Growing up in rural north Louisiana, the only time I’d heard about therapy was in the movies. Folks would go see their pastor with their problems. I started therapy when I was 16. My parents were having serious problems in their marriage, my father was an addict, and my mother had to force me to go. I told her, “I’m not crazy! Y’all are!!” I didn’t realize what a gift talking to someone was, releasing all of the junk on my heart and in my head, and how therapy would give me the tools I didn’t know I’d need to SURVIVE adulthood.

In 2006 my brain broke. I was 26 years old, very overweight, and too much happened all at once. I had serious postpartum psychosis after my youngest son was born, my grandfather died, my parents ended up divorcing after all, my marriage was in trouble, and my oldest son was diagnosed with autism. I spiraled into a void, and I wanted to die. I got a bipolar diagnosis and began to try to live life differently. 

Being bipolar is HARD! Our household was chaos. The marriage wasn’t improving, my autistic son was kicking holes in walls and having meltdowns everywhere we went, and I was a lunatic with addictive behaviors and fights with my husband. But I continued with therapy. But I knew I wanted to be HAPPY, and I kept trying. I’d fail, then try again. It was awful. 

What I didn’t realize was all of the therapy and all of the literature I devoured was creating new pathways in my brain. I practiced what I was learning. And then CLICK! .. those puzzle pieces started coming together quickly, and I could breathe again. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it wasn’t because I was dying!! Life is difficult. My therapists supported me, validated me when I felt crazy, and my self worth slowly began to rebuild. 

By 2015, I’d lost all of the weight and became a personal trainer. I wanted to help other people that had found themselves in my situation: overweight with no idea what to do. I was good at it, quickly becoming one of 150 Master Trainers in the country with The National Academy of Sports Medicine. What I didn’t expect was that I’d be part therapist. My clients would tell me very personal stories, cry in my arms, and confide in me. I always seemed to know what to say, and I felt good at that part, too.  

When some unfortunate medical problems hit me, and several surgeries, I knew that Wellness Coaching was the next right step for me. Incorporating  talking about problems (and finding solutions!) with fitness. PERFECT. 

Today my sons are grown, my marriage is WHOLE (we just celebrated our 25th anniversary), and all of that goodness is because I didn’t give up and continued to trust people to help me. Don’t give up on yourself. I certainly won’t.