We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Susie Vybiral. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Susie below.
Susie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
I am a big believer in doing ALL the things. I am a speaker, I have a band, Salubrious Fox, I’m an officiant, I have an honorary doctorate, and I am a published writer. I also wholeheartedly believe in creating the things we wish existed… so that’s what I did!
One of my childhood dreams was to become a psychologist so at 41, after 18 years of being Susie Homemaker (literally!) I decided to finally pursue my doctorate. In another year or so I’ll be Dr. Suz! I had originally thought I would have my own practice or work in a hospital but as my journey in school progressed, my intentions shifted. I have always had a heart for the innocents.. animals, the elderly, and especially children. I was a family advocate for an advocacy center for a few years and every day I heard the unfathomable things that were happening to children in our area. Child abuse in its various forms has become an epidemic and the statistics are staggering.
Parents and caregivers would express to me the fact that, although counseling was helping their children heal from the trauma they had experienced, they were still going back to a bedroom where the abuse occurred. The triggers in their rooms inevitably caused setbacks causing children to avoid being in their rooms at all. It made sense that changing their environment would help facilitate healing. I started Room Redux to offer another piece of the healing puzzle.
We transform the rooms and LIVES of children who have faced sexual and/or physical abuse or any type of trauma. We do this anonymously so the children never see us and we do this in one day! We are working on making Room redux a global organization and I believe this is a result of all of us spreading the word and sharing our passion with anyone and everyone.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
There are so many wonderfully skilled, compassionate counselors, psychologists, law enforcement agencies, NGOs, tech companies, and task forces out there working diligently to detect, find, rescue, and heal children who have faced things no child should ever face. As a former family advocate at a children’s advocacy center I quickly realized there is no organization that focuses on helping children heal in their own space after trauma whether abuse happened there or somewhere else. This is an important component of Room Redux– we transform children’s spaces (including bathrooms or living rooms if abuse occurred there) so they can begin to feel safe in their own rooms. Sometimes abuse has occurred in a child’s room. Sometimes abuse may not have occurred in the room but there are triggers from the abuse. Other times the abuse happened elsewhere but these children still deserve to know they are loved and cared about by people who don’t even know them and who expect nothing from them. We have no idea what these children have truly gone through so we want to give them feelings of worth and confidence while demonstrating that the world is not always a scary place.
On a broader scale, we hope to change the trajectory of the lives of children who have been sexually or physically abused. We also hope to break the cycle of abuse since very often children who have faced abuse go on to perpetrate against others.
We obtain our referrals from counselors, psychologists, law enforcement, and child protection agencies for a few reasons:
1) We know an outcry of abuse has been made and is being investigated.
2) We know the child or children are in counseling or have been through counseling for the trauma which is a crucial part of the healing puzzle.
3) We know the perpetrator is out of the picture.
4) We are able to speak with the child’s therapist to find out what type of therapeutic tools they suggest we place in the child’s room. It’s important to carry those items into Room Transformation designs in order for the child to replicate a safe place in which stress, anxiety, and fear will hopefully diminish and eventually disappear. Therapeutic tools can range from squishies, fidget toys, art supplies, meditation areas, or punching bags.
I am most proud of the fact that Room Redux transforms the rooms and lives of children who have faced sexual and/or physical abuse and trauma as well as the fact that we are expanding across the globe. We have active chapters in several states including Texas, California, Michigan, Colorado, and Nevada with several more across the US and the UK and New Zealand in the initial planning phase. One in ten children will face sexual abuse before the age of 18, Because of this staggering statistic, our goal is to serve every child.
I am also proud of the way we are not only transforming the rooms of children who have faced abuse and making sure parents and caregivers know they have advocates, but also of the way we are changing the course of these children’s lives. There is no nonprofit that does what we do the way we do it and what we are finding is that a change in a child’s environment has a huge impact on the child’s healing process and overall wellbeing.
Room Transformations have the potential to have magnificent psychological and emotional effects. Children begin to realize they are worthy and their self-esteem and confidence begin to improve. They sleep in their rooms after not having slept in their own bed or felt safe in their own room for years. By removing triggers and specifically tailoring the room to the child, we are giving them a fresh start… a place to feel safe and to blossom.
I am incredibly proud of the fact that we have compassionate, determined people across the world who truly care about transforming the lives of children who have faced abuse. Room Redux has grown exponentially because of the wonderful people involved who understand the importance of giving these very deserving children a fresh start. These people include our focused team at headquarters, our capable Board of Directors, our big-hearted Executive Directors, and amazing volunteers, partners, donors, and sponsors.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
Back in 2017 when Room Redux was a spark in my mind, a friend gave us a substantial donation so that we could transform the rooms and lives of two children in one home. After spending all day transforming these spaces I knew this is what we were meant to do. With donations and Room Transformation sponsorships from individuals and businesses, the following year we transformed the rooms of three children. In 2019 we formed our Board of Directors and obtained our 501(c)(3). It was then that we began to receive recurring donations and grants. I am the first to admit that I didn’t know know what I didn’t know so the entire “funding the business” process has been a learning process. We continue to spread the word about Room Redux in order to gain funding in order to transform the lives of children who have faced abuse.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Whether mild or dramatic, inevitably we all pivot at some point in our lives. Pivots in our personal lives may mean changes in diet or lifestyle, shifts in mindset or beliefs or transitions within relationships. Professionally, a pivot can equate to a career change or a change in a business model. Pivoting is an endeavor in which you most definitely want to focus on your passion in order to kickstart growth and induce change..
Pivoting can actually be a very positive experience. This is important to remember because oftentimes a pivot equates to an emotional letdown that can be damaging to the ego. You must know and understand yourself, be willing to test alternatives, and have a clear, strong vision.
Self-reflection is a wonderful first step toward assessing, reevaluating, and making positive changes in life. Keep in mind–it’s important to be aware of any cognitive distortions you may be experiencing when evaluating the potential changes you’ll be making. Perfectionists may find something imperfect and wrong in every single aspect of their lives. If this sounds like you, give yourself a break and make sure you’re only competing with yourself and not comparing yourself to others.
When I started my BS in Psychology in 2011, I just knew I would eventually be a licensed psychologist with perhaps my own practice or working in a successful facility; however, when I started Room Redux, I quickly realized what a major pivot this would be. There is a stark difference between being a psychologist with a thriving practice and running a nonprofit organization. The passion I felt, and continue to feel, regarding Room Redux confirmed that this major pivot would be worth it. I will still continue to work to obtain my doctorate but now I know it will be for a different reason. I am able to incorporate all I’ve learned and continue to learn into Room Redux and the Room Transformations we provide for children who have faced abuse.
Ultimately, the strategy of pivoting is worth considering as a viable option to transform your life. Although change often accompanies emotional hardships the end result will be worth it–and you just may learn something wonderful about yourself.
Contact Info:
- Website: RoomRedux.org
- Instagram: @susiepie / @roomredux
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susievybiral / https://www.facebook.com/roomredux
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/susievybiral/
- Twitter: @roomredux
- Youtube: @roomredux682