My Goal is to share my life experiences with others who may benefit from realizing they are not alone.
Trauma
I was born in the 1960s and I have experienced trauma throughout my life to varying degrees. As a six-year-old, I learned to keep the secret of my stepdad’s nightly visits into my room. I couldn’t tell anyone for fear that they would be hurt if they found out. I carried that secret with me throughout my childhood and it ate me up inside. I developed undiagnosed OCD as a way of coping, and later, an Eating Disorder. As I grew up, I found myself in abusive relationships over and over again. I never felt like I could leave those men because they always made me believe that the abuse was my fault. I would finally leave, but then find myself in another relationship that was very similar. It took a diagnosis of breast cancer 10 years ago for me to realize that I needed to learn to stand on my own two feet. This has been a long journey, and I’ve learned so much along the way. I am here because I want to share with you my life lessons with you. But most of all, I really want you to know you’re not alone.
Special Needs
I am the mother of three grown children, and the grandmother of four beautiful grandchildren. My youngest child, and only son, is 35 years old and he was born with Down Syndrome. After his birth, the neonatologist came in my hospital room and sat down and explained to me that he had trisomy 21, Down Syndrome. I was devastated. I knew that he needed a strong mama to make sure he had all he needed throughout his lifetime. I feared I was not strong enough to be that mama, but I had no choice. He needed me and I couldn’t let him down.
As his mother, I experience first-hand the life changes that impact the family of a child with special needs. When my son started attending public school, at the age of 3, I began volunteering in his class. I discovered my calling, to work in the field of special education.
On the day my son was born, I was terrified … But with his birth, my life changed for the better. He gave me direction and a purpose. My son is an amazing human being and an example of unconditional love and pure joy.
Eating Disorder
Unfortunately, eating disorders were not discussed during the 60’s and 70’s while I was growing up. When I really delved deep into my ED lifestyle, it was the late 90’s and I was in my late 30’s. When I thought of eating disorders, I thought of those with severe anorexia. It never occurred to me, or my doctors, that I had an eating disorder because I was not thin, and I was not a teenager. It took me another 10 years before I had the courage to enter an eating disorder program. Not only did I feel that I was very different physically from the majority of the other patients in the program, I was also 30 years older than they were. That was the worst feeling ever, internally identifying with the struggles that were shared, but then feeling so much additional shame because I did not look like a person living with an eating disorder on the outside.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. PSALMS 147:3
Shayla Renee
ABOUT ME
I graduated from National University, Summa Cum Laude with my Master of Science in Special Education. I hold cleared Special Education Teaching Credentials in both Mild-to-Moderate and Moderate-to-Severe disabilities. Additionally, I have a Bachelor’s Degree with Minors in Behavioral Science, Humanities, and Business. My Associate’s Degree is in Interpreting for the Deaf.
