We recently connected with Stephanie Barnes and have shared our conversation below.

Stephanie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

SistaH of SurvivaL was born from a close-knit group of family and friends, forming what you might call a sister circle. Growing up as my mom’s only child, I lived with my mom, grandmother, and 4 aunts. With the youngest aunt and me being just a few years apart, my maturity level developed early on. Though I am the oldest grandchild and cousin, I was looked upon as one of the youngest sisters among my aunts.

I’ve always been resourceful, with a go-getter mentality and a drive to help others, which I can honestly say I adopted from my dad. I love seeing people succeed and would often go the extra mile to ensure they stayed on track. However, I realized that my own dreams and aspirations were lacking support which made me question, who was pushing me and holding me accountable? At the age of 50, I stepped out of my comfort zone and co-authored my first book, becoming a 3x’s Best-Seller Author. Around this time, I also founded Global Vision Productions, which evolved from an event planning business into a holistic transformation life coaching program.

After my first book launch, I ventured into motivational speaking, despite my initial reluctance to share my personal experiences. You see, when you tell your story, you have to relive those traumatic events which can become mentally challenging. So, to avoid dealing with what I considered at that time, the walk of shame, I had kept my struggles hidden from many friends and even some family members. I was more concerned with how others would perceive me rather than focusing on my calling and how God sees me, so I had vaulted away my experiences, but God had different plans.

Without a close sibling to share secrets or travel with, I formed a trusted circle where we discuss everything from spirituality to life’s realities. We often gather to celebrate special occasions, play adult games, and have GirlzNite In discussions, which helps us to discover self-awareness and provides a “judgmental free” safe space. This is actually how SistaH of SurvivaL was born. I kept hearing how I should launch a business to help women, but I wanted to hear God say it, I wanted to make sure this is what He wanted for me.

Everything started to come together, and before I knew it, I was bringing to life the ideas and passions I had already been nurturing. I soon found myself on the phone, pitching the concept to a good friend of mine, Mr. G. Tyler, one of the most respected AA sponsors and motivational speakers in the D.C. area. He often challenges my thinking ensuring that whatever I’m working on aligns with Kingdom values — although I think he gets a kick out of testing my intellect to keep me on my toes [LOL]: don’t you have a powerful testimony? aren’t you a survivor? you already bring women together, right? So, after some back and forth, we collaborated on the name S.O.S. = SistaH of SurvivaL.

So, with all of that said, that brings to me why I do what I do. I am a 2x Domestic Violence Survivor, Recovering Drug Addict with 27 years of sobriety, Attempted Suicide Survivor, and a Returning Citizen that brings a wealth of real-life experiences to help other women. My journey has equipped me with deep empathy, resilience, and practical strategies for overcoming adversity. I offer support, guidance, and a safe space for women to share their stories and to heal without being judged or looked down on. By sharing my experiences and the lessons I’ve learned, I aim to inspire and empower women to reclaim their lives, pursue their dreams, and find strength in their own resilience and remind them that their only competition is “themselves”. Resetting Your Mind with thoughts that actually align with who you were created to be plays a vital role while forgiving yourself for past choices has a profound impact on your emotional health.

There are women in my life such as my mom, my 96 years young Nana, a team of S.O.S. SistaH’s that includes my Aunt’s & Cousins and a few close male friends that stick by my side and remind me on a regular that this mission is not about or for me, it’s about God. I won’t say it’s been an easy journey, as there have been, and still are, tears of disappointment along the way. However, that’s all part of the growth and learning process that challenges my calling in leadership. As long as there is a woman out there that seeks the help of transforming into a better version of herself, based on her Belief in Herself and her Faith in God, it makes it all worth it to stay in the fight.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Born a Washingtonian of DC, I was raised in church all of my life. I’ve always been full of Energy, Enthusiasm, a Go-Getter with undeniable Loyalty, Realness and a heart to genuinely Love others. My Faith in God keeps me grounded, Music soothes my soul, Travel is my sobriety and indulging in crabs is my addiction.

As a 3x’s Best Seller International Author & Motivational Speaker, Certified Narcissistic Abuse Aftercare Coach, I am known globally for my powerful testimony that I have overcome as an African American woman in our society by being influential to women of many races, diverse backgrounds and substance abusers. My testimony inspires, empowers and gives hope to the average woman that she too can be extraordinary & unstoppable.

In 1995 I served my last day and was released from The Central Detention Facility (CDF/DC Jail) only to find that re-entering society was not as easy as I’d imagined. With limited to no programs in place to assist me during my transition and given my background of incarceration and addiction, I’d then had to weigh my options, either remain a victim of my circumstances or rise above them. During this process, hesitant and procrastinating, I eventually accepted the call on my life .. the addiction, the abuse, the incarceration was not just about what I’d experienced, but more so of how God kept me through those experiences so that I could effectively and efficiently reach back and help other women overcome the battles of life with authenticity and grace. I’ve always been known as outgoing, but I started by sowing encouragement into family and friends, then to people I’d meet along the way. Later, God opened the doors for me to become a Motivational Speaker, Author and a Certified CPD Life Coach. It was during this tenure that I realized that this was a fulfilling assignment that my heart desired more of, not only being an advocate, but also a survivor who is totally relatable based on personal experiences. I saw that there was a greater need to come from behind the four walls and started putting my feet to the pavement. Understanding my assignment, I birthed Global Vision Productions, LLC in February 2018 which is where our Mental Reset Coaching program [1-on-1 and group] is in place and SistaH of SurvivaL in October 2023 which is a non-profit based on advocacy and feeding the homeless. Both organizations are in place to help women along their journey of becoming better versions of themselves while reassessing their life choices to discover their true paths through emotional healing, increasing their self-confidence and eradicating self-limiting beliefs.

While my life embodies “Proverbs 31; 10 -31 ~ Many women do noble things but surpass them all”. Standing on Faith, Belief and Determination is what drives me and “I’m BUILT 4 This” is the motto that has driven me thus far.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A significant lesson I had to unlearn was the notion that seeking help signifies weakness. Growing up in an environment that highly valued self-reliance and independence, I admittedly believed that handling everything on my own was the only way to be strong and capable.

Taking accountability for this mindset shift typically started with a moment of realization, especially when managing multiple tasks alone became overwhelming. As I studied and personally recognized the negative impact it can have on my mental health and productivity, I made a quick turnaround on making decisions that impacted my peace of mind.

Making better choices involved actively reaching out for help when needed and understanding that collaboration and support are a form of my strengths, not weaknesses. This change led to improved well-being, stronger relationships, and more effective problem-solving.

Any advice for managing a team?

Managing a team and maintaining high morale is extremely challenging but can also be rewarding. Here are a few tips I utilize as a Leader for my team:

1. Communication which is my 1st love language. Keeping open lines of communication, regularly updating my team on goals, progress, and any changes, encouraging feedback, receiving respectful criticism and actively listening.

2. Recognizing and acknowledging the hard work and achievements of my team members.

3. Fostering a positive environment by encouraging teamwork and collaboration.

4. Providing growth opportunities by helping my team members grow their skills and advance into their purpose.

5. Setting clear goals ensuring everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.

6. Leading by example by demonstrating the behavior and work ethic I expect from my team and being approachable showing that I am committed to my team’s success.

7. Encouraging and promoting a healthy work-life balance being flexible with schedules when possible.

8. Celebrate wins and successes both big and small wins to help build a sense of accomplishment which keeps morale high.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sistahofsurvival.org
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/sistahofsurvival or http://www.instagram.com/steffbspeaks
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/steffbspeaks or http://www.facebook.com/sosgvp/
• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/steffbspeaks
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@steffbspeaks
• Other: TikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@steffbspeaks

Image Credits

Image Credits:

Tami Hutton, Chosen Dance Ministry
Shannyn Casino, Socialmaximus