continued…

I have three amazing children who have indelibly altered my life (not to mention my body) forever. I am honored to have the chance to witness their growth from adorable, albeit exhausting, tiny humans to much taller, and equally adorable humans, each pressing in to make this world a better place in their own unique ways.

29 years ago, I graduated from Seattle Pacific University with my Bachelor's in Nursing. I went back 3 years and got my Master's in Science and certification as a family Nurse Practitioner. (MORE HERE< NOT SURE WHAT YET)

 Why I do what I do: 

 Spend any time on the interwebs researching trauma or PTSD and you will come across the concept of “healing your younger self”. A way of going back in time to reassure the younger you that everything will be ok, that the story doesn’t end where you were: stuck, powerless, numb, afraid. In reality, though, the past is just that. Passed. And all we can do is move forward. 

For me, moving into consulting on high conflict divorce cases is a way for me to be what I wish I would’ve had in my own journey: someone who understood, who believed me, and someone who would help me strategically navigate mediation, parenting plans, documentation etc. Someone to stand with me in my truth and reassure me that I wasn’t crazy. 

 If you’ve been there, you know the look that passes over the face of someone who doesn’t believe you when you try to explain your hidden terror. My attorney looked at me like this. The one I paid large amounts of money to constantly. Every time. 

 I think most of us innately believe in object permanence. It just makes sense that the version you know of someone is who they just ARE. Our brains just cannot compute the cognitive dissonance (Hyperlink). Most of us can’t hold such opposing truths within us and something cracks. Most often, our little lizard brains decide that it is safest to just believe the problem is us. If you hear it enough, it starts to make way more sense than reality. 

 A good friend connected me with her cousin in another state whom she described as a divorce doula and although we only spoke once, the gratitude and relief that washed over me as I spoke with her was like a super cozy tidal wave. At the time, I was using all of my energy to keep working and feeding my kids and my dog and to not cry EVERY time I went to the grocery store, a spark lit in the back of my foggy brain.  

Many hours of therapy (both professional and on the porch with my friends) and many years later, I came across Tina Swithen's (HYPERLINK TO ONE MOM'S BATTLE) certification course for High Conflict Divorce Coaching and I knew this was my next step. 

Each meeting with a client affirms that this was the right move. When I see the relief on their faces that I get it, that I've been there, that I KNOW, it's all the confirmation I need. 

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Jody