Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Byrd.
Hi Veronica, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story has many paths that have converged, as do most. I lived in rural Appalachia in Morgan County, TN, for 27 years before moving to Crossville, TN. I was born and raised in the corn country of Northern Illinois but left at age 18. In all, I have lived in Tennessee for 30 years. The majority of my past work experience to date is in customer service. In 2014, a couple of years after my divorce and finding myself a single mother, I returned to college after 22 years. In 2016, I earned an Associate of Science in Adult Contemporary Management and a business degree from Roane State Community College. In 2019, I earned a Bachelor of Science from King University with a double major in Psychology and Communication and graduated Summa Cum Laude. I am now a Master of Arts student through Liberty University’s online Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. After graduating from Liberty, I plan to obtain my Licensed Professional Counselor, Mental Health Service Provider, and National Certified Counselor credentials to practice counseling in Tennessee. Rural Tennessee has very limited and sometimes no access to in-person mental health services.
I hope to change that great need. I am also a veteran of the US Army Reserves from 1990-1996. My youngest child is autistic. I believe in Jesus Christ and administrate a small group ministry called Simple Paths to Faith through my church. I have always been outdoorsy, from childhood til now, and I enjoy connecting with Christ and people in creation in walks and hikes. I also garden and grow flowers, trees, bushes, plants, and food outdoors and in. I enjoy art, painting, photography, and viewing art. My life paths have found me homeless to where I am now through my perseverance, resilience, education, and remarriage to a wonderful man who has expanded my small family to include two more adult children. Now, we have three amazing grandchildren.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
No, my paths have never been smooth, not all to my doing, but mostly to be honest. I am a child of divorce and remarriage to a survivor of domestic abuse, but I am blessed with two now adult children. Through my education, I can look back at the struggles that come through divorce and see what went right and what could have been better. I can see more clearly where generational patterns are intricate to break. As a young adult, I spent decades blaming others, but I am grateful to have resolved old feelings at this point in life. I hope to help others do the same. I sought my way for a long time, feeling like I was a “leftover” in many ways. I have no judgment anymore about this feeling of mine, but the clarity of hindsight. I made many bad decisions in my early adulthood that led to heavy regret and created vulnerabilities that diminished my self-worth. If it weren’t for the grace of God, I would not know the abundance I know now. Hard work and perseverance through trials have built me. I am the oldest of 5 siblings: one brother from my father’s first marriage and 3 more siblings from remarriage to my fantastic stepmother. Now, as a counseling student, I can look back at the struggles that come through divorce and see what went right and what could have been better. I can see more clearly where generational patterns are intricate to break, but as a society and with what we’ve learned now about child development and divorce, we need to change. The paths smooth out for us during our lives, but like a hiking trail, they rarely stay smooth. But also, like a hiking trail, life teaches us to remain vigilant, keep putting one foot in front of the other, and enjoy the beauty along the way.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am very proud of being a student at age 55. I want to encourage other adults that it’s ok to step onto a new path. Learning is always good, even if only for our use. I know that the rough paths I have traveled were meant for me to help others who may be experiencing dead ends, insecurities, forced or desired life changes, and other bumps. I have learned that even a decades-old “hole” we may find ourselves in has a ladder to help us climb. I want to be the ladder for others, just as some were ladders for me. Pay it forward is an ages-old and always-worthy calling. What sets me apart from others is my truthful but empathic communication style. Life is too short to skirt the truth, fearing we might offend another. Life will offend us whether we try to avoid it, but if our mindset is to teach the truth with love, just as my Bible tells me, I strive to keep people at the table. An extra word or sentence added to the conversation may make all the difference in the world to gaining understanding. I have also been through so much strife, that judgment of others truly isn’t on my grid.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is being kind and genuine. I do not remember anyone teaching me the importance of authenticity, but somewhere in the last decade of my life, I learned that if we are genuine, we have nothing to hide. Nothing to hide is freedom so that a genuine soul can be truly free. I add kindness because being genuine can be misconstrued as an excuse not to be better, to “do you.” To “do you” leaves no room for improvement.
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