The Dare to Declare Podcast
From Poverty to Global Impact | The Dare to Declare Podcast ft. Dr. Elayna Fernandez | Ep. 73
In this episode of the Dare to Declare Podcast, Debbi Sluys interviews Dr. Elayna Fernandez, bestselling author, trauma researcher, five-time TEDx speaker, and Certified Canfield Trainer who grew up in poverty in the Dominican Republic and built a life-changing vision board out of a magazine she found in a landfill at age 7.That little girl pasted the picture into her notebook and decided: that is my life. That is who I am becoming. What followed was not a smooth path. At 19, Elayna survived a kidnapping and brutal assault. Six months later, a car accident left her trapped under a vehicle, revived after her heart stopped, and in a coma for eight days with two brain injuries and nineteen broken bones. She eventually came to Michigan through a Work and Travel program and never left, building a life and a career grounded in the belief that the bravest thing any of us can do is stay alive. Debbi and Elayna talk about trauma-informed communication, why well-meaning words can cause harm, and what being in a coma taught her about purpose and presence. They also talk about her four daughters, including Eliana, who turned 13 the day this episode was recorded and has already done three TEDx talks.This is an episode about declaring something better for yourself before you have any evidence that it is possible, and staying alive long enough to live it.Learn More About Dr. Elayna Fernandez Here: https://www.thepositivemom.com/ef https://debbisluys.com/ / debbisluys
