Dear Rev and CiCi,

   Rev, our ascent on Mount Dickerman, remains a moment deeply etched in my mind. Your voice, guiding me with those simple words, "one step, one breath," helped me shatter years of self-doubt that I had clung to. Conquering that mountain, feeling the burn in my muscles and the clean air in my lungs, was not just a physical feat but a mental breakthrough, a moment where I began to truly understand my strength. This journey toward healing began years prior, during a visit to my father in jail. My dad received a letter and shared it with me. It was from my mother that unearthed deeply buried memories of abuse from over a decade prior. Having never processed this trauma, its resurgence triggered a severe mental breakdown and subsequent hospitalization. 

   When questioned about suicidal thoughts, I admitted that while it had crossed my mind, I had no plans, resulting in the maximum allowable medication dosage. After three months, the limit for inpatient care, I was discharged with medication and a referral for weekly counseling with a therapist who shared and had a personal history of suicide. Returning home, my medication adherence became inconsistent. This erratic pattern destabilized my mental state, plunging me into a dark sea of depression. When it was time to discuss my triggers with my counselor, I felt utterly hopeless and without a future, resulting in setting fire to myself, which left me with severe burns. 

   The following fifteen years were spent navigating life with the resulting stigma. Over 15 years after my suicide attempt, while living in Marysville, our family received a 30-day eviction notice due to development plans. Consequently, my father and I became homeless, residing near a gas station where I relied on unhealthy convenience store food, leading to a dangerous decline in my health and hospitalization. After thirty days, the hospital transferred me to an adult family home with equally poor nutrition. My requests for healthy food like broccoli and fish were dismissed as too expensive, and I was subsequently moved to another adult family home. 

   This new residence also failed to provide adequate nutrition and seemed to prioritize financial gain over a client’s well-being. Another complaint to the state led to my connection with Rev and CiCi. This resulted in my move to a slightly more affordable option where I regained food stamps, was able to purchase my groceries, and became part of a supportive community. The day I met Rev, he invited me to his home, where every day for four consecutive days, spending four hours each day, he encouraged me to attend a Tony Robbins Conference. This conference covered various topics, including confidence-building, healthy eating, and positive thinking. 

 After learning about the planned events and hikes we would be doing as a family, Rev asked, "Tiye, what do you think about what we do here?" I replied, "Rev, I feel like I'm at home." And CiCi, your insights into how the rhythm of exercise washes through the body and brain, replenishing vital chemicals like gentle rain nourishing parched earth, resonated deeply within me. It was as if a lightbulb turned on, illuminating a path I hadn't known existed. Your wisdom inspired me to lace up my boots and embark on daily walks with the men at the refuge, each step a quiet conversation with God, myself, and the world around me.

   This new connection to the simple joy of movement and nature was powerfully underscored during a week when I missed my medication. A surprising clarity, a feeling of being truly without limits, simply from being active outdoors. The trails seemed effortless, and the air was easy to breathe. And the sound of the creeks gave me a sense of peace and hope. Resuming that medication made me feel as if a heavy and suffocating cloud descended over me. Making me feel like a stranger in my mind. 

   This jarring experience led me to deeply and honestly consider the true role of my medication in my overall well-being. After consulting with my doctor, where I shared these observations, we collaboratively decided that, in my specific and unique case, I could carefully and slowly discontinue it. Several years have now passed, each one a testament to this decision, as if a heavy cloak had been lifted, and I was finally seeing the world in its true colors, as if I never even needed it in the first place. Rev and CiCi, your support in obtaining my boater's license, even before I got my driver's license, a process that took me over 5 hours. I was so excited to navigate the 'Knot So Fast' yacht, an 11-hour event, I wish I could have helmed the entire time. 

   Additionally, one of the things I learned from that experience is that the moment you think you're heading in the right direction, you're not. You must continuously make adjustments to the wheel, sometimes by just one degree, or you'll find yourself in a completely different direction and location. You both have been so supportive in my pursuit to be a productive member of society by allowing me to volunteer as your biller. You've taken extensive time to teach me the intricacies of billing the insurance companies. With this knowledge, we've been able to innovate and streamline the billing process, increasing it from a quarter million to a multi-million dollar operation, making our firm number one in Snohomish County, pioneering the standard in mental health.

   Because of your unwavering guidance, Rev, on that challenging mountain, and CiCi's insightful wisdom, I've been able to transform and heal my body with movement and the embrace of nature. I am profoundly grateful, more than words can express, for the life-changing impact of your guidance. You both helped me find my own two feet and the beauty that surrounds them, guiding me toward a life lived in acceptance and boundless possibility.

Respectfully
Tiye