My name is Linda. I'm a nurse in behavioral health. I'm seeking funds for a longtime behavioral health patient, Shana.

After completing her Life Coach certification and creating her business, MiVidaLocaCoachingLLC, Shana is ready to launch. Shana needs assistance setting up her office. She needs funds for a computer, business cards, headset, camera for the computer, and office supplies.

Shana's crazy life in her own words:

My tragedy is now my treasure, and I now can spread the wealth. It has taken me so much time to learn how to work and move forward from trauma, substance abuse, and lifelong mental health struggles.

My story is who I am, my goals, and where I see my future. I have become proud of my experience in finding my story. Being able to tell my story and having someone listen to me has empowered me to guide others in finding their story. I have learned that allowing my own vulnerability while embracing mental health has allowed me to support my community.

My mental health journey began at age 7 with sexual abuse. Also, at that age, I experienced laughing gas with a dental procedure. As I grew up, I remembered there were substances that could make me not feel. I began sniffing glue, which led to other substances and the misdiagnosis of a depressive teenager with suicidal ideation. After that, I did okay for a long time, although I had questions. I was a lifelong drug addict who was just functioning. I was married, had a child. Long forgotten was the abuse. I lost the marriage, my child, and my home all on the same day. On that day, my memory of the abuse was triggered by the death of my aunt and the memory that no one believed me. This was the beginning of my shame and isolation. Many more traumas and attempts at addiction treatment followed. I was always at rock bottom making poor choices. I always knew my core values but was struggling to find the boundaries. Little steps of helping others gave support and the awareness that I could light up at any moment. In hindsight, I had found snippets in personal relationships among different areas of my life that solidified that I knew where I was but not how to find me. With finding professionals who listened, I found appropriate behavioral health treatment and found my story.

Knowledge is power. The power in vulnerability leads to acceptance of self and removes the shame of who you are.