Your Bloomwell Partners
“Janet and Mekel bring a deep sense of authenticity, compassion, and expertise to a topic that is often overlooked but deeply human. Their workshops are a perfect balance of practical and thoughtful.”
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Co-FounderA Tennessee-based licensed psychologist, speaker, and grief expert with 20+ years of experience helping people navigate and thrive in life’s imperfect moments.
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Co-FounderA seasoned change leader with 20+ years in organizational strategy and policy. Founder of The Motherlove Project, Janet brings a global perspective to grief support and culture change.
OUR STORIES
Mekel
I never anticipated shortly after beginning my career in academia that my beloved mother would die following a 30-day battle with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. Just a few weeks after her death, I found myself standing in front of a group of bright-eyed and eager doctoral students. While they felt hungry to learn from me, all I wanted to do was hide. However, my academic career was in its beginning stages, so I did what I thought I needed to do - simply push through the pain. And to be honest, it felt easier to do this because my grief went virtually unacknowledged in the workplace. It took months for a dear colleague to knock on the door to my office and ask to sit with me as I grieved ... and her presence made all the difference. For the first time since returning to work, I felt seen and cared for at work.
Unfortunately, just seven years later in a different employment setting, the shock of grief following my dad's sudden death was met with a telephone call from an interim supervisor just 48 hours after he died. When she inquired about my return to work, with little regard for my loss, I knew something had to change. A little less than two months later, I exited the corporate environment in search of better.
I found just that in my work as an entrepreneur and licensed psychologist, certified advanced grief specialist, author, speaker, and co-founder of Bloomwell. When Janet and I connected in 2022, I sensed a depth of understanding and her passion to effect change within the workplace. As she shared her grief story and professional expertise, I knew we could join forces to help better the experiences of grieving employees around the globe. And throughout the past three years, we have served organizations and helped cultivate grief-informed leaders. Why? Because no one grieving deserves to experience deafening silence or avoidance at work. Grieving is hard enough on its own.
I'm proud to offer my personal and professional wisdom alongside Janet.
The best is yet to come!
Janet
My journey with grief started when my mom, Cass, died of breast cancer on the day I graduated from high school. I was 18 and my entire world has just been turned upside down. Moving through the loss of the most important person in my life, I found myself alone and navigating the start of my university career. This was in 1995, before the internet or social media. I had few resources and even further outlets for my grief. I turned to overworking and actively avoided grieving for many years. In many ways, I thought I could outrun my grief if I just worked harder. It didn't take long before the mental and physical toll of those strategies caught up to me.
Over the last 17 years, I have climbed the ranks of a large public sector institution, from analyst to executive. I have led large-scale organizational transformation projects and major social policy initiatives. I mobilized large teams through a global pandemic, managing crises and implementing high profile, national programs. But, in June 2020, on the 25th anniversary of my Mom's death, I was caught in a grief whirlwind, unsure of how to navigate missing her for more than half my life. I decided that I wanted to honour her memory and write a bit about my own story, in the hopes that it might inspire other motherless daughters to do the same. That is how the Motherlove Project was born and after five years, over 120 women from around the world have shared their stories of love and loss. This is now a global platform for motherless daughters to connect, build community and feel seen in their grief.
Through this work, I have become a vocal and recognized grief awareness advocate and educator. I also know how tough being a manager can be, having led teams for over 12 years. The pressure is intense from all sides and in our post-pandemic world, managers are carrying a heavy load. Bringing these perspectives together, I knew I wanted to partner with Mekel to offer high-impact education about grief and loss to organizations. Together, we bring not only a wealth of expertise and experience, but also our own deeply personal understanding of what it means to be a griever.
Questions you may have.
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Grief-informed leadership is an approach that recognizes grief, whether from death, diagnosis, divorce, or layoffs, as a real and human experience that shows up in the workplace. It equips leaders with the awareness, empathy, and communication tools needed to support their teams during difficult moments, without avoiding or minimizing the impact of loss.
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Not at all. While we do support organizations during times of death, grief shows up in many forms - layoffs, serious illness, divorce, or even collective events that shake a team’s sense of safety. We help leaders and teams navigate all of these transitions with care, compassion, and clarity.
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Because ignoring grief comes at a cost. Unsupported grief can lead to decreased productivity, higher turnover, and damaged morale. On the other hand, employees who feel supported during loss are more likely to stay, engage, and contribute meaningfully to the culture. It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s a strategic decision that strengthens teams and retention.
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We work with a wide range of organizations - from small teams to large institutions - who want to build more emotionally intelligent cultures. Whether you’re in healthcare, education, tech, non-profit, or government, if you care about your people, we can help you support them through life’s hardest moments.
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Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) can be a helpful resource, but they’re often underused and too clinical or reactive for what teams need in the moment. Our work goes beyond referrals, we build internal capacity by training managers and shaping culture so that care becomes part of how your organization leads, communicates, and shows up every day.
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Every engagement begins with a conversation. From there, we tailor our approach to your needs - whether that’s a one-time workshop, a full manager training series, or consulting during a specific crisis. We blend research-backed tools with deep compassion to help your team feel supported and equipped to move forward, together.
PUBLICATIONS & PROJECTS
At Bloomwell, we don’t just teach grief literacy, we live it. Both of our co-founders have navigated personal journeys through loss, which continue to inform the work we do with leaders and teams. Through writing and creative projects, Mekel and Janet share their experiences in ways that resonate far beyond the workplace.
Relaxing Into the Pain
A Memoir by Dr. Mekel Harris
In this intimate and courageous memoir, Mekel explores the journey of loss following the death of her mother, offering readers a deeply personal and compassionate look at grief, faith, and healing. Her story invites others to find rest, not resistance, in the realities of pain, while embracing moments of peace, reflection, and transformation.
Get your copy today
Motherlove Project
A Grief Project by Janet Gwilliam-Wright
Mother Love is a global storytelling platform and digital community for motherless daughters. Through reflective essays, poetry, and curated resources, Janet offers a space for shared remembrance and connection. It’s a personal project born out of loss and rooted in the belief that grief is both unique and universal.'
Follow the Motherlove Project on Instagram
Events & Speaking
Dr. Mekel Harris and Janet Gwilliam-Wright are passionate about bringing empathy, grief literacy, and human-centered leadership into more rooms, whether it’s a conference keynote, panel discussion, workplace event, or leadership retreat.
Together or individually, they speak candidly about grief, loss, and the power of compassionate leadership in modern workplaces. With both lived experience and professional expertise, Mekel and Janet create space for honest dialogue, shared reflection, and practical tools that leave a lasting impact.
Looking to bring Bloomwell to your event, team, or community?