Hi Merry, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a wife and a mother. I am happily married to my wonderful husband of over 30 years and together, we have two beautiful daughters. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a National Certified Counselor (NCC), and a Licensed Minister. During my years of providing guidance and emotional support to women I discovered that most of them shared a commonality, a history of abuse. Although the types of abuse varied from childhood abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, as well as emotional abuse, it was still abuse. Countless times women revealed to me that it was their first time telling anyone about their history of abuse. They shared how they never felt safe or trusted anyone to tell their stories of pain. They would speak these same words to me, ‘’There’s just something about you that makes it easy for me to talk to you.” It was during those times that I was led by God to create Survival 2 Victory. It is my passion and purpose to offer female survivors of abuse the platform to share their stories and to be celebrated for using their voices that were once taken away from them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, certainly not, things have not always been smooth or easy. There have been many disappointments as well as ups and downs along the way, however, I choose to see obstacles as opportunities. Our recent struggle has been adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of March, we had to make several changes, such as transitioning all of our in-person counseling sessions to video counseling (teletherapy) and changing our in-person educational workshops to live webinars. Throughout all of the changes, I refuse to allow challenges to get in my way. I simply recognize them as just a part of the process. My faith is what has kept me going as well as continues to keep me moving. The desire to make a difference in the lives of others is my fuel for motivation.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Survival 2 Victory?
Survival 2 Victory is a behavioral health and wellness center for women. Survival 2 Victory (S2V) recognizes female survivors of abuse as more than a survivor. We help them heal and empower them to move from surviving to living life victoriously. S2V encompasses a counseling program, an educational program, and an outreach program. Our counseling program provides individual counseling as well as group counseling for women. We help women who are dealing with anxiety, depression, stress-related issues, self-esteem, relationship conflicts and other challenges that are standing in the way of them reaching their true potential. We specialize in trauma and abuse. Our educational program is designed to train mental health professionals and other industry professionals to identify, understand, and respond effectively to trauma survivors. Our outreach program is dedicated to encouraging and celebrating female survivors of abuse in the community as well as raising awareness of sexual violence against women and children through social advocacy.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is defined as being genuinely happy within yourself as well as fostering love and kindness toward others. I truly believe that the gifts and talents that we are blessed with are not for ourselves but to enrich the lives of others.
Pricing:
- Individual counseling session $75/hour
- Group counseling $20 per session
Contact Info:
- Address: 2206 Hanfred Lane, Suite 106 Tucker, GA 30084
- Phone: 678-871-6543
- Email: info@survival2victory.org
- Website: http://www.survival2victory.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/survival2victory
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Survive2Victory
