Ms. Woman Northern Colorado United States 2017

It's been a very long while since I made a post. Well, here we are in a new year....2017. This past year has been an adventure for me and I've had some very unexpected changes that have been some of the best changes I could've hoped for. After a divorce and 11 years in Southwest Colorado, I relocated in March 2016 to Northern Colorado after accepting a job as a Child and Family Therapist in Loveland. I had no idea what this move would bring with it, but it has been the best thing ever! I am living life more than ever and able to give my girls experiences they would not have gotten had we remained where we were. I am in a very healthy and great relationship with an amazing guy, who is supportive, encouraging and motivating. He is everything I could want and more! And with him...I gained three additional really great kiddos into my life (okay, two aren't really kids...they are young adults....but I gained them just the same); and life is great!

Which brings me to today's blog. This blog was originally created when I was married and competing for Mrs. Colorado America. Then it became just a place to put my thoughts. Well, with the encouragement of my wonderful boyfriend, I am entering back into the pageant world and will be competing for the title of Ms. Woman Colorado United States 2017 in March. I'm so excited to be competing again and have been preparing like crazy. I'm getting some great sponsors: Victory 6 Enterprises (owned by my boyfriend), The Royal Image by Raeanne, Ben Guizar, LPC and more are on the way. I've been eating a healthy no carb diet that took some time to adjust to, but now it's becoming so easy. I've also been hitting the gym, which has become something I look forward to every day. 

In preparing for the pageant, I have been volunteering in my community and doing some very fun things. I was master of ceremonies for Spirit Crossing Clubhouse's Annual Chili Cook-Off and modeled for Royal Image Boutique along side the Denver Broncos at Denver's Unique Week of Fashion to raise money for Cerebral Palsy Association. I'm also preparing for some upcoming events that I'm very excited about: Night to Shine sponsored by Tim Tebow Foundation at Gateway Christian Church in Aurora, Loveland Fire and Ice Festival and speaking on Bullying at Harrington Arts Academy's Annual Art Gala. 

As a child and family therapist, my platform for competition is mental health awareness. The emphasis of my platform as Ms. Woman Colorado United States 2017 would be creating more education in schools to help decrease suicide rates among middle and high school students by educating peers and faculty on signs of issues such as depression, anxiety, bullying and suicidal ideation. By increasing education, students can receive earlier detection, help and support. I also want to educate students and faculty on mental health and mental health disorders to help decrease the stigma that comes from some of these students being hospitalized due to their mental health issues. I see so many good kids come through my office who have been hospitalized and return to school to be ridiculed, looked down on and treated differently; not just by their peers, but by faculty and parent's of their peers. These children become their "diagnosis" or looked upon as bad kids by peers, faculty and parents who are uneducated on mental health and what it means to live with a mental health issue; as well as what it means to seek help, whether that is through hospitalization or regular therapy. I want these children to feel comfortable seeking help for their mental health issues and for those around them to be supportive of them and their recovery rather than bringing them down and making them feel bad about themselves because of their issues. 

I am looking forward to these next couple of months and representing Northern Colorado in March as I compete for my state title.