Amid brokenness, I found myself and developed a deep relationship with God. Although it was my biggest obstacle, I can now look back and be thankful for how it has shaped me into the strong woman I am today. 

Using the tools I teach today (brain retraining, mindset, and nervous system regulation), I have learned to see the faults in this story and rebuild my self-worth. 

Don’t let anything rule over you — whatever you choose, make sure you’re intentionally choosing it.

I would like to help bring awareness and understanding to the overwhelming discrepancies and inconsistencies between stereotypes, media portrayal, and the actual reality of the currently and formerly incarcerated. 

I feel proud each day when I pull up in the driveway, knowing I left my best efforts in the field.

I am proud for saying yes when presented with opportunities that felt daunting and rising to the occasion of serving my organizations boldly and with compassion.

Being courageous and being afraid are two sides to the same coin. Someone who is being brave can still be scared, but they’re doing the hard thing anyway. 

Every day you wake up, the only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday. 

As my kids grow up I recognize now more than ever that I am trading my time with them for my time at work, and I definitely stay up at night assessing the balance of what I need to be the best version of myself and wanting to be there for my kids through the times they want and need me there.

The failures (or setbacks) were only temporary chapters to push me forward and have opened so many other doors.

How a person treats you is a reflection of how they feel about themselves rather than how they feel about you. Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about, so be kind. 

A past supervisor told me that “every day is orientation.” This phrase reminds me to approach every day with a sense of curiosity, openness, and a willingness to learn.

Many communities have similar barriers and the only way those can be broken down is by coming together with a common goal, understanding, and respect. 

I haven’t always been like this, and I worked really hard to get here. I am a survivor of domestic violence and I am coming up on six years clean from heroin.

As an adult, I believe that it has been to believe in myself and the calling God has placed in my life. To see me as he sees me... worthy! 

I want to be more committed to spending my life investing in the people and the things I love instead of my work life. 

My biggest obstacle so far in life is one that unfortunately many other women can relate to. Trying to conceive has been a huge struggle for us, and this has caused a lot of pain and confusion. 

I’ve experienced trauma, made my own mistakes, been someone I don’t want to be, and seen people make mistakes I work daily to avoid. Likewise, I’ve learned lessons, healed, evolved, and succeeded.

I was instrumental in starting the Parent Partner program in OK County and I wrote a Parent Guardian handbook that is used in courthouses around the state to help parents familiarize themselves with the system.

Be present. There is nothing in our life that we can control more than the way we show up in a space and how we interact with the people around us.