The Power of Finding your Strengths and Healing
Betty was originally born and raised in St. Louis Missouri. She was the middle child of 5 siblings. She stated, “My mother was a single parent and I admire her for that.” Betty describes her mother as a hard-working, giving, and a caring person. “I came from a very big family because my mom has 8 siblings.” As a child, Betty was taught that “family is always important”. She credits her ability to adapt on her own to this. Even though her mom was a single parent, she supported her 8 siblings through college. Betty feels her childhood was very good and is thankful she grew up in a healthy environment. She says she was taught morals, values, and respect for herself and others. Her mother also taught Betty and her siblings the power of hard work, persistence, determination and faith in God. Betty finished high school and college in Missouri and got married at 25. She first moved to Minnesota in the 1990’s. She says it was a big change but she’s always liked Minnesota and sees it as a safe place to raise kids. She returned to Missouri once more and then in 2015, she decided to settle back here in Minnesota to raise her daughter and give her the educational strength that she needed for tapping her special needs.
Betty states she was a wreck when she first came to LWPC. “I was emotionally unstable and I was also going through major transitions at the time. I was going through a divorce, and I was homeless.” She says, “Staying with friends not having a secure place to stay can be really scary and not having anything and not having friends is even scarier.” Another barrier Betty had to overcome was that she didn’t have a car at that time. She walked around town every day putting out housing applications until she finally found an apartment. “Now that I have my own place, my own car, and a full-time job, I am able to take care of my basic needs.” Betty says she’s definitely in a better place today BUT says she’s “still a work in progress”. She says she was on an emotional roller coaster until she found LWPC. Betty says, “Just being here (at LWPC) has helped me get through and has allowed me to grow into the strong woman that I am today.” Betty is able to recognize her strengths. She says, “Pain is a great teacher and motivator that teaches us lessons and make us stronger.”
Betty states that the “Strength-Balance-Respect” Workshops and the one-to-one self-sufficiency counseling that LWPC provided empowered her to become more positive and motivated. “I found a zest for life and a sense of belonging again”. Betty says she looked forward to attending the workshops and her one-to-one sessions. She goes on to say that she has learned to focus on herself first in order to heal. Most importantly she says, “I’ve learned to like myself, to love myself and to take care of myself.” “The tools I’ve learned from LWPC, are tools I will use throughout the future transitions in my life. And now I know that no matter what happens I can do this!” Betty says she knows she is a survivor. She also adds, “When I lost everything – this (LWPC) was the best place to go.” “I was so depressed and dependent, that it was hard for me to see the forest from the trees.” Betty says, “I always ran away from myself and I’m realizing that all that time I already had what I needed.” She goes on to say “I have everything in me to create the life I desire. I don’t have to run and go somewhere to find myself.”
Betty believes the most helpful thing she learned at LWPC was that she can problem-solve anything. She says, “I have a lot of strength inside of me. It is so profound to be able to realize that I am enough. And that there are many different ways of healing.” She goes on to say, “Every workshop is an opportunity to learn and grow and apply it in my life.”
Betty is working full-time now. She has her own place. “I’m stable. I practice ‘gratitude’ to cultivate positivity. I have learned to heal myself from my past and not be consumed by it. I found my way to loving myself and learning to be my own best friend.” Betty says her family now calls her, “the optimist.”
Betty isn’t done growing yet. She will be going to back to school in the fall for Nursing through the Fast Track program at South Central College. Her long-term goal is to become a school nurse.
Betty’s recommendation for other women is, “ALLOW yourself to HEAL.” Allow LWPC to help you with the tools you need to heal, to learn, and to express yourself. Knowing that I have learned the essential skills for real empowerment makes me feel good.”
