Vivian's Topics Include:
Learning to Dream Through the Nightmare
When Vivian unexpectedly lost her husband to cancer, she found she had lost a great deal more than her life companion, in addition to having a blended family of six distressed children to emotionally care for.
Unbeknownst to her, the house was in foreclosure, there was no money in any of the bank accounts, and her once millionaire husband was financially ruined. Instead of cratering as a result of these overwhelming events, she embraced her emotions and challenges, leaned into her grief, and used the obstacles she faced as learning opportunities.
Her mission is to inspire others to find the same self-sufficiency and honest acceptance of life’s realities after the fantasy has fallen apart.
Living Life Cage-Free
At a very young age, Vivian realized she lived in a cage built by someone else. It doesn't matter how gilded or spectacular that cage is; ultimately, it's confining. Many of us are similarly imprisoned, whether we know it or not - we may be unaware of the cage, or choose not to acknowledge it, but it's still there all the same.
Vivian has now been able to not only step to the very edge of the cage door, but spread her wings and live, cage-free. She will share with you how to recognize a cage, decide if you're in one, choose your freedom (or imprisonment), and fly free.
You Always Have Options
Vivian is the mother of three children, a daughter and two sons. She has watched all three of her children struggle in a fast-paced, pressure-filled, information-overloaded world.
From sixth grade to high school graduation, her youngest son (now 20 years old) lost several friends to suicide, and has faced other friends’ suicide attempts. Teen suicide is pervasive – the increasing rate at which our children are killing themselves is alarming. Some go so far as to call it an epidemic.
Vivian’s own experiences and observations shape her mission of opening teenagers’ minds to the possibilities of “options.” Too often, children get caught up in the idea that they have no options – they develop tunnel vision. They feel trapped, afraid, and hopeless, and think that their only way out is getting high, numbing themselves, or ending their life in a moment of true carelessness.
As a parent, Vivian is passionate about encouraging children to embrace their emotions and remember their options.
Forgiveness: Easy to Say, Hard to Do
When someone has deeply wronged you, truly forgiving them can seem impossible. Vivian knows this better than anyone - but through her own trials, she has learned that forgiveness is really a gift we give ourselves. While it may be a struggle, it's so worthwhile to finally restore peace of mind, and release the pain of an offense at last.