Bent Not Broken

Author Bio

Michelle Siegel was just eight years old when sexual abuse stole her innocence. But long before that, her childhood had already been shaped by instability, neglect, and fear. At the age of four, Michelle entered the Swiss welfare system, where she would spend much of the next fourteen years moving through children's homes and foster placements. Growing up with a severely mentally ill mother left wounds that followed her well into adulthood. Even now, more than four decades later, some of those scars have yet to fully heal. The effects of childhood trauma showed up in ways Michelle didn't always understand. Eating disorders, self-destructive choices, and a deep belief that she was somehow unworthy of love became constant companions. For years, she was surviving rather than living. Everything began to change when she met the man who would become her husband. Through patience, trust, and unwavering support, he helped her discover something she had never truly known: that she was worthy of love, capable of change, and deserving of a life defined by more than her past.

Bent Not Broken is a powerful story of resilience, self-discovery, and healing. Told with honesty, vulnerability, and moments of unexpected humor, it is a reminder that while life may bend us, it does not have to break us.

About the book

At eight years old, Michelle Siegel's innocence was stolen. But the wounds that shaped her life began long before that. Raised in the Swiss welfare system and burdened by a childhood marked by neglect, instability, and trauma, Michelle spent years struggling with eating disorders, self-destructive choices, and a deep sense of unworthiness. For much of her life, she was surviving rather than truly living.

Michelle Siegel was born in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1972 and moved to Los Angeles at the age of twenty-one. A personal trainer for nearly four decades, she has dedicated her career to helping people achieve their fitness goals. She earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Cleveland Chiropractic College and a Master's degree in Oriental Medicine from Samra University in Los Angeles. Today, she owns and operates The Sweat Box, a private training studio in Los Angeles.

Bent Not Broken is her first book.