In this episode of Built From Broken, I begin sharing one of the hardest chapters of my story, not because of what others did to me, but because of the choices I made and the way I lost sight of myself. At sixteen, I was placed at Cedarwood House, a group home that would become the setting for one of the darkest seasons of my life.

I open up about the uncertainty of how and why I ended up there, the fear of my first night, and what it felt like to step into an unfamiliar home that did not feel like a family. This episode is just the beginning, the tip of the iceberg, of a season where I carried shame that I have had to work through ever since.

My hope is that as you listen, you will see that even in the darkest times, growth and healing are possible. Trauma may shape our behaviors, but it does not define who we are or who we can become.