times, my truth became clear again. My love for my husband and joy towards our upcoming wedding resurfaced with even more strength. While all this is so important, the most helpful aspect of Conscious Weddings has come after our wedding. We celebrated a beautiful wedding and seem to grow stronger with each passing day. I can say that without Conscious Weddings and my grieving process during my engagement, I may not feel as strongly as I do today in our first months of marriage. I learned that although my changes were scary at first, change means growth and these changes can create an even stronger relationship. I knew changing my name would be difficult- and it was. But that’s OK and now, I feel better about that choice I made. I knew leaving my life where I consulted my parents on everything would be difficult- and it was. But that’s OK and now, I know we make decisions that are best for us first while we remain close to our families. These are just a couple of areas that I don’t think I would have been prepared for had I not dealt with this during my engagement. This again, are all the thanks to Sheryl and the amazing women I have met on the Conscious Wedding website. I consider them my personal friends, love them for their courageousness, and want to help them through their wedding transition, just as they have helped me.
“I feel like I have fallen in love with my husband all over again in a much different way and I know I have Conscious Weddings to thank for helping me sort through and FACE the difficult emotions that surfaced during our engagement. We are now looking forward to our journey, eager to create a marriage that is as joyous as our wedding day.”
– Leisha Masi Clendenen, Charlestown, RI
