Our Story

Someone told me I should share my story so others could understand why I feel so called to serve. My first thought was—which part? Because my story isn’t for one moment; it’s a lifetime of experiences that shaped who I am today.

I grew up with two loving parents who worked tirelessly to provide for our family. My dad battled his own trauma and alcoholism, while my mom was the glue that held everything together—the true way maker in our lives. We didn’t always have much, and it wasn’t until I was older that I understood that sometimes we were poor. Life became complicated early. In high school, I experienced sexual assault by someone I trusted, and not long after, I entered a relationship that became volatile and abusive; mentally, physically and sexually for years. As I looked back, I realized there were moments I wasn’t sure I would survive—but somehow, I did.

And when I finally found the strength to leave, thinking maybe that was the hardest part—I was met with a loss I wasn’t prepared for. I lost my dad. My safe place. My person. I was a Daddy’s girl… and suddenly, he was gone. The world didn’t just feel heavy, it felt impossible. So, I did what I had always done. I buried it.

Losing him sent everything into a spiral. While I coped by burying my pain, my brother struggled in ways that shook our entire family. While the rest of us pushed through, my brother… he couldn’t. His pain came out loud. Angry. Desperate. I remember the day I had to call EMS because he had thrown everything out of his second-story bedroom window and was standing there, ready to jump. I remember the panic in my chest, the thought repeating in my mind: I cannot lose someone else. And somehow, through it all, my mom—our way maker—found help. She found people who didn’t just see our chaos but saw our pain. People who helped us understand it. People who helped us begin to heal. Not perfectly. Not all at once. But enough to breathe again.

Life didn’t slow down after that. It kept coming. More loss. More responsibility. At 24, I was working full-time, helping hold my family together, carrying the weight of everything we had been through—and I made the decision to go to college full-time. Looking back, I don’t know how I did it. I just knew I had to. I lost my Papa in 2015. Then another devastating blow in November of 2017. My mom called and asked if I could come by her house. I remember walking in and I immediately could tell she had been crying. She said Chris is gone. It didn’t register at first that she was talking about our Chris. My cousin. My first best friend. My one year older, we are getting old cousin. He had taken his life. So many questions. So many overwhelming emotions. I believe this is where something had shifted for me.

As I continued my work with children and families, who reminded me so much of my own. Families who were hurting, overwhelmed, and just trying to find a way forward. That’s when it clicked—this is when I felt it – this was my purpose. Around that same time, I shared a dream with someone who would later become a key part of my story: one day, we would open a nonprofit and create something meaningful, something different. Something that didn’t just treat symptoms but saw the whole person. Something that met people in the middle of their mess and helped them find their way out.

In 2018, I earned my bachelor’s degree in Human Services. In 2021, I took the first step to that dream and officially filed Peace From Pieces with the IRS—but again, life had other plans. I became a mother, and in that season, I realized I wasn’t quite ready to build what I had envisioned. But the dream never left me. With time, support from my village, and a lot of growth, I finally took a leap of faith in June of 2024.

Today, that dream is Peace From Pieces.

Peace From Pieces is more than counseling, it’s about meeting people exactly where they are. Many of the families we serve are not just struggling emotionally but also lack basic needs. We work to remove those barriers so individuals can truly begin their healing journey. Sometimes we meet people at the very beginning of their story, and sometimes at their breaking point—but wherever they are, we walk alongside them.

My mission is simple: to help others pick up the pieces of their lives and begin putting them back together. Because I know what it feels like to be broken. And I also know what it feels like to heal. And the most important part of that journey? Feeling safe—safe enough to be seen, to be heard, and to begin again. We are changing lives one person at a time. And this is only the beginning.

We all have pieces, here you do not have to pick them up alone.

If you or someone you love is walking through trauma, grief, or a season that feels overwhelming, we are here to meet you exactly where you are with compassion, support, and hope. You do not need to have all the answers, and you do not need to have it all together. All you need is the courage to take the first step. Reach out, and let us walk beside you as you begin your journey toward healing and peace.

And if these words speak to your heart—if you believe in the power of safe spaces, genuine support, and helping others heal—we invite you to stand with us. Through in-kind donations, financial contributions, or community partnerships, your support helps us remove barriers and make healing accessible to those who need it most.

Together, we can help turn broken pieces into lasting peace—one life, one family, and one story at a time.

With Gratitude,