Dr. Joan Samuels-Dennis, a Trauma Recovery Specialist and voted one of Canada’s 100 top women to watch is on a mission to change how we understand and treat traumatic responses like depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
If you could give your past self some advice, what would you tell yourself?
Your mistakes are your teacher’s. Honour them by paying close attention to what went wrong and do it better the next time.
When you first started your career, how did you know you were ready and what made you start?
It is only now that I have come to understand to no matter what the next thing is – career, entrepreneurship, coaching, writing – I am the project. I don’t believe I was ever ready when I started what I thought was the project, but I had a simple motto “Start and God will finish it.”
What or who has been your greatest influence in business?
I have had serval wise mentors and guides and they were my greatest influence.
Where do you see yourself in five years? How do you envision your future?
In 5 years, I envision myself hosting a beautiful TV series called Becoming that is watched around the world. I will show the world how we begin our healing journey as individuals but that it must expand to our family and eventually our community. I want to undertake a project that showcases how an entire country can move through a healing journey together and the massive strides they made once they do this. Becoming will showcase this high-level change.
Do you have a mantra or phrase you live by? What is it?
we do better when we know better
we deny ourselves the thing we want
What keeps you motivated on a daily basis? My finish line is 30 years from now and a generation that knows how to use conscious forgiveness to heal themselves. I look at that finish line and it keeps me motivated no matter what is happening right now.
