With the new season making its appearance, so can waves of mental health that millions of people experience either seasonally or all year long. September is National Suicide Awareness Month, and it's important to continue spreading awareness and resources for those experiencing depression and the aftermath of difficult experiences. BCI is proud to introduce Clinician, Life coach, Speaker, and Corporate Trainer, Annielle Timmons, to share her own journey of overcoming personal trauma while bettering her mental well-being.
Meet BCI Member, Annielle Timmons (@iamannielle)
Annielle has spent several years in the mental health field where she now serves as a Clinician, helping her clients navigate seasons of crises, heal from trauma, develop healthy relationship skills, and achieve their desired goals. Her life purpose is to help others overcome adversities, grow through what they go through, and be the best version of themselves! Annielle, the "Hope Dealer," is known for her vulnerability in the telling of her powerful life experiences. She is not ashamed to show her scars in order to help those currently affected by hardships to find hope and encouragement in her story.
Raised by a single mother with two other siblings. Annielle endured physical and emotional trauma, witnessed domestic violence, and public humiliation that left her scared at a young age and into her early teenage years. It seemed that the events in Annielle's life was leading her down a spiral of depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, and low self-esteem. It wasn't until she came in contact with a life coach at the age of 19 that Annielle could see the light at the end of the tunnel as she began to take active steps towards personal healing.
Tell us more about your journey of overcoming your personal trauma, and how that inspired you to become where you are today.
At the time that I was introduced to my life coach, there were no counselors or trauma therapists, and there was no one to really see what I was going through. My life coach always asked what I wanted to work on. I would always start the conversation with something I did wrong in my past. One day, she had enough and told me we can't do anything about your past. All you have now is your present and your future. For me, it was like she was speaking a foreign language, but it was liberating to hear her say,“ my past doesn’t matter." Those words changed everything for me and was a huge pivotal point in my life.
During that time I also became a Christian and gave my life to God. That's when I really began to do the work of healing. I learned how to develop self-compassion and remove negative thoughts. It took about six months of doing exercises and affirmations before I began to see changes. I then went off to get my bachelors in social work and got my masters in clinical social work. I started speaking on stages at my church, and I realized people are really receptive to my message! Throughout my twenties, it's been this beautiful unfolding of what my purpose is. I'm called to this.
"Seeking help is a strength."
What steps would you recommend for someone healing from trauma?
Be real about what you've been through and how that affected your life. My first trauma experience was in high school as well as the physical abuse. I was abused almost every day, so I had to be real with myself and the impact it had on me.
Seek mental health treatments by a mental health provider. Know that seeking help is a strength. There's a stigma health around getting mental health treatments and even medications, but i found that both of those things can be extremely liberating. I don't want to advise someone to rush to medications, but that can be a source that is proven, with therapy, to be very effective in helping a trauma survivor. Life coaching can also be liberating. It wasn't trauma therapy, but it still provided me with a lot of valuable insight to help me heal and be the best version of myself.
Be committed to the process of growing and healing. There are so many different things that can influence our psyche and emotions. You have to become self-aware enough for if you get triggered or notice that you're in a season where you're just not yourself. You have to be able to listen to those around you as a commitment to growth.
Vulnerability is crucial in the recovery process. Even the Bible talks about seeking wisdom at all costs, and I think people miss that piece. In order to really be helped, you have to express what it is that you went through and how it affects you. No one can truly help you in the ways that you need if you don't share the most vulnerable, nasty experiences. I've gotten to a place where I recognize that life can deal you a very unfortunate hand early. But that doesn't mean that God doesn't have his hand on you.
Thank you, Annielle, for sharing with BCI! Learn more about the courses and services offered that can help you or someone else in need of support.
Annielle offers life coaching services such as One Month Confidence Coaching, One Month Transitional Coaching, and Three Months Elite Coaching, which can each be found on her website. She also offers public speaking services and the following e-courses:
Book Annielle for Your Next Event: Here
Editor: Nia Robinson
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