This month, I’ve been slowly chipping away at a memoir called “Hush”. It’s a short book that I thought I’d smash through. Not the case at all. Each chapter cleverly stretches your mind into a labyrinth of reflections.

For a memoir, ‘Hush’ is written with refreshingly little ego. Expect to be nudged and to get curious about your own identity, family secrets, and existing relationship patterns — all of which are typically underpinned by fascinating currents of generational trauma.

This work plays an important role in better understanding the invisible baggage of trauma in ourselves and our fellow human beings. An area that deserves increased curiosity and compassion.

– Ciara Lancaster, Re-imagine Change Speaker

Family secrets and trying to work out your feelings of abandonment. Dysfunctional relationships with people that you can’t seem to let go of. Many will find similarities to their own stories in Michelle Scheibner’s memoir ‘Hush.’

Michelle’s research serves as a poignant backdrop, illuminating the profound influence of the stories we inherit, both those shared and those left untold, and the narratives we construct within ourselves. It also delves into the intriguing concept of stories embedded in our very DNA, adding a unique layer to the memoir’s exploration of family dynamics.

But it’s Scheibner’s pacy narrative that will keep you turning the pages.

— Muriel Cooper, Psychologist and Author

My first thoughts when I finished reading were what a fabulous framework for people who want to explore themselves and their vulnerabilities. Michelle has created a step-by-step guide for others to explore for themselves. 

Looking back now, I am in awe of her bravery and courage. She allows others to see her as a true human being, virtues and flaws unashamedly laid bare in a remarkably lucid, easy to read and intelligently honest way.

— Gloria Lew Psychologist Family Therapy

Hush was an insightful and vulnerable memoir which made for an easy read, despite containing many heavy themes and events. Whilst many people might not relate to specific events in this book, I believe many would have experienced family secrets, and the significant impact they have on their psyche. As an avid reader of historical fiction and trauma research, this book has resonated with me, and I have been left pondering Michelle’s words in the weeks since I finished reading it.

— Alex Trichilo, Speech Pathologist, Neuroscience student

Michelle has written a brutally honest, heartfelt memoir of self-discovery. She makes real the concepts of inherited trauma and epigenetics in a way no academic book could ever do, while deftly weaving through introductions to many of the prominent thinkers and writers on these topics. Hush is essential reading for anyone with an interest in how family secrets and difficult pasts can deeply affect the lives of future generations.

— David Brewster, Ghost Writer and Editor

Michelle’s brave memoir of family secrets brings to life the long-ranging influence of our multi-generational family story. Readers will sense the depth of their own family’s story as they read, and take heart from seeing that, as Michelle discovers, it was about love all along.

— Andrew MacDonald, Family Constellation and Men’s Coach

Michelle’s exploration of her life and story in Hush shines a beautiful and important light on how significantly and comprehensively our lives are connected.

The stories we each have, and how those stories have been written and told, show that our communities are overflowing with unknown truths, crafting a broad tapestry of colour and shade. Sharing vulnerably, as Michelle does so eloquently and courageously, is a key factor in building quality relationships, and Hush is evidence as to how we can do that.

— Ben Smith, CEO Mornington Community Centre

I finished Hush and breathed a sigh of relief. Michelle’s story stops the hamster wheel of trying to find out what might be wrong with us now, and instead places the focus on how previous generations shape the future of those down the ancestral line – good and bad. Her story has helped me accept why and who I am, with more compassion and understanding for myself and my ancestors – who were all doing life the best way they knew at the time.

– Gina

Wonderfully raw, emotionally challenging, educational and entertaining story. I have marked so many pages that I want to return to and use as inspiration to explore my own story of hidden family secrets. Without doubt a definite 5 star book for me.

– Mary

From the first page, Hush had a profound impact on me. It stirred reflections that had long been dormant, pushing me to ask myself: What is my story? What will my legacy be? How might my life shape the lives of those who come after me? Inspired by the book’s message, I took the tangible step of undertaking DNA testing with my family—seeking a deeper understanding of my heritage and the history closest to my late mother. This journey into my own genetics felt like an extension of the author’s exploration in Hush, bridging the connection between past and future generations in my own family story.

Michelle Scheibner invites each of us to explore not only who we are but also the weight and meaning of what we leave behind. For anyone seeking to understand their identity and legacy more deeply, Hush is an essential read.

– Mel Jay