Highway to Healing is a personal memoir that recounts your journey through childhood trauma and loss, revealing how faith and therapy guided you toward healing and self-discovery. Why was this an important book for you to write?

It was important for me to write this book to continue to heal and help people who have experienced trauma in various aspects of their lives to change the narrative in how we navigate through it. People need to know they are not alone and what can be done to take the necessary steps to #Heal4Real so they can be whole and walk in their truth authentically.

How did writing this memoir affect your own healing process?

The effect writing this book had on my own healing process was very profound. It began as me just wanting to journal my way through my therapy sessions so I could reflect back at a later time in my life. However, in the process of doing this I felt a strong urge that confirmed it was going to be more than that. Although, I didn’t know what that would entail reading back over it then and even now it continues to push me forward in my choice to protect my peace on purpose. It serves as a reminder that I made it through to the other side and to maintain the level of peace and joy I have now, I must be intentional about continuing to make choices that align with that decision.

What do you hope readers take away from your story, especially those who may be facing similar challenges?

My hope is that others are encouraged, empowered and inspired to dedicate their time to commit to true healing by doing the necessary work. I want people to really self reflect as they read my book to identify what “work” is necessary for them to do in order for them to #Heal4Real so they too can be the best version of themselves for not only their loved ones but always for themselves because they deserve that! Truth is there’s a real importance and impact that is made when we are intentional about unpacking the different traumas so that we #Heal4Real.

Secondly, I hope they understand that true healing requires us to confront the uncomfortable things and/or people that contributed to the pain and trauma. This allows us to properly deal with it and put it away so we learn how to better deal with our triggers instead of them dealing with us.

How has your journey and the process of writing this memoir changed your perspective on life and relationships?

My perspective on life and relationships has been forever changed through eye opening experiences I encountered while on my own highway to healing journey. I learned so much about myself when I made the choice and that’s been a pivotal factor in my healing and how I see and deal with people now. I learned that I was looking at the world and all the people in it through trauma lens pre therapy. However, all that changed slowly but surely every session that I made the decision to show up for ME. Fast forward and post therapy I understand myself better than I ever had in my entire life. I look at circumstances differently and choose to allow people to be who they want to be in my life versus who I expect them to be and govern myself accordingly. I find that I’m happier and less stressed and frustrated with this approach. I learned that no matter how much we want things to be a certain way or people to behave we can’t change it or them. We can want better for others but they must not only want it for themselves but also be willing to work for it. So, with this in mind, I focus on ME and what’s within my scope to grow and be the best version of myself because that’s what I have the power to change and impact the world in a powerful way.

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