My Story

Isaiah 43:2; When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. 

Beyond The Craving is a place for those who are pursuing a better quality of life. My hope is to offer a new perspective on a very common struggle with bad habits, anxiety, and addiction.

Addiction is a spectrum disorder that starts with bad habits and unmanaged anxiety. We seek pleasure, settle for comfort, and avoid pain at all costs. These coping strategies, if not challenged and changed, will cause a lot of pain. 

I don’t know why bad things happen, but they do. Truth is we live in a crazy world where our choices often leave collateral damage. And this is how I got here.  

My story isn’t pretty. But that’s probably true for most of us, isn’t it? Even so, I’ve learned that the details are not the most valuable currency when telling certain stories so I will leave some of them in God’s good hands. My hope in sharing any of this is that you will find comfort, connection, and hope for a better tomorrow.

In short, my husband died at the age of 32 from an addiction to pain meds. They were introduced to him after an injury and multiple surgeries at the age of nineteen. Over time and unable to cope with the pain, he fell into a deep hole of addiction and was unable to find his way out. Things are much different now, as they should be. Regulations, although extremely stringent, are hopefully saving some lives.

I too danced with addiction for over a decade of my life. My struggle was not pills. Mine was food. Not eating enough, or too much, and everything in between. It started in high school and continued through my college years. It took six months of rehab—in and out of hospitals—countless hours of therapy, and more bouts of relapse than I care to count. But it was faith and a steely resolve for freedom that changed my life. 

I’m grateful I no longer struggle as I did. I put in the hard work while God made a way for healing and recovery. The process was not easy but He helped me do what I couldn’t do on my own.  

I raised our three children as a single mom for seventeen years. Our kids were young, all under the age of 6 when their father died. And yet, even in the aftermath of trauma and loss, I was strengthened for the journey ahead. I had a job to do and I was sure God would help me do it so I set my sights on taking care of those left behind.

In all this I’ve learned one hard lesson: Some of us change and some of us don’t. But it’s worth a try. Worth a shot. Worth the effort.

This is why I’m here and why I created this place for those who want to try for change.

The CRAVE coach is a digital tool intended to be used as a quick fix. An instant habit-hack for moments of tension, temptation, and impulse. Download the App and launch it when you are in trouble. It can interrupt negative thoughts and redirect problematic behavior in less than a minute of your time. Try this personal coach and see how it can change how you navigate your toughest cravings.

Another component of Beyond The Craving is the CRAVE Course. This 30-day guided journey is a crash-course in overcoming impulse and unpacking the motivations + mindsets of your CRAVE behavior. Daily teachings are focused on putting spiritual principles into practice so you can rebuild a life of power, purpose, and self control.

And for those who are looking for weekly prompts and encouragement, you can follow The Daily CRAVE. Here you will find resources and content to help you pursue a lifestyle of health and wellness, make connections to others in the community, and build better habits that will help you live a better life.

Freedom is yours but you will have to fight for it. And it starts with one brave step in the right direction.

Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Free. 

For you can do all things through Him who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13).

Dori