Author offers advocacy, healing and hope for affected families and caregivers
QUEENSLAND, Australia, July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In an industry where literature and medicine can rarely intersect from a spiritual perspective, a new book shares an exploration of neurogenetic impairments, blending practical clinical insights from a 30-year counseling career with a narrative tracing a family across generations.
In “Gentling Soul: A Legacy of Love,” author El Alma seeks to answer if there is a spiritual purpose behind genetic anomalies. Writing from the perspective of an eternal soul named Asina, the author bases a theological framework in historical realism. The story transitions from a heavenly conclave of souls to the historical migration of an Irish family to Australia in the mid-19th century, tracking how the lineage adjusted to physiological and neurological changes over two centuries. “Gentling Soul” has already won awards from the Christian Book Awards and the American Writing Awards, as well as recognition from the US Review of Books and AuthorShout.
“This story is a history of genetic disabilities in a family,” said El Alma. “I chose to work as a counsellor with those who have a disability, those who have a child with a disability and those whose partner or family have genetic disabilities. I was drawn to this area of work through my own family experiences with disabilities.”
The book follows a ten-year-old girl named Hana as her family flees crop failures in Ireland to build a new life in Australia. As their lineage expands, subsequent generations experience an unnamed neurogenetic disorder that impacts the family’s daughters with heightened sensitivities, learning hurdles, social awkwardness and physical coordination challenges. In modern times, Asina confronts positive diagnostic testing across her family, transforming personal grief into an institutional framework of care, workshops and specialized counseling for disability support workers and parents.
El Alma rooted her book in real-world systemic advocacy, serving as an informative text addressing the daily realities of neurogenetic conditions. It catalogs specific phenotypes, including low muscle tone, balance impairments, language obstacles, sensory hyperarousal and gaze avoidance, while demonstrating concrete educational and psychological interventions.
“Gentling Soul: A Legacy of Love”
By El Alma
ISBN: 9798385052066 (softcover); 9798385052073 (hardcover); 9798385052059 (e-book)
Available at Balboa Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the author
El Alma, holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Counseling specializing in Disabilities. She has dedicated more than 30 years as a professional counselor working alongside families managing relationship adjustments, traumatic loss, and generational burdens linked to genetic disability diagnoses. Now semi-retired, she provides spiritual guidance from her home in regional Queensland, Australia, where she lives with her husband of over 50 years. Her previous book, Becoming Soul: Seven Steps to Heaven (2020), won several accolades, including the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award and the Author Shout Reader Ready Award. To learn more, please visit www.gentlingsoulelalma.com.
General Inquiries:
LAVIDGE – Phoenix
Ziggy Goldfarb
zgoldfarb@lavidge.com
SOURCE Balboa Press Australia