Katie Allen is mom of three wonderful children and founder/owner of Nella Home Interiors & Gifts in Gulfport. Although she’s always on the go, she never misses an opportunity to hang out with family and friends … especially if it involves 80s night! Just recently celebrating Nella’s fifth year in business, Allen is excited to […]
One of my favorite sayings is, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him the plans you have for yourself.” I love it not only because it has proven to be repeatedly accurate, but also because embracing it has allowed me to be more accepting of life’s challenges and redirections. One of those redirections […]
I often hear the remark, “I don’t know how you do your job. I would not want to hear the stories that you must get.” Even worse, “Thank you for all that you do, but I could never do that.” Talking about interpersonal violence can be difficult, but I am able to help kids in […]
BEFORE MY TRANSFORMATION Before my transformation, I was very unhappy with myself when I looked in the mirror. I didn’t like going clothes shopping because I had to settle for “cover-up” clothes to hide what I didn’t like about myself. I dreaded doctor visits, too, because the first thing I had to do was weigh […]
By Kelly Hawkins One in four women and one in seven men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which is staggering. Domestic violence often is stigmatized and misunderstood, resulting in fear of coming forward for those affected and in […]
In 1997, I met a handsome and charming guy while we were stationed at Osan Air Base, South Korea. In August 1998, we were married, and the military relocated us to Virginia. We began what I’d hoped would be a happy life. We rented a townhouse, met friends and settled into being a married couple. […]
By Tammy Smith For those of us in south Mississippi, fall isn’t as much a sudden nip in the air as a state of mind. On the Coast, we may not see as many seasonal changes as other places, but we still can create that fall feeling we all look forward to. It’s easy to […]
By Kay Daneault Victims of domestic abuse, as well as perpetrators, can be any gender or age. They also can come from any demographic, social status or level of education. The relationships of intimate abuse can be complicated by feelings of love and affection for the other person. Typically, the perpetrator exhibits a level of […]
With increasing life expectancy, senior adults are a growing segment of our population, and they are living active, independent lives that are longer than in previous generations. Dating, marriage and intimate relationships in later life are now commonplace, yet we often fail to consider or recognize the signs of dating or domestic abuse among our […]
Mark walked into my life when I was a naïve, sheltered 20-year-old. He was exciting. He was daring. And he introduced me to unchartered waters. Abusive people can always identify the vulnerabilities in others that allow them to move in and take control. Mark found my feelings of missing something from life and a need […]
