The Trap House is my story of freedom. After the sudden death of my mother, I found myself back in infancy. I had no idea how to function without her. For two years, I went about life operating in a space of depression, anxiety, anger, and shame. Having not realized it then, I’d spent the majority of my life in these spaces. They’d become common areas for me and I had learned to master normalizing them. I was so invested in my pain I didn’t realize I had a choice to change. In my first book, I Am Everything I Need, I found the courage to do something I enjoyed but never found joy in it. Writing has always been relevant but my words only expressed my pain. My first book was my manifesto to claiming control over my life and vowing to not live in these spaces any more. The Trap House is my submission to God. Going back in time to face the things that abandoned me, mishandled me and left me wounded, was a journey I was ready to take. At the same time, being challenged in my present life to live as the person who no longer was depressed or anxious, and walked with her head down. I had to become the person I saw for myself. I had to believe I was already healthy, happy and free. The journey through the trap house was not easy but in the end I was able to walk into another season of my life with my shoulders back, chin up and my crown positioned at the center of my head.