Embracing Life: One Stage at a Time

Embracing Life: One Stage at a Time

An Inspirational Memoir of a Latin Jazz Singer and Mental Health Therapist From the thrill of the stage to the quiet strength of the counseling room, Adela’s life is a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the power of second chances. A world-traveling vocalist turned therapist, she’s faced heartbreak, rediscovered love, and returned to music with renewed purpose. Told with honesty, humor, and heart, this memoir follows her traveling journey from spotlight to self-discovery, from loss to a life reimagined. For anyone navigating change or wondering if it’s too late to chase a dream, this is your invitation to begin again—one stage at a time. Whether you’re stepping into the lights or into a new season of life, each moment holds the power to heal, grow, and find joy. Whatever life brings, on or off the stage—the show must go on. Adela Dalto Moraux, M.A., MHC, is a mental health counselor, vocalist, and world traveler who has visited over forty countries. She is the author of The Young Woman's Empowerment Journal; a workbook designed for high school students. To address the lack of role models and the high rates of suicidal ideation among young women, she created the website www.MujeresLatinas.com in 1997 to amplify the voices of notable Latinas as mentors and role models. She continues to advocate for women's empowerment.With a bachelor's degree in music performance, Adela has released four Latin Jazz CDs: A Brazilian Affair, Papa Boco (released in Japan as Peace), Exotica, and La Crème Latina. She is featured in Latin Jazz: The First of the Fusions, 1880s to Today and The Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide. Her performances include New York's Rainbow Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Blue Note, and Birdland. She has also appeared at major festivals, including the Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Festival and the Clearwater Jazz Festival, as well as events across Europe, Latin America, Japan, Indonesia, Egypt, and the Caribbean.After a decade-long hiatus from singing to earn her master's degree and work as a mental health therapist, she returned to performing. She often says, "It's never too late to pick up where you left off."Adela is an experienced speaker and workshop facilitator, introducing music and singing as therapeutic tools. She believes creativity is within everyone's reach.She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Governor George Pataki of New York in 2010. She enjoys her flower garden, languages, music, and reading-and cherishes time with her grandchildren. After thirty-five years of living in New York City, she remarried and now lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.