Meet Jenna Duncan | Speaker, Coach and Nurse

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenna Duncan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenna, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
I didn’t set out to work for myself if I’m completely honest. My goal was to stop failing in my relationships and to win back the boy I considered the love of my life.

This last breakup forced me to look at why my relationships were failing. I quickly discerned, after hearing that still small voice question me, that the common factor in all of my relationships was me. ME! It was a hard pill to swallow and at first, I began to blame myself and have all sorts of pity parties about why I just can’t be loved and I’ll never get it right because I just don’t know how to please a man.

Finally, I came to the realization that nothing is going to change until I changed. I began to understand that I could not change anyone but me. I believed because I knew exactly what the problem was, I could find the solution. So I decided to get some help to heal. I worked with God, who inspired me to go to therapy. And that was a part of the most important decision I made to have both private and public success.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
At mendedbytheMaker we educate and empower, women who have been sexually abused to love themselves right where they are as we help stretch them into where they cannot even begin to see themselves. We help them to recognize that some common practices in their lives they deem as normal may in fact be trauma responses and help them to discover ways to overcome them. These methods can be generalized or person-specific and address the Physical, Mental/Emotional. Spiritual and Social aspects of a woman. Our method is based on biblical principles that have been tested by Christian and non-christian alike with proven results. We do not have any gimmicks or quick fixes as healing takes a long time and in most cases a lifetime.

I had to go through the process of healing for myself and thought I still have a long way to go, I have come a very long way myself. It has not been easy, some days I hated myself, others I just couldn’t understand how anyone could not want me in their presence always. There were days I had to put my journal down and not pick it up for weeks on end. It took a lot of community, which has been helping me to learn to trust. It took a decision to heal by any healthy means necessary. It took some tears, so overspending, many nights/days of prayers, reading and applying methods, changing things up to see what worked for me.
I learned to focus on the why instead of the what. I learned to speak up for myself in an assertive way. I learned how to accept love and to be loving, I learned how to show up daily with intention and boldness. I learned how to be authentic and to love myself in words and actions.

I want the world to know that sexual abuse damages the entire human but there is hope there is help and you don’t have to live your life on autopilot. You can live a purposeful life and be made whole.
\
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We would visit Sweetgrass spa for the royal treatment and stay in the adjacent hotel. We would drive up to Muskoka to do some of their amazing trails then sit at the top and watch the sunset. We would visit Planta for dinner twice. We both enjoy the gym so that would be an almost everyday event. We would have some facials done at Tati’s skincare. Ripley’s aquarium would see us. He’s a bit of a homebody, like me, so we would spend some of the week indoors, reading, cooking together, chatting/laughing.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
God, God, God, God, and His Holy Word. My children Angel, Rhain, and Heaven. My sister Debi. God has led me to some amazing humans like Patrice C. Washington @seek wisdom, Ashley Renee James @own your authenticity. Books: How We Love; The Body Keeps The Score; Healing For Damaged Emotions; Telling Yourself The Truth.

Instagram: mendedbythemaker

Facebook: Jenna Duncan

Image Credits
ataliasphotos