A Story of Transformation Through Healing and Forgiveness (feat. Stephanie Thornton Plymale)
Growing up, Stephanie Thornton Plymale, faced a life full of hardship: Hunger, poverty, homelessness, foster homes, ongoing sexual abuse, and a perpetually absent mother who was mentally ill and spent most of her life in and out of jails and psych wards.
In her memoir, “The American Daughter”, she goes in depth into the painful events of her life and the shocking revelations she had after reuniting with her terminally-ill mother.
Stephanie is the CEO of Heritage School of Interior Design and the founder of the Heritage Home Foundation, a nonprofit serving families transitioning from homelessness. She continues to live a balanced family life with her husband and three children.
Join me for this profound and uplifting conversation where we cover some of the major themes in the book. Stephanie offers advice on how we can cope with trauma, reckon with a difficult past, and transform our pain into something positive.
Interview time stamps:
02:56 ︳Stephanie shares when and how she got comfortable with sharing her story with the world
07:36 ︳Stephanie talks about her path to healing her trauma and how she was able to cope with recurring pain
10:22 ︳A lesson in forgiveness: What made Stephanie forgive and take care of her ailing mother despite her absence and neglect
15:35 ︳Intergenerational trauma: What is it and how did Stephanie find out about the patterns in her lineage.
20:56 ︳Stephanie talks about her philanthropic work and how her past influenced by her ability to empathize with the less fortunate
23:16 ︳Stephanie’s advice for those trying to reckon with a painful past and who want to begin the healing journey
Learn more about Stephanie Thornton Plymale and her memoir “American Daughter” at her website.