From Survivor to Thriver

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De’Vannon is an author, host of the Sex, Drugs, and Jesus Podcast and the owner of DownUnder Apparel. After being rejected by his church for his sexuality, his anger and resentment built for more than a decade and he became reckless, losing himself in the club scene and a newfound drug addiction. A New Year’s Eve voicemail from his doctor notified him of a positive HIV diagnosis, causing him to spiral even deeper as he couldn’t see himself surviving this disease. It took almost nine years for him to finally rehabilitate himself, starting with the transfer of his probation from Houston to his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Today, he is taking care of himself and has become a serial entrepreneur. He has found joy, comfort and positive ways to move ahead through hypnotherapy and with the Buddhist temple. You can connect with De’Vannon at sexdrugsandjesus.com and downunderapparel.com.Contact Us:Email: [email protected]: @brushcreekthriversFacebook: From Survivor to Thriver

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Kimberly Bell: I was chosen for this journeyKim is a passionate speaker, minister, mentor and author of “The Epitome of Kimmy: Accept & Embrace It All." Her eye-opening memoir takes you beneath the surface into some of the harshest realities of life from the perspective of an abandoned, young child in kinship care growing up into adulthood. Her life changed forever when, at five years old, she went to live with her adopted family after yet another night of violence between her father and mother. She beat the odds and, concurrent with the release of her book, embraced the life she always wanted to live, free of guilt, shame, anxiety and depression. Today, through her book and talks, she uses her personal life struggles to inspire and empower others to never give up hope while also raising awareness of societal issues and providing insight into the realities that are often hidden in our society. You can connect with Kim at Kimberlyannebell.comContact Us:Email: [email protected]: @brushcreekthriversFacebook: From Survivor to Thriver

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Asher Eve: Post-partum depression is more than just baby bluesAsher is a podcast manager and a hockey and lacrosse mom to two teenage boys and a tween girl. While depression started for her in her early 20’s, she also suffered from post-partum depression with all 3 of her children and, most recently, went through an unexpected divorce that left her depressed for a year. While the last 3 years have been the most painful she has ever experienced, it’s also where she has learned the most about herself and has made the biggest gains in building her confidence and self-worth. Today, she continues to move in the right direction by consciously reframing her negative self-talk and focusing on her word of the year, “mindset”, to ensure that she sets her intention each and every day.Contact Us:Email: [email protected]: @brushcreekthriversFacebook: From Survivor to Thriver

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Sarah is a qualified NLP (neuro linguistic programming) and Breakthrough Coach who loves to talk, present, and share her journey and tips with others. In January 2019, after a build-up of tremendous work-related stress coupled with a severe lack of sleep, it all became too much and she cracked. In fact, she cracked so hard and experienced psychotic break so severe that it resulted in a five-day period of paranoia and hallucinations, which ended following constant, intensive care and support from her husband and psychiatrist. Today, she is extremely passionate about driving conversations around mental health and sharing her story so that others won’t have to experience what she went through. You can follow Sara on her Instagram page @iamsarahtait. Contact Us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @brushcreekthrivers Facebook: From Survivor to Thriver

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Erin D’Elia: Be brutally honest with yourself and ask for helpErin is a Heart-Centered Intuitive Lifestyle Coach, Motivational Speaker, Reiki Master, Massage Therapist, and Meditation and Yoga Teacher. After an accident with the family dog at the age of three, Erin had a death experience while doctors stitched up her face during a four-hour surgery. What followed was a series of unexplainable petit mal seizures that eventually led to a cycle of trauma, a transient lifestyle and “self-medicating across the board” well into her mid-20’s. Today, she has given herself permission to just exist and, for the past 14 years, she has worked with people on improving their lives and enhancing the quality of their relationships with themselves and how they choose to show up in the world. You can connect with Erin by visiting her website at erindelia.com.Contact Us:Email: [email protected]: @brushcreekthriversFacebook: From Survivor to Thriver

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Tim, Founder and Host of the Focused on Forward Podcast and Co-host of the Funny Science Fiction Podcast, turned to podcasting as a way to help deal with his mental health struggles. As a child who was abandoned by his biological father, Tim entered his teen years angry and unable to feel true happiness even during good times. In 2019, after his daughter stayed 97 days in the hospital due to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Tim was diagnosed with hospitalization PTSD and finally took the much-needed steps to begin his healing journey, including starting therapy – something he thought he would never do, but now realizes he should have done sooner. Today, his Focused on Forward Podcast @podcastFOF features people sharing their stories of overcoming huge obstacles in their lives. The power and inspiration of his podcast guests, who are fighting and struggling to conquer challenges every day, encourage him to continue on his own journey. Contact Us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @brushcreekthrivers Facebook: From Survivor to Thriver

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Johnny is the Founder and CEO of Cope Notes, a mental health service that uses daily text messages to train the brain to develop healthier thought patterns since, as he says, “negative thoughts don’t schedule an appointment with you.” As a touring musician, creative writer and a TEDx and motivational speaker, he has touched millions of lives by de-mystifying taboo psychological principles with levity and wit. As a suicide and abuse survivor, he spent his formative years searching for resources to help him cope with his mental health issues, ranging from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and bipolar disorder to schizophrenia. His deeply personal experience with mental illness, university-level education in psychology and contagious positivity combine to fashion his unique spirit of advocacy. Today, after nearly a decade of clinical treatment, volunteer peer counseling and public advocacy, he relies on the strategies he shares through Cope Notes to live a happier, healthier life. You can listen to episodes of the Cope Notes podcast at copenotes.com/podcast/Contact Us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @brushcreekthrivers Facebook: From Survivor to Thriver

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Theresa, founder of Village Parenting and a mindfulness and parenting coach, spent two decades living with undiagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Starting at the age of seven until the age 27, her OCD manifested as intrusive thoughts that made her feel so alone and, at their core, made her wonder if she was a good person. Even while in therapy, her intrusive thoughts spiraled into an eating disorder and ultimately depression. Her life changed when she entered an inpatient program at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts, and allowed herself to finally open up about her thoughts. She was met with both kindness and a long-awaited OCD diagnosis. Today, she lives by the idea that there is no such thing as a bad thought with the icing on the cake being her daily mindfulness practice. Connect with Theresa at villageparenting.net.Contact Us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @brushcreekthrivers Facebook: From Survivor to Thriver

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Joanne, personal breakthrough coach, holistic mentor and community builder, was formerly employed by the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. She hit rock bottom in July 2020 during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, feeling mentally and physically burnt-out, exhausted and despondent. She recognized that she was surviving from one day to the next, constantly looking for a way to break out of the system as she felt both lonely and unfulfilled in her life and career. She soon learned that she needed to surrender control so that she could stop hanging on for dear life and break the fight, flight, freeze pattern, which can cause so many roadblocks in one’s life. Today, through a combination of therapy, online support groups and the work that she does coaching her own clients, her lifepath is to move away from judgment and towards joy. She has realized the importance of “resting on the mountain” of life before making the final ascent to the summit. Connect with Joanne at personalbreakthroughs.co.uk. Contact Us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @brushcreekthrivers Facebook: From Survivor to Thriver

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Dylan, TEDx speaker and addiction recovery advocate, has made it his mission to work with individuals and organizations to increase engagement in the addiction recovery process and improve long-term outcomes. In recovery since 2004, he reflects on his mental health challenges as an adolescent, when depression and suicidal ideation consumed his early teenage years. Later, what began as a night of drinking in college to numb his emotional pain, eventually ended after many years with a stint in the county jail where he decided to begin his much-needed sobriety journey. Today, by reflecting on purpose and value, he empowers individuals to embrace recovery and access ways to live a fun, healthy, authentic lifestyle while pursuing their dreams and goals: moving from dealing with life to enjoying life! Most importantly, he believes the power of community is essential in addressing addiction and related challenges. Connect with Dylan at dylanlundgren.com.Contact Us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @brushcreekthrivers Facebook: From Survivor to Thriver