Healing from anger issues

Celeste G.

I didn’t really realize that I had anger issues until I got married and had kids. Then I discovered that when my husband and I had arguments, I couldn’t let things go and would feel so wounded by him wanting to retreat from an argument that I would explode. This looked like being verbally abusive, and even throwing things or hitting him. I would feel so ashamed afterwards and apologize profusely. I desperately wanted to change. I eventually went to see a counselor and talked through different ways to communicate with my husband, and because I valued the relationship so deeply I managed to stop exploding with him. Unfortunately, this meant that a lot of anger was then directed at my kids. After years of struggling to manage my anger, I finally realized the need for a deep healing journey, to uncover the unconscious roots that were underneath the explosive rage. In the process I became very good at identifying my feelings underneath the anger, since anger is a secondary emotion. Knowing what those underlying feelings are has been very helpful for me, along with what my triggers are. I have also discovered some healthy ways to vent anger that don’t hurt other people that I could share with you. Today I still experience anger sometimes, everyone does, but it no longer controls my life and I don’t see it as an awful thing that I have to avoid or hold in until I just can’t anymore. Instead, it can be an indication of where I still need some healing, or a healthy emotion that I feel when someone hurts me that I can release or confidently express without doing damage.

Surviving life with complex PTSD

Adley H.

Living with complex PTSD has shaped every corner of my life. It’s not just about past trauma. It’s the way my body stays braced for disaster, even in calm moments. It’s how I shrink myself to make others comfortable, how certain words or looks send me spiraling without warning, and how hard it is to trust that safety can last. C-PTSD is a landscape of emotional flashbacks, shame spirals, people-pleasing, and a constant undercurrent of “something’s wrong with me.” But I’ve come to understand that these responses were never weaknesses. They were how I survived. It took years to stop blaming myself. To stop thinking I was broken. Through therapy, inner work, and brutal honesty, I’ve slowly learned how to come home to myself. I still carry the echoes, but I also carry tools, compassion, and the ability to hold space for others walking this path. I’m not here to fix you. I’m here to sit with you in it.

Surviving life with depression

Adley H.

Depression has been a silent shadow in my life. Sometimes heavy, sometimes barely visible, but always there. It’s the weight in my chest, the fog in my mind, the ache in my bones. It’s the exhaustion that sleep won’t fix, and the hollow feeling even when everything should feel okay. It’s more than sadness. It’s numbness. It’s guilt for not being able to “snap out of it.” It’s the quiet wondering if you’re ever going to feel like yourself again, or if you ever did. But here’s what I know now. Depression lies. It tells you you’re lazy, unlovable, or broken. But none of that is true. Through years of unraveling shame, surviving bad days, and holding on by the thinnest threads, I’ve come to know depression intimately. Not as a moral failure, but as a wound in need of care. If you’re tired, if you’re hurting, if you’re barely hanging on, I get it. I’m not here to push you toward false positivity. I’m here to sit with you in the real.

Coping with domestic violence through alcohol and drug addiction

Alea H.

For most of my life, I battled addiction, depression, and feeling misunderstood. My drinking started in my teens and grew worse after my divorce, as I tried to numb the trauma from years of domestic violence. I also struggled with opioid addiction after being prescribed painkillers following the birth of my twins. Life felt like pure survival, and there were many moments when I thought I wouldn’t make it. But when I looked at my children, I knew I had to find a way out. Leaving my abusive partner was one of the hardest things I ever did, but it saved both me and my kids. I moved states to break away from old patterns and found support through a recovery coach. Piece by piece, I built a new life focused on healing and helping my children, including learning how to advocate for my neurodivergent son. My journey is living proof that even when life feels broken beyond repair, recovery and hope are possible.

Finding your way out of toxic relationships

Amanda P.

Growing up, I always struggled with making and maintaining healthy connections, whether it was with friends, family, or romantic partners. I often felt isolated and lonely, which took a toll on my mental health and led to depression, anxiety, and toxic mindsets that shaped how I saw myself and others. Things began to shift when I started consistently attending therapy, especially Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). It taught me practical skills for emotional regulation, setting boundaries, and understanding my own worth. I also watched people close to me, like my sister, go through harmful relationships, and I became someone they leaned on for support. It wasn’t always easy, but helping others through their healing helped me heal, too. Today, I’m proud of the deep connections I’ve built and the life I’ve created. I know firsthand how overwhelming it can feel when you're stuck in unhealthy relationships, but I also know there’s a way out—and I’d love to help you find it.

Coping with everyday stress that is keeping you from moving forward

Amber H.

Sometimes we cant pinpoint exactly why we are feeling down or overwhelmed, we just are. I understand this feeling all too well because I have experienced it often. I have a history with depression and anxiety and I know how important it is to talk through our everyday stressors and get an outside perspective. The little things add up overtime and become a heavy load to carry. I am here to listen and to support you. I can reassure you that you are not alone in feeling overwhelmed and I can offer suggestions and techniques that I have used to stay grounded in the moment.

Navigating the challenges of foster/adoptive parenting of children with special needs

Amber R.

I’m a married foster/adoptive mom of three (sometimes more) children with special needs, and I’ve walked through every dark space in the foster and adoption world. My journey started when I became a foster parent with my husband in 2017, right after we got married in 2013. Growing up in an underserved community in St. Louis, I faced tremendous adversity. After my father died by suicide, I stepped up to raise my younger siblings while my mother battled mental health issues and was absent from our lives for a time. I had many mentors along the way who kept me alive and helped me stay out of trouble. Today, I run a non-profit with four other foster moms to provide support in the foster care system. Parenting children with special needs is incredibly isolating, and I’ve been through the extremes — including one of my oldest children attempting homicide. I understand how lonely it can feel when marriage, family, and friendships feel lost, and I’m here to listen and offer support, whether it’s simply holding space or providing encouragement in taking the next right step.

Parenting a child with ADHD and Type 1 diabetes

Anda A.

When my son was in second grade, we got the ADHD diagnosis we had suspected for a while. Navigating his needs felt like learning a new language overnight, and even with support, I often felt like I was building the plane while flying it. Then, when he was 12, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and once again, our world shifted. I still remember walking out of a free coaching session offered by the pediatrician’s office — it was the first time I felt like someone truly understood the emotional weight we were carrying. That moment of feeling seen and heard changed me. Since then, I’ve become a certified ADHD parenting coach and have supported other families facing the double challenge of managing both neurodivergence and chronic illness. I know how lonely, overwhelming, and exhausting it can feel to juggle the daily demands of ADHD and diabetes care, especially while trying to keep your child’s spirit (and your own) intact. I’m here to listen, to share what helped us survive the hardest seasons, and to offer support so you don't have to carry it all alone.

Family conflicts

Ashley F.

For years, I have walked through and withstood constant conflict, misunderstanding, criticism, and an unhealthy home environment when it comes to my relationship with my mother. There is a nearly impenetrable wall of hurt, rejection, and misunderstanding between us. I truly understand the feeling of desperation and being trapped in your own home, dreading times when someone will be walking through the door because you don't know what mood they're in. I know the feeling of desperately trying to keep emotion bottled up inside so you don't lash out at the person, whether it be verbally or emotionally. And oh how I know the frustration of someone denying that things have happened when you know for a fact that they have. Have you heard of the five love languages? They are: acts of service, quality time, physical touch, gift giving, and words of affirmation. Our primary way of feeling loved typically happens when the other person speaks our love language. This doesn't happen between my mother and I. Whether it's because I'm adopted or she truly doesn't understand, I don't feel loved. Sure, my family has always provided for me. However, my top two love languages are physical touch and words of affirmation. Our personalities clash. She's not affectionate, she's an introvert, and she feels the need for perfection. I'm the exact opposite. Can you relate? Do you need to feel heard, understood, validated, appreciated for your strengths, etc? Let's chat. I can imagine how you feel, and I would love to provide you with a safe space for you to relax, breathe, vent, cry, or whatever it is that you need in that conflict

The break-up of your family

Ashley F.

In January of 2022, I was 8 months pregnant with my son, Joseph. On January 04, my husband and I separated. I dove into the most intense depression I've ever experienced; I stayed in bed during the day with my phone beside me waiting for it to ring with the news that I could come back home. I lost all excitement for motherhood. When my parents arrived home after work, I would get out of bed, trying to put on a fascade of some semblance of happiness. I would eat dinner, stay up for a few more hours, then crawl back into bed anywhere from 7:30 to 8 PM. A week or so after the separation began, I started working through a devotional book called "Broken Heart On Hold." I don't recall the author, but it was a devotional for women going through an unwanted separation from their husbands. Two of those devotionals stand out to me, and if it weren't for them, I may not have made it. The first one told me to visually "look up into the face of God instead of down into the abyss of your pain." And I did. When the pain felt like it would consume me, I would actually tilt my head upward while imagining the face of God. The second devotional that stood out to me told me to imagine my husband, myself, and Jesus standing in a meadow. I would then imagine taking the pieces of my broken heart out of my husband's hands and placing them into the hands of Jesus. Again, when the pain threatened to consume me, I would visualize this. My excitement for motherhood began to return when my OB gave me the news that I was dilating. That's when it hit me. This was happening. I was having a baby! I wanted this baby. I knew that I would do my best to raise him to the best of my ability. I would be okay. And I am okay! I was awarded sole custody of my sweet, precious baby boy, and I am now about to marry a man who has shown me a fierce, true form of love that I've never experienced before. He loves my son as his own, and my son adores him. I made it. I survived. If it weren't for Jesus, I may not have made it. But I did. And you can, too.

Managing a "co-occuring" diagnosis of depression and substance abuse

Brian G.

Life and work stresses pushed my lifelong depression and anxiety deeper. I started to self-medicate with alcohol and cannabis and, without knowing it, became dependent on them to escape the mental health symptoms and other stresses. What started as a weekend recreation slowly became a daily use that started to worsen my mental health. The heavier usage began to impact the relationship with my family as I became disconnected and absent. I started to realize that a problem was developing when I tried the apply the brakes on my usage and found myself powerless to do so. My family was unaware and I felt too ashamed to ask for help. The depression continued to build and it became dangerous. I finally broke and reached out to my wonderful wife for help. Long story short, I was admitted to a psych unit where I was diagnosed with "co-occuring" mental health and addiction issues. I have been clean and sober since 12/25/23 and my depression is managed through medication and therapy.

Stay-at-home parenting and protecting your mental health

Calvin N.

Becoming a stay-at-home parent was one of the most rewarding—and hardest—roles I’ve taken on. I didn’t expect the loneliness, the constant pressure to be “on,” or the way my own mental health challenges would resurface when I had no break. I struggled with anxiety, burnout, and self-doubt, wondering if I was really doing enough or being enough for my kids and myself. It took time, therapy, and a lot of trial and error to find a balance that worked: setting boundaries, asking for help, and learning to value my own needs alongside my kids’. I know how isolating and overwhelming this role can be, and I want to help others protect their peace and thrive in the chaos.

Breaking toxic family cycles

Calvin N.

Growing up, I experienced emotional neglect and dysfunction that followed me into adulthood, showing up in my relationships, mental health, and self-worth. I had to make the hard choice to set boundaries and sometimes even distance myself from family to break generational cycles of pain. It was painful but necessary work to unlearn toxic patterns and create healthier dynamics in my own home. I know how hard it is to balance love, loyalty, and self-protection—and I’m here to support others who are ready to break those chains for good.

Managing anxiety and panic attacks

Calvin N.

Anxiety and panic attacks didn’t just “bother” me—they completely crippled me at one point in my life. I was constantly on edge, bracing for the next attack, and it got so bad that it controlled everything I did. Simple things like going outside, driving, or even having a conversation felt impossible. My world got smaller and smaller as fear took over, and I started avoiding everything that triggered that crushing panic. I felt trapped in my own mind and body, unsure if I’d ever feel normal again. Through therapy, grounding exercises, and relentless trial and error, I slowly found ways to regain control and rebuild my life. Anxiety still shows up, but it no longer has the same power over me—and I want to help others who feel like anxiety is running their lives find hope and real tools for relief.

Coping skills

Christine E.

Having a tool box of coping skills to manage the falls and low points in my life have been very important. I have quite a few and I am always looking to add more. Journaling, arts and crafts, meditation and prayer, and hanging out with my cats in my Zen Den are just a few of my coping skills that have helped me through some of the darkest and lowest points in my life.

About overthinking

Christine D.

I’ve spent way too many nights trying to fall asleep with a brain that insists on replaying that one awkward moment from three years ago or analyzing every possible outcome of a decision I haven’t even made yet. Sound familiar? Overthinking can look like productivity on the outside like you’re being thorough or responsible. But on the inside? It’s often anxiety wearing a clever disguise. It’s fear of failure, fear of regret, fear of what people will think. And it can leave you stuck in loops: what if I mess up? What if I’m too much? What if I’m not enough? I used to think I just needed to “think my way out” of feeling overwhelmed. But that strategy kept me spinning. What actually helped was learning how to name what I was feeling underneath all the thoughts, to pause the mental ping-pong match, and to stop treating myself like a problem to be solved. If your mind is constantly racing, if you’re tired of second-guessing yourself into paralysis, or if you just want someone to help you sort through the noise—I'm your girl.

Healing and gaining self worth after complicated relationships

Craig T.

A few years ago, I found myself in a relationship that wasn’t healthy. There was a lot of emotional imbalance, and I was carrying the weight of anxiety, phobias, and a deep sense of not being seen. When it ended, especially in the isolation of COVID, it hit me hard. I didn’t just lose the relationship—I lost my emotional footing. Therapy became my safe place and my mirror. Over the course of a year, I dug deep, faced parts of myself I used to hide from, and grew into someone I barely recognized in the best way possible. Alongside that healing came clarity, self-worth, and a renewed sense of empathy—not just for others, but finally for myself too.

Building confidence and connection after moving to a new city

Drew R.

When I moved to a new city, I thought it would be exciting—but pretty quickly, the isolation set in. I didn’t know anyone, and I found myself unsure of how to meet people outside of work. I struggled with feeling disconnected and sometimes questioned if I’d made the right decision. It took effort, intention, and vulnerability to put myself out there. I leaned into networking—both professionally and socially—and slowly began building genuine connections. Along the way, I learned how to boost my confidence, show up authentically, and trust the process of forming new relationships. Now, as a certified life coach, I help others do the same. Whether you're facing a big transition or just craving stronger relationships, I’m here to help you build the connections you need to thrive.

Parenting a child with medical or behavioral health challenges

Jacob C.

I’m the parent of two children who have both faced unique and complex challenges. My oldest is on the autism spectrum and struggled with significant behavioral health issues, which often left me feeling overwhelmed and isolated as I tried to navigate care systems, school supports, and daily life. My youngest was a high-needs child with medical complexities, and balancing both of their needs pushed me to emotional and physical limits I never expected. Along the way, I learned how to advocate fiercely, ask for help, and create moments of calm and connection, even during the hardest days. My lived experience inspired me to become a Certified Peer Counselor so I could offer other parents the compassionate, judgment-free support I wish I’d had when I felt most alone. If you’re facing the ups and downs of parenting a child with medical or behavioral health needs, I’m here to hold space for you and walk beside you on the journey.

Finding wisdom in the fire of anger

Jake A.

For a long time, I didn’t know what to do with my anger. I either buried it until I went numb or let it erupt in ways that caused harm mostly to the people I cared about and, often, to myself. I’ve felt the shame of being “too much,” and the loneliness that comes from not knowing how to express what’s really going on underneath it all. Anger used to feel like something I had to fix or silence. But over time, I’ve learned that anger isn’t the enemy, it’s a signal. It often shows up when something important has been ignored, crossed, or abandoned. Through therapy, body awareness, and some hard lessons in love, fatherhood, and life, I’ve learned to listen to anger instead of fear it. I’ve practiced feeling it without acting on it, giving it language without letting it run the show. What I’ve found is that there’s often grief, pain, and deep care underneath the rage and when I meet it with curiosity, it actually brings me closer to myself and to others. These days, I’m not perfect, but I’m more honest, more grounded, and less reactive. If your anger feels like too much or not enough, I’d love to sit with you in it. Not to fix it, but to help you hear what it’s really saying.