What happens when the life you're living looks nothing like the life you hoped for, and you're not even sure you deserve anything better?

Mallory Dolan grew up without a faith foundation, chasing approval, and numbing pain with alcohol and drugs. She became a mom in her early 20s, splitting Lunchables with her daughter while hiding an addiction she couldn't control. CPS came to her door. And then, on August 11, 2011, a drunk driving accident left her as a Jane Doe in a hospital, her car full of blood, her father walking in expecting not to recognize her.

She walked out of that hospital and kept drinking for two more years.

This episode is about what actually turns a life around, and why it's almost never one moment. It's the grandmother who prayed over her name in a Bible before the worst had even happened. It's her daughter looking up at her in a Target and saying "I don't like who you are when you drink that." It's a friend praying over her in her living room. It's a verse in Proverbs that felt like it was written directly to her. It's a promise she wrote in her Bible that she has kept ever since.

In this conversation, Kim Atwood and Mallory talk about the long, nonlinear road from addiction and shame to sobriety, faith, marriage, and a health and wellness business built on helping others believe they are never too far gone.

In this conversation:

• Growing up without faith and how that shaped her early choices
• Early motherhood in survival mode, and what CPS at your door actually does to you
• A near-fatal DUI, a blood transfusion, and the moment she felt God for the first time without knowing what to call it
• Why the accident didn't stop the drinking, and what finally did
• Her daughter's words that triggered something she couldn't ignore
• Getting baptized on the two-year anniversary of her accident
• The slow, non-dramatic way faith actually changed her life
• Building a health and wellness business with her husband after years of physically destroying herself
• What she would say to any woman who feels too broken or too far gone

This is Part 1 of Mallory's story. Season 2 will feature Part 2.

About Mallory Dolan Mallory Dolan is a health and wellness mentor, business owner, wife, and mom. She and her husband lead a health and wellness business, mentoring others in both lifestyle and entrepreneurship while raising a family with intention and faith. Her life today stands in stark contrast to her earlier years of addiction and self-destruction. Mallory is passionate about helping others believe they are never too broken for God to redeem their story.

About SpeakHER Sessions SpeakHER Sessions is a podcast for women who are finding their voice, or finding it again. Host Kim Atwood sits down with real women to talk about the experiences that shaped them, the seasons that stretched them, and the confidence they've built along the way. New episodes every Monday.

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Sponsors This episode is sponsored by:

How2SpeakU — Helping women build confidence and communicate with strength and clarity. how2speaku.com

Terri Brock State Farm — Coverage you can trust from a team that treats you like family. Auto, home, life, and more. https://terribrock.com | 803-772-4000

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SpeakHER Sessions is hosted by Kim Atwood.
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