How do we get through the toughest stuff? When a life-threatening medical condition, an alcoholic husband, and a traumatic special needs adoption shatter that dream, there are only two choices—crumble or change the narrative. We go deep on how we do that covering topics such as resilience, epiphanies and eye opening insights. Inspirational.

A young girl dreams of the perfect life—marriage, children, and a career—her happily ever after. Valerie learned to embrace the unimaginable to create an extraordinary life.

Valerie Cantella is an award-winning, multipassionate communications and public affairs professional living a life beyond her wildest dreams. She is the author of Off-Script: a mom’s journey through adoption, a husband’s alcoholism, and special needs parenting. She shares her journey as a mother of teens with mental health issues, the struggles of special needs parenting, the effect of alcoholism on a marriage, and how she learned to embrace the unimaginable to create an extraordinary life.  

Valerie calls herself a recovering perfectionist and is passionate about using her experiences to help others. She volunteers with organizations supporting those with mental health and substance abuse issues and serves on the County’s Behavioral Wellness Commission.   

Her love of writing began when her stubby little fingers learned to form letters, and those letters made words that crafted sentences. From those sentences, she wrote short stories, articles, poems, and even two books for her grade school author showcase. Valerie later turned to journalism and a career in communications.  

She is the mom of three adult children–a biological son, an adopted daughter, and a bonus son by marriage. Valerie and her husband Tom live in Santa Barbara with their exuberant yellow lab, Charlie. When she isn’t writing or speaking, you will find her walking at one of their beautiful beaches.   

Her mantra: I will look forward. I will trust God. Today is a new day.  

https://valeriecantella.com/

https://www.facebook.com/vcantella

https://www.instagram.com/valeriejcantella

https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-cantella/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.