My name is Mary-Coker Green, the founder of ENGAGE: Building Healthy and Resilient Minds, and I'm so glad you're here. 

The "Cliff's Notes" version of my story is this: I come from an extremely large family filled with our fair share of weddings and funerals. I moved 3 times by the age of 13, left public school to be homeschooled in 6th grade, moved from Birmingham to a two-stop-light town in south Alabama with cows for neighbors; and in each of these moments I remained joyful. I was labeled "the happy girl."'
Being known for my joy, I felt little freedom to be anything other than happy. But not all of life is happy. 

I learned this first hand on October 25, during my senior year of high school. I was driving home at 7:45pm and I topped a hill to be met with the headlights of an on coming car in my lane. At 17, I was involved in a traumatic head on collision.
Moments later, on scene of the accident, I learned of the passing of the man that collided with me. 

Since this event I have been met with anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and many emotions foreign to me. Over time, this filled my heart with empathy to serve those going through similar situations; ones for which I was unprepared. 

I have spent the following years learning to walk alongside others that have or will experience trauma throughout their life. This has looked like writing a Children's Book The Girl Who Grew A Garden, partnering with international organizations like Trauma Free World to provide trauma training for educators, traveling the state and national sharing my testimony, and simply walking in mentorship, friendship and community with those I do life around. I hope you will join me on my journey of singing the Lord's praises with my life. 

Just a girl growing a garden out of grief, 
Mary-Coker Green