“Bitter to Better is a companion for the messy middle—equal parts honest story and usable science.”
What if falling apart is exactly where healing begins?
When life breaks, most people reach for something to fix it fast…advice, avoidance, or a to-do list labeled "move on." But what if the way through isn't found in pretending everything's fine... but in facing the bitter, and choosing to grow anyway?
In Bitter to Better, I take you inside my story of unexpected heartbreak, leadership pressure, parenting through chaos, doubting my faith, and launching a business when everything felt uncertain.
Written with raw honesty, grounded hope, and just enough humor… this isn't a memoir filled with perfect endings… it's a companion for the messy middle.
Whether you're walking through betrayal, burnout, grief, or growth, this book meets you there...with neuroscience, reflection, and grace.
Snapshots from the Book:
Chapter 1: From the Early Days, Living in Shame City
If you’ve carried a secret or a label that made you feel small, this chapter is for you.
At 21, pregnant, out of wedlock, in the South—while teaching Bible study… I was sure my story was over (and you’ll see how close it came). But an unexpected gift was handed to me that began rebuilding my life for the better.
The chapter ends with a practical exercise to serve a shame eviction notice, plus a clear intro to how shame shows up in your body.
Chapter 6: Something Is Going to Happen
When you’ve played every card and the table still flips.
Contracts collapsing, faith wobbling, options gone—I was about to lose it all… until a holy nudge led me to Tangela. One envelope. Right on time. It didn’t “fix” everything—it rewired the story.
I end with a practical exercise to shift from scarcity to stewardship, plus a simple way to track provision.
The chapter ends with a practical exercise to shift from scarcity to stewardship, plus a nerdy note on your brain on Trust and Provision.
Chapter 10: Beautifully Wired: When Frustration Leads to Revelation
What if the “problem” isn’t your child—or you—but the way we’re measuring a beautifully different brain?
My daughter kept failing school, and we couldn’t figure out why. The more I pushed, the more she sank—until testing revealed a learning disability. That’s when frustration turned into a new lens: reframing wiring and spotting patterns the old metrics missed.
In this chapter, you will get a reframe of your wiring (and the limits of labels), plus a Nerdy Note on the power of neurodivergence—what ADHD, dyslexia, and aphantasia are, how they can impact focus, memory, and learning, and simple supports you can use right away.
Chapter 18: The Miraculous Stay
What do you do when the person who helped break your life walks into your first Bible study back?
My whole body screamed fight/flee—Amy (the amygdala) flared, the Angry Coworker (cortisol) clocked in—but I chose a different story. This is the moment I learned to abide when I had every “right” not to.
In this chapter, you will build your Anchor List, learn a simple abiding plan to keep character under fire, and learn the science of getting reps in the (unwanted) role so your nervous system remembers how to stay.
Chapter 19: Take Your Bucket and Go
Ever have a parenting fail you wish you could rewind—snapped because your tank was empty?
Between divorce chaos and zero margin, I lost it—yelled at my sick daughter and told her to “take your barf bucket and go” before heading to therapy. That was my wake-up call: check my energy before I spill it on my kids.
In this chapter, you will get A Bitter → Better Energy Inventory to spot depletion fast, the Hot vs. Heat Nerdy Note (why boundaries keep your brain from bullying over), and a simple reset-before-reaction so love leads, not exhaustion.
Chapter 21: Hug a Duck
When life is unfair, your kid is scared, and you’re miles away—how do you respond without exploding or shutting down?
While walking outside a client’s office, I recount the latest drama of court delays, work woes, and a terrifying call from my daughter about a train to my therapist. It was a lot for any human, and Amy joked, “you need to go kick a duck.” I laughed a needed laugh and noted I could only hug a duck. This is the moment when humor helped when life wasn’t letting up.
In this chapter, learn a simple Hug-a-Duck reset to interrupt spirals, plus the science of place anchors (like water for me) that calm your nervous system—so you can act with character when emotions try to bully you.
Chapter 30: Copy. Paste. Repeat. Fast.
Ever tried to date after a divorce or know someone who has?
My post-divorce dating life? A highlight reel of almosts. First was the Checkbox Guy—a dream in all areas, except unfortunately one. Then Mr. Good-in-Theory—emotional fluency on text, emotional tumbleweed in person. Add a lawn-and-love killer moment, and I finally hit pause on chasing “the one” to seek the One.
In this chapter, learn a Sacred Reset (fasting you can actually do), tools to name + mute distractions, a method to break the loop, and practical stillness so your next “yes” is wise.
