Reentry Reframed

From an early age, Ashley Hennessy recalls her childhood being filled with chaos, addiction, and mistrust. As she struggled to find where she fit in, unfortunately, it was not school. Instead of forming close friendships she desperately needed for support, Ashley faced bullies who broke her self-confidence down even further. From there, Ashley found friends in all the wrong places. The solution for fitting in and the confidence she longed for came in the form of a lie- methamphetamine. As her addiction took over her life, she found herself in and out of the justice system with a dozen felonies. Finally, she found her salvation and motivation for sobriety by helping others. For the little girl who longed for friends, she is now truly a friend of recovery; she is coined the "Queen of Oxford" for her relentless efforts to help others find safe, sober homes. Ashley's connection to the community is deep rooted as the people she has led to recovery carry the torch as well. Here's to you, Ashley!

With nearly three decades of experience working in the behavioral health field, Heath Bechler shares his “Tech to CEO” journey with us on this episode. After five years working as a counselor for Mirror, Heath then moved into an administrator role for an inpatient youth program prior to launching his own treatment company in 2002. Expanding to more than ten locations statewide, he created new models of treatment with the goal of providing help to underserved areas and populations. Heath shares a message others can get behind with a “if there is a need, figure out a way to help” approach; blending this approach with a sound business model ensures we can grow to better serve our communities. Shortly after returning to Mirror as CEO, Heath focused on employing strength-based leadership methods throughout the organization. Where is Mirror, Inc headed? Hear for yourself “From the Top.”

Born in Chicago, Tamicka spent most of her childhood navigating life with an absent parent. She recalls going to court with her mother at just six years old. As her mother’s addiction spiraled, her presence in the home dwindled due to her substance use disorder. Tamicka shares her perspective at each stage of her life being “a little, a middle, and an adult” as a child of an incarcerated parent. Throughout her childhood, there were many heavy feelings that stemmed from her mother’s absence. Shame, self-blame, and confusion were just some of the feelings surrounding her mother’s absence. As a child, she often wondered, “Was there anything I could have done to prevent my mom from leaving?” After spending most of her childhood with her mother incarcerated, her father began a lengthy sentence in prison when Tamicka was a teenager. With her father being who raised her, this was devastating. As an adult, Tamicka quickly learned she had a passion for helping others who are facing adverse circumstances. After obtaining her Master of Science from the University of Kansas in counseling psychology, she also went on to become a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. For the past 15 years, Tamicka has been working with people to “heal, grow, and become the best version of themselves.” Now, Tamicka is a therapist who works closely with parents and children with a family member incarcerated. In 2023, Tamicka published her book, “Where Daddy Lives,” to provide a tool for parents to have conversations with their children to better understand what is happening and feelings they might have. She offers guidance for age-appropriate conversations parents can have with children that evolve over time. For more information or to purchase the book, visit https://www.tamickamonsoncounseling.com/where-daddy-lives. Dedicated to her two younger siblings and all children of incarcerated parents, Tamicka signed her book, “There is hope.” We could not agree more, and it was such an honor to meet you, Tamicka!

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Dustin Moore grew up in an idyllic setting in San Diego, California, where he surfed and lived the “country club” lifestyle. He claims his childhood was one of privilege and care, and he gravitated towards any sport he could be involved with. Starting college, that is when his life started to turn course; regarding addiction, Dustin remarks this is something you just “have in you” or you do not. He quickly felt a new, strong gravitational pull towards substances he had always stayed away from. Dustin describes when he identified as an athlete, his life was structured. When he went to college and the structure and his connections went away, he filled those voids and time with drugs, alcohol, and other people focused on “partying.” From there, his life began to spiral out of control with his addiction and a life of crime. Dustin describes his fatal flaw was not understanding the depth of his addiction, and ultimately what it would take to work his way out of. Finally, after breaking through the cycle of addiction, this is where Dustin’s life truly takes off when he learned there is much more to recovery than just abstaining from substances. In finding his purpose, he has been able to build bridges and close gaps in recovery and reentry through Artists Helping the Homeless. Dustin, we admire your passion and dedication to helping others!

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This episode is incredibly special because Heather is sharing her journey for the first time on a public platform. Heather will tell you, “Hope is everything,” and we could not agree more. Born raised in South Central California, Heather DiDomenico Graves recalls what impacted her childhood most was childhood obesity. Reflecting, she describes how living in an area with such high beauty standards in Southern California, she struggled with lack of self-love and self-worth. With very strict parents who worked a lot, especially with her father in the military, she spent much of her time with her older siblings. In school, Heather was bullied for her weight which led her to a group where she found acceptance. Unfortunately, what she found was a “false sense of solidarity” as she began to experiment with substances at the age of twelve. From there, her story takes many curves ultimately leading her to where she is today. As a licensed cosmetologist for the past twenty years, she bought her first commercial property seven years ago. Heather’s first salon opened almost six years ago, Onyx Salon and Wellness Spa. She now has a boutique and café by Onyx as well as second salon location that has been open for nearly two years. It takes tremendous courage to tell your story; in doing so, this shows others there is a brighter tomorrow that can impact so many people. Heather, thank you for trusting us with your story, and we wish you nothing but the best!

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