Michelle Davis – författare

Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book: What You Can Do Now to Advocate for Your Exceptional Child''s Education is a unique handbook that teaches parents how to work with schools to achieve optimal learning situations and accommodations for their child''s needs. From IEPs and 504 Plans, to IDEA and NCLB, navigating today''s school system can be difficult for even the most up-to-date, education-savvy parent. Special needs advocates Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis provide parents and professional advocates with concise, easy-to-understand definitions and descriptions of legal terms and school regulations, along with checklists, tips, questionnaires, and other tools.Topics covered in this handy guide include gathering accurate information about a child''s education, navigating school meetings, understanding education law, and best practices in the classroom, working effectively with parents and school systems, discovering educational options beyond the standard, and much more. Parents and advocates not only will feel informed by Weinfeld and Davis'' vast knowledge of the inner workings of the school system—they''ll be empowered to help their kids succeed in school.Educational Resource

Special Needs Advocacy Resource Book: What You Can Do Now to Advocate for Your Exceptional Child''s Education is a unique handbook that teaches parents how to work with schools to achieve optimal learning situations and accommodations for their child''s needs. From IEPs and 504 Plans, to IDEA and NCLB, navigating today''s school system can be difficult for even the most up-to-date, education-savvy parent. Special needs advocates Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis provide parents and professional advocates with concise, easy-to-understand definitions and descriptions of legal terms and school regulations, along with checklists, tips, questionnaires, and other tools.Topics covered in this handy guide include gathering accurate information about a child''s education, navigating school meetings, understanding education law, and best practices in the classroom, working effectively with parents and school systems, discovering educational options beyond the standard, and much more. Parents and advocates not only will feel informed by Weinfeld and Davis'' vast knowledge of the inner workings of the school system—they''ll be empowered to help their kids succeed in school.Educational Resource

A women''s fiction novel that includes a bit of mystery and romance, The Invitation shares the story of Marlee Ryan, a forty-six-year-old female from Philadelphia who ventures into the world of holistic healing and spirituality to complete an assignment for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Marlee dives deep into various practices, hoping to acquire the necessary knowledge to write this article. However, to her surprise, not only does she learn a great deal regarding these individual healing methods, but she also discovers her intuition, helping to heal past wounds and solve a murder mystery. 

Betrayal ... Desire ... Violence ... Fear ...

Though somewhat guilt-ridden from repeatedly lying to her husband, Nicki Keating''s anticipation of a passionate Valentine''s celebration with her lover overpowers all shame. But after arriving at his stunning mountain home, she encounters her darkest nightmare. Devastated and frightened, Nicki runs ... but to where?

Uncertainty ... Doubt ... Distrust ... Worry ...

Marlee Ryan, a part-time journalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, is married to an orthopedic surgeon and mother to sixteen-year-old Patrick, who is growing up more quickly than she''d like to admit. While writing comes easily to Marlee, she struggles with her most recent assignment addressing holistic healing opportunities in the Philadelphia area. After participating in several new age practices, Marlee realizes that not only do these spiritual wellness methods help her feel renewed, but they also assist in unearthing suppressed aspects of herself. However, these lessons quickly surpass personal development when Marlee and three friends travel to the Poconos for a getaway weekend. Unexpectedly intertwined in a murder mystery, the four women utilize newly discovered gifts to uncover missing pieces to the crime. This journey of self-realization guides Marlee to release the past, listen to her intuition, and embrace the uncertainty of her future.

After finally grasping that David, her boyfriend of two years, has no interest in marrying her-or introducing her to his six-year-old daughter-Ali Doyle''s emotions run rampant as she ends this romance and the notion of her life as Mrs. David Hendrix. This normally in control and reserved thirty-two-year-old woman becomes anything but. 

Enraged and embarrassed by her behavior during the breakup, Ali sequesters herself inside of her second-floor apartment, terrified she''ll bump into David at Genesis, a small company specializing in telephone software where she works as an engineer and he is lead counsel. So she feigns an illness, remaining safe at home.

However, Ali quickly realizes this is more than a retreat to nurse her broken heart and bruised ego. When she finally attempts to leave her apartment in Narberth, Pennsylvania, she freezes in the lobby, unable to walk outside of the building. For a while, Ali convinces herself that she''s fine. But ultimately, she accepts she is not. Alone and unwell-she let go of all friendships when she began dating David and rarely speaks with her family since her mother died-Ali''s isolation fuels her loss of self as well as her inability to leave the safety of her apartment. 

Yet slowly, Ali pulls herself out of her misery. She begins reading inspirational books and watching dog walkers from the front window of her apartment. Somehow, seeing the men and women passing by with their dogs helps Ali feel a connection to the outside world, creating some sense of normalcy in her life. In fact, she invents backstories to these individuals and their pets, pretending she knows them. However, one morning Ali notices that an elderly gentleman is missing from the morning walk he takes with two older women. They have his dog, a beautiful golden retriever, but he is nowhere in insight. Peering from her window and watching the ladies'' expressions, Ali knows something is wrong. 

Without hesitation, Ali offers to take the golden retriever. While shocked with her offer, the women sense a mutually beneficial solution to Ali''s and Josie''s problems. Not only does Ali "adopt" a three-year old golden retriever, but she also finds herself with mentors-two widowed sisters-in-laws who, through their wisdom and compassion, assist in Ali''s healing.

As Ali strives to rediscover her true self-through reading, meditation, and returning to running-she begins to blossom. She meets two sisters her own age and develops a strong bond with each, learning about true female friendships as she commits to run the Philadelphia Marathon with the younger sister. Yet, Josie is Ali''s biggest teacher. This dog-along with an unknown voice inside of Ali''s head-leads her to Nate.

While seemingly circumstantial at first, Ali finds herself face-to-face with one of her "Dog Walkers," an incredibly gorgeous man who walks past her, lost in his thought. After a second chance meeting, they connect. Eventually a dog walk "date" leads to dinner. Before she knows it, he''s cooking dinner for her at his house. But he''s not what she thinks. This pediatric oncologist is not some hot bachelor ... he''s a widower ... and dad to Bobby, his five-year-old son.

Ali''s life seemingly falls into place. She''s thriving at work, enjoying new friendships, training for a marathon, and falling in love with Nate and Bobby. But when Nate asks her to move in with him, she panics, fearful she''ll lose herself to a man, just as she had with David. Ali''s worked too hard to revert to who she was. Struggling to remain her true self-the person she''s recently discovered-she takes time to pause, reflect and decide what she wants. 

Despite warnings from the nagging voice inside her head, Marlee Ryan leaves the comfort and safety of her suburban Philadelphia home to travel to Costa Rica. She, Juliette Greene, Sophia Robbins, and Annie Thompson-who bonded during a weekend in the Poconos when they solved a murder mystery-are attending Elevar, a spiritual retreat designed to help participants find their dharma or life purpose. 

During the transit from the airport to the resort, they meet Maggie Carr. Within no time, the five women connect. While unsure what''s beneath Maggie''s sad eyes, Marlee feels this sweet, young architect from Pittsburgh needs nurturing ... and she''s more than willing to fulfill this role.

Through workshops, private healing sessions, group excursions, and one-on-one conversations, Marlee, Maggie, Juliette, Sophia, and Annie shift, discovering parts of themselves they had no idea existed. Courageously meeting with an intuitive healer, astrologer, channeler, sound healer, mystic, and shaman, they delve deep into their past, examine their limitations, and commit to moving toward a future that aligns with their soul''s purpose. 

However, while four women leave Costa Rica with a specific game plan, one is not so lucky. In fact, her world appears to fall apart, forcing her to dig deep, face her fears, and become brutally honest about what she wants.

This week-long retreat challenges each woman to face her truth and destiny. Owning their shadows, regrets, and insecurities, Maggie, Marlee, Sophia, Annie, and Juliette begin to make peace with their past, become open to new opportunities, and embrace their soul''s callings ... paving the way for them to become The Healers.