Hello, and thank you for taking the time to learn more about me.

My hope is that by sharing my story, I can inspire others to discover their own strength, embrace their purpose, and know that healing is possible. I also hope my journey brings greater awareness to the lasting impact of childhood trauma and mental health, while encouraging anyone facing hardship to reach out for support. You are never alone.

The kindergarten photo you see here inspired the cover of my book, Journey of Reflection: A Collection of Poems. Looking at that little girl today, I see so much more than a smiling child. I see a little girl carrying burdens far too heavy for her young heart.

I was born in East Los Angeles, California, into a large Chicana family. I have ten siblings and grew up in poverty, relying on government assistance to meet our basic needs. Throughout my childhood, my family moved frequently—from East Los Angeles to La Puente, El Paso, Montebello, and Moreno Valley. Before graduating from high school, I had moved more than 25 times and attended nine different schools. The constant instability made learning difficult, but the greatest challenges were happening at home.

My childhood was shaped by dysfunction, addiction, violence, and trauma. Today, my Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) score is an 8 out of 10—a score that helps explain much of what I experienced and carried with me into adulthood.

My father struggled with alcoholism and was physically and emotionally abusive. Like many children growing up in similar environments, I learned to minimize what was happening because there were also moments of laughter, love, and happy memories. In our culture and generation, many painful experiences were accepted as "normal," making it difficult to recognize the damage they caused.

As a child, I often felt invisible. I didn't have the freedom to express my thoughts or emotions, so I learned to silence my voice. Sometimes I acted out just to be noticed. Other times, I withdrew completely, burying my feelings deep inside. What helped me survive as a child eventually became the very thing I needed to heal from as an adult.

At 49 years old, I made one of the most important decisions of my life—I reached out for help.

Through therapy, long-buried memories and emotions began to surface. I was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and I finally understood that I had been living with Complex PTSD for most of my life. Suddenly, so many pieces of my story made sense.

Between therapy sessions, I began writing.

What started as a private way to process my emotions soon became something much more. My therapist encouraged me to read my poems during our sessions, and those words became part of my healing journey.

Many of the poems are intentionally written from the perspective of my inner child—the little girl who never had the freedom to speak. The illustrations reflect her thoughts, her emotions, and the world as she experienced it.

Writing gave my inner child the voice she had been searching for all along.

Journey of Reflection: A Collection of Poems is a deeply personal collection inspired by my experiences with trauma, healing, relationships, faith, resilience, and hope. While some poems reflect pain and difficult life experiences, others celebrate growth, purpose, forgiveness, and the beauty that can emerge from healing.

My story is not defined by what happened to me. It is defined by the courage to heal, to grow, and to help others do the same.

Today, I share my journey through writing and speaking in the hope that someone reading these words will realize they are stronger than they know—and that healing is possible.

If my story resonates with you, I invite you to read Journey of Reflection and join me on this journey of hope and transformation. I am also available for speaking engagements, workshops, and events. Please visit my Services page to learn more.

Thank you for being here and for allowing me to share a part of my journey with you.

With gratitude,

Helen