About Michelle
MICHELLE CHAPPEL, Ph.D. (Princeton) was voted “Most Inspirational Psychology Professor” at UC Santa Cruz, but ditched academics to follow her childhood dream to be a singer-songwriter. Her songs have won numerous Billboard awards; been on the radio charts; and appeared on ABC, HBO, Encore, and Showtime. For the past decade she’s led creativity and innovation workshops and helped thousands of people on the road to personal fulfillment and success. She’s also served as an international research consultant for companies such as Virgilio, Google, eBay, TiVo, and Yahoo!
NEW CD RELEASE!
SHAKE IT UP has received 5 Billboard awards. The music video for the first single “No Place like Home” raised donations for the homeless across the U.S.A.
Let this uplifting blend of pop-folk-rock music inspire you to take a chance and follow your heart!
Overcoming Adversity
Born in a small rural village in France, the young Michelle Chappel was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, where she suffered under the unseen shadow of child abuse. Through sheer determination, she was able to escape to schools in other states by winning scholarships, and eventually got a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Princeton.
As a professor she quickly gained a dedicated following of students who were inspired by her playfully rebellious teaching style. But deep inside she began to hear her long forgotten melodies calling her on a quest to heal her broken child spirit, and recover the crushed blossom of her musical brilliance.
Her songs, workshops, and music videos are a testament to the journey we all must take to shine as our true selves.
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Welcome
This website contains lessons, inspirational songs, music videos, and other content to help you discover your true calling, build the courage to go after your dreams, persist through setbacks, and accomplish your aims.
The guidance is simple, and it works!
Lesson of the Month:
It’s Never Too Late (or Early) to Follow Your Heart!
It’s Never Too Late (or Early) to Follow Your Heart!
There is no set path to the American Dream, according to Debra Shigley, Psychology Today, Dec 2011. We’re starting companies at young ages (just look at Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook). We’re also starting families and restarting careers at older ages than before. For example, Martin Levin followed his dream to go to law school at 61, and still practices law today at age 92.
The door of possibility is wide open. You may as well go for the career, hobbies, and relationships that give you real joy. Watch this pep talk-music video to learn more about how to rediscover old talents and uncover new ones and truly live.
Endorsements
- Michelle’s music heals. I haven’t seen anything like Michelle since I interviewed Shakti Gawaiin (author of Creative Visualization), and John Gray (author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus) before he made it big. She’s a star. Emmy Moore Minister, host of the TV show Voice of the Valley
- The message that we should be who we really are permeates Michelle Chappel’s music. She instructs us not to mold ourselves to fit the expectations of our parents, teachers, bosses, or anyone else, but instead to realize our authentic selves. This message follows and amplifies the greatest psychologists and counselors of the 20th century—people like Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, and Viktor Frankl. David Felman, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and author of The End-of-Life Handbook
- In a world filled with “cookie cutter” recording artists, Michelle Chappel stands head and shoulders above the crowd. Greg Edmunson, music composer for the hit TV series King of the Hill
- The attractive woman has a goal to help others through her music, as well as her work in her chosen educational focus. Her all-original CD is titled “Shake It Up,” and it really is more than refreshing. A number of Chappel’s songs have hit written all over them. I especially like “Flying Free.” Beth Peerless, CD review for The Monterey Herald.
- Michelle’s keynote speech to ISC young men and women, and their parents, was uniformly and exceptionally well-received. It was touching and uncommon, just as uncommon as her taking time to come up and do this program, Michelle will always have a place in our hearts for who she is and what she does. Her true light shone that evening. Raj Paul
- The songwriting (SHINE) is strong and Michelle has a fantastic sound that occasionally reminds me of Lucinda Williams whom I used to go hear at bars in Austin before she became a star. Daniel Gilbert, Ph.D., Harvard professor of psychology and international best-selling author of Stumbling on Happiness
- Michelle has really hit a chord with people. Just about everyone says she’s the best instructor they ever had, and that her classes have changed their lives. Judy Rose, Director of Humanities, University of California, Santa Cruz Extension
- Michelle’s creativity transforms lives. In her workshops, music, and consulting, she touches our hearts to reveal powerful new possibilities. Diane Dreher, Ph.D. , author of The Tao of Inner Peace