The Power of Resilience: Ashley Michelle's Inspiring Story of Triumph

 
In this episode, Ashley Michelle shares her powerful journey of triumph over trauma. Titled "Finding Strength Through Tragedy," the book focuses on the healing process after experiencing horrific traumas. Ashley opens up about the various layers of trauma she has encountered throughout her life, starting from witnessing her biological dad's violent behavior as a child and facing bullying in school.

The pivotal moment came in 2016 when Ashley's life took an unimaginable turn. She was assaulted while running on a trail in July, and in August, she faced a life-threatening event when her ex-partner not only took the life of one of his friends but also attempted to take Ashley's life. This gripping account of survival and resilience sheds light on the power of the human spirit and the journey towards healing.

Join us in this emotionally charged episode as Ashley explores the complexities of trauma, the process of healing, and the transformational power of resilience.

https://ashleyinspires.com/ is where you can learn more about Ashley, her book, and her blogs.
Instagram: Finding Strength Through Tragedy
 
You can email her @ ashley@ashleyinspires.com
TikTok@ Ashleyinspires

For copy of the book: https://ashleyinspires.com/collections/all; rising for 10% off.

Thank you for your time and interest in this podcast! I invite you to leave a heartfelt review on whichever podcast platform you listen to.  It does so much to bring exposure to the podcast and helps lift others up!
Email:  Bettina@intherising.com

Transcript

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[00:00:00] Bettina M Brown: Hello, everyone, and welcome to In the Rising podcast. My name is Bettina, and this is the platform I've chosen to talk about living a life that's in alignment with your vision, your hope, your potential. Even in the face of trauma and really devastating circumstances. So, my podcast today is with a conversation, Ashley Michelle, who has a story that was national news, international news, and I have it linked below.

[00:00:43] Bettina M Brown: extensiveness of her story. But you know what? There is so much light in her, and I'm excited for you to hear her testimony today. Thank you so much, Ashley Michelle, for your time today on In the Rising podcast. I really look forward to having this conversation with you today. You are the author of Finding Strength True check through tragedy, which I know a little bit about your story.

[00:01:10] Bettina M Brown: Do you want to share a little bit so the listeners can know? 

[00:01:14] Ashley Michelle: Sure. So, this book is called finding strength through tragedy and it's about the healing process after you go through horrific traumas and my horrific trauma just didn't start in 2016. I believe that trauma has many layering effects. And my first trauma probably started as a child, you know, witnessing my biological dad punch holes in the walls, et cetera, and being bullied in school.

[00:01:43] Ashley Michelle: And then in 2016, my life took a completely different direction for the worst. I was assaulted on a trail while I was running in July. And then in August of 2016, I had my life literally flashed before my eyes and didn't think that I was going to make it out alive for a second. My ex had just killed one of his good friends and then tried to take my life in the process.

[00:02:13] Ashley Michelle: If it weren't for the support of the detectives and everybody else around me, I don't think where I'd be where I am today. And then in October of 2016, I also had a suicide attempt where I just wanted all the feelings, all the emotions to stop. It was just too much. It was too overwhelming. I felt so withdrawn and I had all this support around me, and I just wanted the pain to end.

[00:02:38] Bettina M Brown: And, you know, I listened to your story and I'm going to put the link on for other people to hear it as well. But you also said from the get go that the detective said to you, please don't go down the route of alcohol and drugs. And, and so they kind of knew. Before you really could process yourself that the severity and the depth of this trauma.

[00:03:03] Ashley Michelle: Yes, absolutely like that hit me hard when before they even asked me any single questions, they said, Can you please make us a promise that you won't turn to the streets for drugs for prostitution, alcohol.

[00:03:17] Ashley Michelle: And that really, really hit me hard. That just goes to tell you the statistics for survivors of crime. That most survivors of crime end up turning to the streets as a result. And, you know, some may have no support at all around them and that's why they turn. Some may be overwhelmed by this. Some, and you know, words hurt too.

[00:03:36] Ashley Michelle: And I actually wrote a blog on that because so many people are quick to judge and point fingers. So, like I've had comments made at me like, Oh, you're telling me you didn't see this coming. And just really disrespectful remarks. And if you were to tell that to a 16- or 17-year-old girl who has low self-esteem, low confidence, that would just push them to the streets that much more.

[00:03:59] Ashley Michelle: For somebody that's going through trauma, you just need to be a sounding board to them. That's all they need. That's all they want. 

[00:04:07] Bettina M Brown: And you made a good point with that because there are so many layers of trauma. And once you have gone through so many, your perception of Right now, you know, in any, in any way that they say that you can't see the forest cause you're in the tree, right?

[00:04:21] Bettina M Brown: You can't see the big picture the way other people can, but what you highlighted was we could stop judging. 

[00:04:29] Ashley Michelle: Yes, absolutely. We can stop judging and pointing fingers. Like, you know, people are so quick to judge the homeless people that are on the street saying all of their drug addict. That's why they're here.

[00:04:39] Ashley Michelle: Well, no, I believe that there's a reason behind. People just don't turn to the streets one day and say, I'm going to go and do drugs and be homeless. Who's to say that man on the street just didn't lose his entire home in a fire? Who's to say that he just didn't lose his family? Like, nobody knows what somebody else is going through.

[00:05:00] Ashley Michelle: And, you know, as difficult as everything that I was going through, I always told myself that there's somebody going through so much more. Like, I volunteered in pediatrics. So I saw firsthand You know the depression, the PTSD, the anxiety that so many of these parents had to face as they were They had the possibility of maybe losing their child and that's a parent's worst nightmare No parent should ever have to go through that kind of trauma And so when I was at the hospital, it just put everything in perspective for me.

[00:05:33] Ashley Michelle: It's like, you know what, these people are having a really rough day. Your day isn't so bad right now. You know, you're alive, you're healthy, and there are people who are just struggling to get through day by day. 

[00:05:49] Bettina M Brown: And you can have excuse me, more empathy for people who are struggling with a really bad day.

[00:05:55] Bettina M Brown: Because you never know who you're talking to if they've had one of those really bad days, right? 

[00:06:01] Ashley Michelle: Exactly. Yes. Like people tell me like, I'm so bubbly. I'm so outgoing. I'm so friendly and stuff like this could never happen to somebody like me. And I'm just like, no, like I did a placement where I worked with some teen moms.

[00:06:15] Ashley Michelle: And my first relationship was extremely abusive. And I told them this and they're like, Oh, you're a college student. Bad things don't happen to you. Like people have this like perception that just because you're happy or you, you post a picture on social media, smiling that your life is just perfection.

[00:06:32] Ashley Michelle: And that's So not the answer that's so not the way it actually is like some people want to see what they want to see But you don't know like behind that smile was there just tears behind that smile Like nobody knows what's going on behind closed doors and yet we're just so quick to judge and so quick to point fingers.

[00:06:56] Bettina M Brown: And, the way any of the, the emotion with which you're talking, you can definitely tell that this is something that you, you have had experience a lot of. Oh, 

[00:07:07] Ashley Michelle: I have had a lot of experience in it. Like, Oh, why didn't you just leave? Oh, like this is your fault. Like, you know, this is why I didn't help you sign your first lease.

[00:07:17] Ashley Michelle: Like, that's what I had a parent say to me, like, this is why I didn't help you out. Like it's just. It's unbelievable. I've had even people be like, Oh, well, you're just, you know, you're just crazy. Like from like going through all this. And I'm just like, no, like that's not what, and these were like family members telling me something like that.

[00:07:36] Ashley Michelle: So, and, and people I worked with too, were so quick to judge in the past. Like they're like, Oh, you're telling us that you didn't see this coming. Like, and all this stuff. And it's just like, no, you don't think somebody is going to do the most horrific thing. Your mind doesn't want to go there. Your mind doesn't want to believe that, you know, so people just.

[00:07:56] Ashley Michelle: They really need to watch their comments and really be aware of what they're saying because it could have such a tremendous impact on somebody else. 

[00:08:06] Bettina M Brown: And you mentioned one of the first things you said is some people have a lack of support and some people have an overabundance of support. Correct. So you want to kind of go into both of those how they can be helpful or Yeah, sure.

[00:08:24] Ashley Michelle: So to have no support. You literally feel a low self-esteem. You feel low confidence already. And you know, if you get easily introduced into a new lifestyle, like that's where you end up like turning to the streets because you think it's going to solve the problems, it's going to temporarily numb your pain, but it's not going to make the trauma disappear, getting into drugs, alcohol or prostitution.

[00:08:56] Ashley Michelle: You're only harming yourself at the end of the day. And that's why I think it's so vital. Like the police were really good at this was getting me counseling right away. Like there was no waiting, nothing like that. And I think that that is. Is so vital and that's why proceeds to from my book go to helping survivors of crime Because it's maybe that person just needs one more counseling session To get to where they need to be because eventually the criminal justice board cuts you off of sessions because they don't want to provide you sessions your whole life, but What people don't understand is this is a life sentence That I've gotten like now I get parole packages.

[00:09:39] Ashley Michelle: I get parole letters and stuff like that from the parole board. I'm now like registered with one of the police officers there to get to get information, etc., etc. And it's a lot to process. It's a lot to go through. And I think support is vital. But I think it's also self-discovery and I think it's really looking at your relationships, you know, even if you have that abundance of support, is everybody actually in your corner because so many people can say anything they want, but actions speak volumes.

[00:10:18] Ashley Michelle: And this is where I really had to self-reflect and looked at what relationships were helpful and positive and nourishing. And what relationships were negative that simply you just need to cut ties with because those relationships are only going to, the negative relationships are only going to push you to the edge.

[00:10:37] Ashley Michelle: You need people that are going to be positive, that aren't going to judge you, that are going to be listeners that are going to be there for you no matter what. And that's what I think you can have abundance of support, but it has to be the best support for you. Because you're in charge of yourself and you're the only one looking out for yourself at the end of the day.

[00:11:00] Ashley Michelle: Nobody else is. So you have to see what fits in your life and what simply doesn't fit. And you have to make those choices. Nobody else is going to make it for you except yourself. And you got to learn not to get taken advantage of. You need to learn that a relationship is give and take. It's just not take, take, take.

[00:11:17] Ashley Michelle: I believe that every relationship needs... to be 50 50. You can't be the one making all the effort. You can't be fighting for something if the other person's not willing to fight for it. 

[00:11:28] Bettina M Brown: Yeah. And, and you made a lot of good points, you know, and that giving and taking is not an assignment of the relationship who gives and who takes, but it is a fluid situation also dependent on what's going on.

[00:11:41] Bettina M Brown: Right. Sometimes we need to take a little more. Sometimes we need to give. And you also highlighted the self-responsibility like you, you said you were so overwhelmed with the amount of pain and trauma, which. I can just reading about it. I get a visceral response about what you've gone through and it does seem just too much.

[00:12:04] Bettina M Brown: But you also said here, ultimately, you took self-responsibility for your journey from here on out. 

[00:12:12] Ashley Michelle: You did. Yeah. Like the suicide attempt was like a wake up call for me. Like it was, I really felt like I was being selfish because I was put in this spot to get justice served, you know, take the stand and to give my statement, to give my testimony.

[00:12:29] Ashley Michelle: That was my purpose. And to just like simply end my life. Well, that wasn't going to help bring back the deceased. That wasn't going to help make the situation go away. You know, it was running away from the problem and instead of running away from the problem, I chose to get in front of it and to take action with my life and go to counseling and have the right people in my life.

[00:12:53] Ashley Michelle: And, you know, the gym, oh my gosh, the gym alone literally saved. My life entirely like people don't understand that they think that working out is just this like huge physical component. Oh, I want to look so good. No, it's not. It's like mental. It's emotional. It's everything combined. Like it's for me. It's like a mini vacation.

[00:13:15] Ashley Michelle: It's me getting away from all my stressors. Just being in my own zone. It is so refreshing. And especially if you're having a tough, rough day, you It's nice just to get away, take a breath and focus on yourself. And you know what? There's nothing wrong with focusing on yourself. Like it is not selfish whatsoever.

[00:13:38] Ashley Michelle: Like if you make plans with people and you feel like you just don't have the energy, then it's okay to step back and, you know, order some takeout and catch up on your favorite shows. There's nothing wrong with self-care. Self-care is vital to a healthy, better. 

[00:13:55] Bettina M Brown: That's what my podcast is all about is acknowledging the importance of yourself so that you can give to your family, your friends, society, but what you also said that is so important is with focusing on yourself.

[00:14:13] Bettina M Brown: You are able to filter all those emotions that you're going through because, you know, as a physical therapist, I see a lot of people and I'm taught not to chase the pain. Some of that pain does not have a physical origin, right? It's compound emotional stress, trauma, trauma, trauma throughout their life.

[00:14:33] Bettina M Brown: Like you've experienced and you're using that, you're that energy in motion, that emotion you're now putting out through your exercise, through your motion. So. That's I'm glad you made that connection because that's really, that's so true. 

[00:14:47] Ashley Michelle: Well, you can't help others until you help yourself, right? Like you need to take the proper steps in order to get to where you need to be.

[00:14:55] Ashley Michelle: And that step starts with you. You're in this life, you decide how you want to live it. You decide what relationships are beneficial. You decide what counseling is going to be right for you. Maybe it's group counseling. Maybe it's one on one counseling. You know, you get to decide. How you want to live your life from here on out.

[00:15:16] Ashley Michelle: And for me, it's just becoming the best version of myself that I can be every single day. It's to inspire and impact as many lives as I possibly can. You know, I don't think that time heals all wounds. I think it's what you do in that time that matters. And for me, that's working out. That's, I actually just finished doing six blogs this morning before talking to you.

[00:15:41] Ashley Michelle: I woke up at seven to get those done. Cause they're just, it's amazing. Like I, especially too, when I'm at the gym, I find myself getting all these ideas rushing through my mind and I'm immediately like texting myself being like, Oh, here's another blog idea. Here's another, And then all of a sudden I'll wake up and I'm like texting myself about another blog idea.

[00:16:02] Ashley Michelle: I just feel like it is so therapeutic and it's so healing. And I've already had people share my blogs on Facebook telling me how impactful it's been for them and how much it's helped them. And that's what it comes down to for me. You know, it's not about anything else, but helping somebody else and making an impact in their life.

[00:16:24] Ashley Michelle: For the better, leaving somebody better than you from them. That's what 

[00:16:28] Bettina M Brown: it's about. And there's a lot of I call them wise people as we go through life, we become wiser that really go with the most fulfilled lives leave, lead a life of service. That is so fulfilling. And that's what you did with this book.

[00:16:44] Bettina M Brown: Did you, did you feel, I mean, I'm sure it was therapeutic, but were there parts of this book that you felt like, wow, I didn't realize that part of myself or that pain was in there, or did you notice anything like that came about for you while writing? 

[00:16:58] Ashley Michelle: Well, I noticed in a part of writing about strength is, you know, we often really don't think about strength until we're forced to go through some horrific trauma in our life.

[00:17:10] Ashley Michelle: And how important it is to have strength and grow from strength and learn from strength and have strength be a part of our everyday life. So for me, I really wanted to highlight that for other people. It was definitely, you know, there were some challenges in it, but I found it therapeutic for the most part.

[00:17:32] Ashley Michelle: And I really liked writing the chapter on who I am today. You know, it was like writing a journal entry, you know, like you just sit there and you self-reflect on your journey and how far you've come and, and sharing that to help empower somebody else. You know, I believe that every trauma is a teaching tool, a teaching lesson.

[00:17:58] Ashley Michelle: Yeah. And if somebody else can take this book that I wrote and say, oh yeah, like, I get it. Yeah, I, I was there. Like, I understand, you know, I've been through something so similar. You know, I also talk about domestic violence and how. You know, it's not just so simple to just up and leave your abuser. Like, there's a lot of things that people don't know.

[00:18:20] Ashley Michelle: Like, on average, it takes a woman eight or nine times before she leaves her abuser. And you know, separation assault happens when you leave your abuser, and that's when you're most likely to get murdered by your abuser. So that's why it's so important to have a safety plan. I talk about that in my book too.

[00:18:36] Ashley Michelle: And I talk about anxiety, PTSD, and depression, because there's so much stigma around that still people are ashamed that they have that. I'm not ashamed that I have that. I mean, it's, it's a part of who I am now. It's, you know, it's a learning curve. It's, it's learning how to cope. It's learning how to deal it.

[00:18:54] Ashley Michelle: It's problem solving. It's a new challenge that I'm up for. in my life is how can I get through this? How can I face this? And like I said, the gym has been a huge part in helping me cope with the anxiety, the depression, the PTSD. Yeah. 

[00:19:11] Bettina M Brown: And with that, you know, you, you talk about those, those feelings of PTSD.

[00:19:19] Bettina M Brown: I've got how do you feel like throughout your day that you'll still notice something that something's still true?

[00:19:24] Ashley Michelle: Yes. Yes. Like I live in an apartment building and I was like coming up the other side of the steps and another guy was coming up the other side. I immediately jumped. Like I, I still get jumpy from time to time when I don't know, like I'm very hypervigilant and I'm very aware of my surroundings now.

[00:19:44] Ashley Michelle: Like I carry a whistle when I go for a run. I stay on the main roads when I go for a run. But there are things like that that are definitely. Challenges for me. You know, I'm always like looking back, making sure nobody's following me. But yeah, you know, stuff like that. Just someone walking up the steps and surprising you literally makes my heart like just jump.

[00:20:06] Ashley Michelle: So yeah, it's definitely there are still some aspects that are still there. But it's learning how to how to deal with it. It's learning how to problem solve. It's learning how to go on. You know, one foot in front of the other, you know, it's hour by hour. Some days it's day by day. Sometimes it's all about being patient with yourself and, knowing your triggers and figuring them out.

[00:20:30] Bettina M Brown: And, you know, in that too, when you're talking about being hypervigilant, that's for safety and strength, but hypervigilance is also exhausting. And so you're patient with yourself because you may just feel more exhaustion, just day to day things. Because you're so aware, 

[00:20:49] Ashley Michelle: I actually wrote a blog on being hyper vigilant and how I how I carry a whistle and how I'm so aware of my surroundings.

[00:20:56] Ashley Michelle: And yeah, yeah, I still text sometimes while I'm walking, but I'm, I'm always looking, you know, I'm always and you're right. It is exhausting. It does. It does take a lot out of you, but I'm just in the process of like, it's better to be safe than sorry. Like you just like this world is comes down to like a lot of bad people in this world, which I hate to say that, but there is, and I just have my eyes wide open now, you know, I know what feels right and what doesn't I follow my intuition.

[00:21:30] Ashley Michelle: And if something doesn't feel right, I react right away. And that's where you got to take out your toolbox. That's where you, like, I still keep in touch with my detectives. Like that's when you, you know, call nine one, one, you, you call the people that you're already comfortable with that, know your story.

[00:21:45] Ashley Michelle: You know, so I think it's just learning and knowing what to do in a situation like that and being as cautious as you can, like your safety comes first. Your safety is vital. And if something feels off, you need to react right away. Don't second guess yourself. 

[00:22:03] Bettina M Brown: And then ultimately, we all, we do have answers, right?

[00:22:06] Bettina M Brown: We do, we do know when something's right. We do know when something's not right. Exactly. Yeah. And what you also said in, in your story is that you also struggled through survivor's guilt because this person Did not make it. You, you were not you were assaulted. You, you have your, your story, but you lived.

[00:22:29] Bettina M Brown: How are you processing that? Because that is also much more common. Then we ever talk about, it's not just for veterans of war. It is also sometimes veterans of trauma. 

[00:22:42] Ashley Michelle: I completely agree with you. It's an, it's an ongoing thing. You know, I have my moments. It was just the deceased's birthday on the third.

[00:22:50] Ashley Michelle: Which is hard like that. And then the anniversary of August 28th is coming up this month as well. I find it more challenging on, on those days because your mind really stops and things. But it is, it's, it's a forgiveness of self and, you know, you go through all this self doubt, you go through all this hatred, you go through all this blame and, you know, I blamed myself for everything that happened.

[00:23:13] Ashley Michelle: I was like, well, maybe if I did this for like the acute or the person that committed this crime, if I did more things to help him out. Then what would I be in this situation and I can't give myself all that power and control. I can't go back. I can't change things that I know that, but there's definitely that part where it's really hard and difficult to move on with your life and live your life.

[00:23:42] Ashley Michelle: You want to live the best life that you can. But when you first go through the trauma, something as simple as just crossing the street, I felt so much guilt. I felt so much guilt for going to the gym, for going to the grocery store. It was just crazy. The most simplest thing that you could feel guilty that you got out of a situation and somebody else didn't.

[00:24:03] Ashley Michelle: That was the biggest part that I had to come face to face with. That's a lot of what my counseling was about is really trying to process that guilt. Because I definitely had a huge survivor's guilt and it's so real for so many people and you're right, it's not just veterans that go through it, it's people of trauma, it's survivors of crime, it's survivors of any kind of pain, heartache and suffering, despair and hopelessness.

[00:24:33] Ashley Michelle: And it's, it's tough to battle, but you need to like get ahead of it, you need to address it because if you just let it build and build. It will eventually just take you out. 

[00:24:43] Bettina M Brown: It'll, it'll just because you don't look at it or address it doesn't mean it's not doing something right. We have to take that.

[00:24:50] Bettina M Brown: And what I, I love the cover of your book. It's a little plant. Just describe what, what drew you to this this image for your book. 

[00:25:00] Ashley Michelle: I just thought it really defined strength. You know, going and seeing. A tree and how the tree grows, you know, like it starts off as a seed and then it begins to grow.

[00:25:14] Ashley Michelle: And it's, it's about rebuilding and restructuring and regrowing growing as a person. So it's kind of like, you know, I'm that little seed. And then I became this tree that's like ongoing and just keeps growing and keeps healing. And I'm, I'm growing along with the tree. Yeah, that's how, that's how I look at it.

[00:25:38] Bettina M Brown: One question I like to ask people because the podcast name is about in the rising, how you're rising through your life, like, you know, like your, your symbolism with the tree, what do you see yourself still rising through? Like what, what is ahead of you that you're excited about and eager about?

[00:25:55] Ashley Michelle: I'm so excited to be launching a course.

[00:25:59] Ashley Michelle: It's called heal and to also have a YouTube channel. I'm. So excited. Like I talked about before these blogs, like I love, love writing them. You know, I sat down and like did the images, did the tags. And it was so fun. Like it doesn't even feel like any amount of work. It just like, just knowing that that one piece, that one sentence, that one word could help somebody else or bring so much joy and happiness to my life.

[00:26:31] Ashley Michelle: Like, that's all I want at the end of the day. I want to inspire as many individuals as I can, and I want them to know that I believe in them and that, you know, they can and they will get through anything that life throws at them. You know, I'm proud of every single person that has gone through hardship and that is rising above and keeps rising and keeps getting up every single day.

[00:26:55] Ashley Michelle: Like, that takes so much strength. Alone. So I, I just want to keep on helping and keep sharing my story. Keep shining the light on all of these stigmas too around, you know, mental health and people thinking, oh, just because you're happy that you don't have mental health. Like, you know, you have your moments, you have your insecurities, you have your struggles.

[00:27:18] Ashley Michelle: I mean, we're all human. We're all broken and damaged in some shape, way or other. You know, that's part of our life. That's part of our world. You know, a lot of us now to we come from broken homes, you know, I came from a broken home, like, you know, a lot of people in this day and age. They don't have a mother and father.

[00:27:39] Ashley Michelle: They may have grandparents or aunts and uncles raising them and that's okay. And you know, I just. That's why I think it's so important to share my story with the world and share, you know, even my, my childhood stories because so many people are relating to not having both parents in their life. You know, maybe that's something else that I can help people cope with.

[00:28:01] Ashley Michelle: You know, you are who you are and you know, you're made of so much strength. You have so much potential in you. It doesn't matter how you're raised or if you're raised by two loving parents, or if you're raised by an aunt or an uncle, whatever, you are still a wonderful human being and because other people have let you down, you cannot let that get the best of you.

[00:28:24] Ashley Michelle: You, you cannot, or it's going to wear you out. It's going to drain you, and I think you just have to keep believing in yourself, no matter what, and realize that you are an unstoppable individual who can do anything he or she sets their mind to, with the proper people, the proper support in your life. And by taking the proper steps and growing as a person, growing as an individual, self reflect, journal, go for those walks, go for those runs, join a gym.

[00:28:54] Ashley Michelle: It's all about taking care of you. That's how you get to being the best version of yourself that you can be. No. 

[00:29:00] Bettina M Brown: I love that. I love that you want to inspire people to realize they are unstoppable because so many people do not know that. And what is the name of your blog? 

[00:29:14] Ashley Michelle: My blogs are, it's on my website, finding strength through tragedy.

[00:29:19] Ashley Michelle: So, there's like numerous blogs. There's one on depression. There's one on anxiety. There's one on heartbreak after trauma. There's one on, life sentence. So, I kind of talk about, you know what it's like because people just think after the trial, it's all said and done and it's not. I will talk about how I'm also faced with a life sentence for the rest of my life as well.

[00:29:40] Ashley Michelle: Like I have to deal with my ex now. Yeah, that's what it comes down to. And so I, I write about a lot of things that are relatable to other people, you know, struggles that other people may be going through. And I wrote also about ha, finding happiness after trauma. I wrote about relationships after trauma.

[00:29:59] Ashley Michelle: what all of that looks like. So just really basic things in that. It's okay to be happy after you've gone through trauma. It's okay to start over and, and live the best possible life you can for yourself. You know, you deserve happiness. You deserve joy after all the pain, after all the heartache. I talk about, you know, going through relationships, going through a romantic heartbreak.

[00:30:23] Ashley Michelle: I talk about all of that. I just want. Things to be relatable to others and for people to be like, yeah, you know what? I went through that, you know, this is really helpful and I even list some resources like in the domestic violence one I list community resources I'm, just really all about giving back and helping as many people In life as I possibly can because let's face it life is difficult 

[00:30:49] Bettina M Brown: It is.

[00:30:49] Bettina M Brown: And so your website, Finding Strength Through Tragedy is how people can connect to your blog, to your YouTube, to your 

[00:30:55] Ashley Michelle: Facebook. My website is Ashleyinspires. com. That's what my website is. Yeah. It's Ashleyinspires. com. And then I have a Facebook group called Finding Strength Through Tragedy. And then I also have an Instagram of finding strength through tragedy.

[00:31:16] Ashley Michelle: And then I have a Facebook page called Ashley inspires as well. 

[00:31:20] Bettina M Brown: Cause I want people to know how to connect with you, whatever, 

[00:31:48] Bettina M Brown: Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Well, I really appreciate all of your time this morning. You really have a lot to offer the world and you really have a lot to offer, especially women that have gone through similar traumas of abuse.

[00:32:02] Bettina M Brown: And you know, there's the same cycle. You're trying to stop the cycle. And for that, I commend you.

[00:32:05] Ashley Michelle: Thank you so much and thank you so much for giving me the platform to share my story with the world because it's all about is helping many people as I possibly can and reaching out to more and more people is what it's about.

[00:32:21] Bettina M Brown: So, I was just so this was definitely one of those jaw dropping conversations when you realize the magnitude of what someone has gone through and who you're looking at today of taking that circumstance, which is huge and changing it really making it something that will help so many other women and just living really The life she's living is helping.

[00:32:49] Bettina M Brown: So as she said, there is links below and I would absolutely love you to follow Ashley Michelle to encourage her and to help spread her word out to more people. If this podcast today was beneficial to you or you feel that someone would benefit from listening to it, that it would help them, encourage them, inspire them, please share it and leave it a positive review as well.

[00:33:14] Bettina M Brown: It does a lot for the podcast to just bring it exposure and bring it out to the hands and ears of those that may desperately need it today. Until next time, let's keep building one another up.