Ligia M. Houben, MA, FT, FAAGC, CPC, CHT, is the founder of My Meaningful Life, LLC and executive director of The Center for Transforming Lives in Miami, FL where she consults with individuals and families; offers coaching/support groups and workshops. Ligia is a whole-hearted speaker in the field of grief & loss and life transitions. She has reached many people with her messages about transformation, meaning and personal growth. She is a Fellow in Thanatology: Death, Dying, and Bereavement and a Fellow of the American Academy of Grief Counseling. She holds a BA in Psychology and Religious Studies from the University of Miami, MA in Religious Studies and Graduate Certificates in Multidisciplinary Gerontology from Florida International University and in Loss and Healing from St. Thomas University. Her work has been centered in the area of grief and loss, expanding into meaning and growth. Ligia has a passion for life and believes all of us are able to fulfill our purpose if we can only change our attitude and beliefs.

Ligia has conducted workshops and seminars in English and Spanish, in the United States and Latin America. She has appeared on numerous radio and television programs, including CNN Español, NPR, NBC, and Univisión. A pioneer in working with Hispanics and grief, she authored the book Counseling Hispanics through Loss, Grief, and Bereavement: A Guide to Mental Health Professionals (Springer, 2011), which has been widely embraced as a helping manual in clinical settings, hospitals, and individuals. This book includes her system of transformation, The 11 Principles of Transformation™ which was introduced in her self-help book Transform Your Loss: Your Guide to Strength and Hope (Insight, 2009).  Ligia is also the author of Transforming Grief & Loss Workbook: Activities, Exercises & Skills to Coach Your Client Through Life Transitions (PESI, 2016).