I am the managing director at BTSADV, a dv educator in my community, a growing speaker, an empowerment blogger via holistic health at KayLa’s Positivity Corner, and very recent masters grad (Master of Public Health, 4.0 GPA), the creator and future implementer of a great and well-tailored 8-week life after domestic violence program and workshop online and in-person. I am currently working toward becoming a holistic health life coach. I have so many amazing things that I am passionate about including global health, public health, herbalism, mental health, telehealth, and empowerment. My life is on the up and up, but it was not always this way. I grew up seeing domestic violence and was affected by domestic violence most of my life; I found myself in multiple domestically violent intimate partner relationships, as well. I lost myself, faced homelessness, was raped, forced to do unspeakable things, fell into the use of drugs and alcohol, lost my my hope in school when I was finally able to get into my then dream school, faced many disappointments, lost my voice, cowered down, feared speaking my opinions and needs, pulled out my own hair, cried regularly, was pushed down the stairs, push against the wall, abused in private and in front of others, and simply could not figure out to escape from each negative and abusive relationship. What I thought was love kept pulling my heart in some way, I kept making excuses and ignoring the bad things that were happening to me and others being adversely affected; I was broken, hopeless, and filled with pain, sadness, and disappointment. I could go on and on about all of the bad things that happened, but I think you can understand much of it now. After leaving my last abusive relationship, I moved back to my home state and worked to rebuild a new normal, and got a job. Soon after everything changed, my love life was in a new and healthy space, and I aimed to get back into school. I jumped in head first, with wise guidance, into school to finished my bachelor’s degree in a year (11 courses – all online, 3.65 GPA). I began my blog venture and found love in connecting empowerment, public health, mental health, and epidemiology. Even still I was not fulfilled, so I hit the ground running and jumped into my master’s program. I wanted to start doing something good for others as that is what makes my heart happy, so I began a job search and saw many doors close in my faced. I turned to the volunteer route and found BTSADV; I started to see how the ups and downs were built for my good. March 15, 2019 I finished my master’s degree (MPH, 4.0 GPA, President’s List twice). I hope that you can see and understand that I faced some of the lowest days in my early adult years, but I learned to sink my nails into the ground and dig to get to where I am today. Things are not perfect and some days are still tough, but boy oh boy are things so much better! You can evolve your entire life one step at a time, I am proof of that! The best is yet to come…look out world!
From Survivor to Thriving Conqueror
