Maria Merrick, a Disability Advocate, Autism Mother, and Narcissistic Abuse Survivor, joins Outside the Box to tell us how she survived being in a 20 year toxic domestic cycle with a narcissist, and upon ending that attachment having to start her life over with nothing. Maria dives into how she remembered who she was, and decided to go for the goals she’d once forgotten. Falling back on her theatrical, dance and creative background, she found herself teaching medieval arts and archery as a Cert-2 with USAA. She also decided to use her journalism experience as a columnist for “Autism Moms Are Beautiful Magazine” for “The Legislative Corner '' and currently writing a few novellas of her life. She recently won the crown as “Miss Texas Lady 2020-21” in the Miss All America Pageant and has taken up motorcycling with the purchase of her new Harley!! She is doing these amazing things while attending Grad School obtaining her MSHS with a concentration on Family Development and Community Relations , and holding a corporate position as a CPS Investigator; as well as being a mother of 4 with 2 children on the autism spectrum! Tune in to be inspired by her strength, tenacity, resilience and grace! She is definitely living #OutsideTheBox #LegacyLiving #Podcast #OnneyTheCeo #Purposeful #Believe #BeInspired #VisualPodcast #BeEncouraged #MariaMerrick #OutsideTheBoxWithOnney #AutismMomsAreBeautiful #AMAB