Hi, I am Sherry Bridges. I was born in Charleston, WV but have lived in Durham majority of my life. I currently live in Raleigh but remain a proud Durmite. My wellness journey did not start until 2016 when I was diagnosed with depression and I also started experiencing anxiety. It was my wellness journey that helped me to identify the beginning of my traumatic experiences, which started in my childhood. My family on the outside looked like a strong Christian family but behind closed doors there was parent & child domestic violence, sibling & sibling physical violence, a tense environment, and the belief that "what happened here, stays here".

I never processed my childhood until I decided to get help in 2016. It was several years earlier that my depression hit a low and I was struggling with functioning in everyday roles and responsibilities. Alcohol was becoming a secret comfort and I was having more thoughts of escaping from the responsibilities of being a wife and mother. If felt like my marriage was crumbling, work was beyond stressful and taking a toll on me emotionally. I was caring for my father that was dying from AIDS related illnesses, my mother was not handling life well, and I was now raising my niece along with my own son that was having health issues. All of that pushed me to the edge and I still never made the connection that I needed help, not until an anxiety attack put me in my doctor's office the next day.

There was no more running and I was soo tired of being sick and tired. I got the help I needed. I went to therapy, took medication, and received education on what depression and anxiety was and what it looked like in my life. The truth that saved my life was that none of this was my fault, it happened to me not through me.

Today I am using my WRAP to maintain and sustain my wellness along with additional practices such as prayer and reading my bible. My wellness journey has been a path of self-discovery, forgiveness, joy, and a closer walk with God. I strive to not only share my story but to share how I daily strive to overcome every day. As a peer support facilitator, I want to empower you to go out and make a positive difference in the lives you will be serving daily. I want you to believe in yourself and know that no matter what you have experienced in your life, good and bad, that you can use that to impact one life at a time. Your trails are now your testimonies!