MELBOURNE: 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.