Grateful for back-to-school stress
Published Aug. 28, 2026
Brittany* is very busy, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s what she prayed for.
Brittany is one of the very first members Lorie started coaching behind the walls of the South Dakota Women’s Prison. When they met, Brittany was shaking with anxiety. She was struggling with her mental health and confidence.
Most of all, she wanted to be with her four kids again.
Lorie coached Brittany for about five months before she was released from prison and moved to Sioux Falls. Four months later, she regained custody.
Lorie has seen Brittany’s mental health do a complete turnaround. She’s so proud of all the ways she’s grown. She has her own apartment, she’s had the same job since she released and she’s emotionally present with her kids, which is a true gift. It’s something she couldn’t do while struggling with addiction.
Like so many other parents, Brittany is in the back-to-school scramble: enrollment, shopping, scheduling.
As Lorie said, “It’s stressful and it’s a struggle, but she’s exactly where she wants to be.”
*Name changed to protect her privacy