In 1975 I was born in East Saint Louis, Illinois to teen parents. In my junior year in college, I, too, became a teen parent at 19. I was overwhelmed with parenting an infant, attending college, and working full-time so I sought help through the counseling center on campus. After working with a counselor with whom I did not connect, I sought assistance from another therapist with whom I could connect and trust. It was during my sessions with the second therapist that I felt safe enough to reveal that I had been molested and raped from age 5 to age 17.

Through my work with this counselor, I was able to understand that I had repressed my childhood sexual trauma. The therapist described the mind-body disconnection I often experienced, the rage that would bubble up over the tiniest infraction, the antagonistic way I moved in every romantic relationship, and the parenting approach of being overprotective as trauma responses. All the shame and guilt that accompanies surviving childhood sexual abuse was explained to me as normal responses to experiencing trauma as a child. 

The therapist told me that I was living with symptoms of complex PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder. Having a mental health professional explain that my maladaptive coping skills were trauma responses helped me make different choices as a parent and inspired my career choice. As a mental health professional, I am dedicated to helping individuals have healthier families, healthier relationships, and engage in healthy parenting practices. I am honored to be a part of a profession that helps people heal and make choices that help them experience more joy and inner peace.