Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cheri Shandra. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cheri , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

At the center of life is the option of risk-taking, something I value these days but avoided for many years because the comfort of what I knew had a far greater impact on my decision-making than the fear of the unknown. But, I later realized that the familiar comfort of my upbringing and adulthood was merely my willingness to tolerate the only thing I knew instead of venture into a world that could be better.

Having grown up in a dysfunctional household, chaos was the normal existence of my world. I would later grow into an adult who made choices that would duplicate the one past I knew of. My decisions as an adult caused me to lose a sense of who I was for many years. I accepted certain types of treatment, never set boundaries, and put my dreams aside to make room for “people pleasing” and accommodating the needs of others.

I sat in a place that felt robotic, much like a machine going through the motions of life but never fully living it. After the unexpected passing of my father in November 2021 my life changed. I started looking at myself with a clearer lens and the world I allowed to form around me.

My father’s passing created a tidal wave of emotions. I was catapulted into remembering my past and self-reflecting on all that I allowed. Since that moment, when my life started to expose the truth of what I was tolerating, I never turned back and since then I have been fencing with the swords of my feelings ever since. I faced the emotions of my childhood trauma, financial hardships, abuse, lack of support, marriage, infidelity, and loss, and took the biggest risk, grabbing the reins of my life, and changing the trajectory of my life.

I began my healing journey by prioritizing my needs and learning to love myself. I gathered more knowledge about processing grief, anger, and sadness instead of letting it fester inside me and weaken me. I took the brave step of filing for divorce and setting boundaries. I let go of people who had shown their true intentions to be anything other than genuine, instead of holding onto them.

Despite facing significant challenges, including the loss of my father, disconnection from loved ones, and personal health struggles, I had chosen to embark on a new chapter in my life. As a mother of four, I was ready to pursue the career I had always wanted and create a brighter future for myself and my family.

The decision to take a risk for a better life was a choice that has since led to a multitude of opportunities and a newfound sense of peace and happiness. Since making that decision, I have experienced significant personal growth, including healing, self-love, and boundary-setting. Additionally, I have continued my education, earning certifications and a degree, and will have a memoir released at the end of 2024.

I have also founded Tangled in Toxic, a page on TikTok dedicated to educating people on covert abuse, nutrition, and the correlation between trauma and health. As a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, I assist people in gaining knowledge on health specific to their needs and the impact that emotional wellness can have on our overall health.

It is because I stepped away from the facade of comfort and took a risk that my life has flourished and continues to do so.

Cheri , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

When I was young, I always wanted to help others and be a friend to them. As I grew older, I got the chance to work with some amazing people in the field of health and wellness. I studied nursing and worked in different places like hospitals, behavioral health centers, and private pediatric practices. But I found that I was most passionate about holistic health and emotional wellbeing.

I grew up in a difficult home which taught me to overcome challenges that would have kept me in a cycle of toxicity. Through my hardships, I learned to appreciate the importance of overall health and wellness. In my holistic nutrition and wellness practice, Holistic Nourish to Flourish, I help clients gain knowledge about nutrition that caters to their specific needs. By creating a tailored approach, I can design a plan that focuses on the unique needs of each individual and helps them achieve their wellness goals. I offer various programs such as my 3 and 6-month Nutrition and Wellness program, where I work closely with clients, creating weekly plans with meal prep, mindset changes, implementing lifestyle changes, somatic healing, regulating the nervous system, and more. By focusing on more than just nutrition, we can also change behavioral patterns, create productive routines, and change the overall mindset from scarcity to abundance. This helps my clients establish long-lasting effective changes.

I also offer a 1-month program called “Embrace Abundance Mentality,” which helps individuals re-wire their thinking using various modalities to work through current roadblocks that keep them in a stagnant mentality and change to a mindset that is full of gratitude, self-awareness, and positivity. Additionally, I offer my “Trauma to Resilience” program, an 11-session program with planned teachings, worksheets, discussions, and goal setting that helps clients learn to process, understand, and make sense of their experiences to turn their pain into passion. For those wanting an individual session, I offer appointments to inspire and set people on the right path.

Holistic Nourish to Flourish stands apart from others because of its strong emphasis on mental well-being. I believe that our mentality and emotional health need as much attention as our nutritional health. My approach is compassionate, confidential, and non-judgmental. For long-lasting success, I acknowledge the environmental, social, and personal factors that can affect how we feel, the current patterns and routines we carry throughout each day, and nutritional intake. I also pay close attention to my client’s stress levels, PTSD, and other physical and emotional stressors. Studies have shown that increased and prolonged levels of cortisol can have detrimental effects on a person physiologically and emotionally. I take pride in understanding my clients’ lives and helping them regulate their bodies from constant fight or flight to balance and peace.

I am also working to reach people globally through my TikTok channel, “Tangled in Toxic” (7.6K+ followers). I created this channel to educate people about covert abuse, self-love, healing, and full-body wellness. I hope to spread awareness and empower individuals who feel powerless.

Lastly, I will be releasing my memoir in late 2024, which will share intimate details of my upbringing, challenges with an eating disorder, abuse, adultery, and more. My personal, educational, and professional experiences have given me the insight, compassion, and dedication to help people achieve the life of their dreams.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Throughout my life, my resiliency has been tested but even more so within the past three years, I had to face various challenges that tested my emotional strength and faith.

In November of 2021 my father unexpectedly passed away due to complications of COVID-19, my youngest son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, I started losing friend groups, filed for divorce, moved out into my own home, battled in court, was harassed and laid off of work and had my health concerns to manage- I was overwhelmed to say the least.

I was faced with two choices: either let the difficulties in my life defeat me or let them ignite a fire within me. I decided to change my perspective and allow it to fuel my passion and purpose. Refusing to give up was a crucial part of my success. I knew failure was not an option.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I have been able to build my brand and business by valuing something important not only in the business world but also personally. As an honest person, I respect and value people’s time, struggles, and needs. I believe that this genuine care for my clients is apparent and helps establish trust and shows I cherish their business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.holisticnourishtoflourish.com/ https://www.cherishandra.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheri-shandra-43a46390/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/theshandracompany https://www.tiktok.com/@tangledintoxic?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc