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

Hi Karrie, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I haven’t given up when times got tough though it has been hard at times and there were days I didn’t get up. I have been brave even when I’ve been scared. I am vulnerable when my mental health is suffering and in turn, have seen the beauty inside the people who listened. I’ve taken risks when everyone around me told me to be safe. I’ve put myself out there to be seen even though it went against my want and sometimes need to be alone. And finally but not lastly, I have a strong drive to teach others how to navigate through this wild world by being true and compassionate to themselves, being brave, vulnerable, and mindful.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I am a published writer and photographer who worked in magazine publishing for 20 years.
In 2019, I was living in Fayetteville, Arkansas, after successfully beating Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and going through a miserable divorce. I was left to battle the dark effects of PTSD and clinical depression as well as getting diagnosed with autism and ADD. I mentally could no longer write a full sentence or take photographs. I struggled to find my way through life but eventually found that I could listen to books and learn how to make it out of my situation. For the next 3 years, I studied the teachings of Eckhart Tolle, Don Miguel Ruiz, and Brene Brown, and began practicing meditation, deep breathing, grounding, mindfulness techniques, and EFT Tapping (as well as doing talk, cognitive, and EMDR therapies while taking medication) to keep my anxiety, panic, and depression under control. During this time of healing and vulnerability, I guess you could say I tested the universe or God, or Source, or whatever the person reading believes in and I sold most of my belongings, put my three cats in their carriers, loaded up what little I had left in my car, and moved to the magical mountain town of Estes Park, Colorado. I knew I needed a change and finally see what it meant to be alive.
Shortly after settling down next to Fall River and finding a job in hospitality, I created a character named Sunshine Wallace, who teaches kids and their guardians (I use the word ‘guardian’ instead of parents because not all kids have parents and inclusion is important) ways to be true to themselves, understanding their feelings, being ok with being vulnerable, mindfulness and grounding techniques that include delicious kid-friendly recipes, and of course deep breathing and EFT Tapping. I then designed, wrote, and self-published a series of books that I felt would help children in a hugely beneficial way during this scary time of COVID, active school shootings and drills, political upset, and financial insecurities at home. By combining the tools I taught myself, “The Helpful Collection” was born. This series consists of four colorful, entertaining, and informative books: I Am Me! I’m Not Difficult! I’m Not Dramatic! and Be Brave! These creative books have helped many children and guardians who are battling anxiety and need something to help them throughout the day. Therapists, teachers, law enforcement, librarians, and many more guardians in the know use these books to help themselves and the kids they love. I think we need to teach these skills while they are young so they are better equipped to handle life mindfully as an adult.
I also created many animal fact books and a series called “MICA” (Motivation Inspiration Creation and Appreciation) for children, “In the Findings” for teenagers, and a more than a journal book called, “The Mindful Watcher” for adults. These books are filled with the same helpful information as “The Helpful Collection” but include pages for journaling and many inspiring stories.
Being autistic isn’t easy. I spend a lot of time trying to live in a confusing world but being creative and using the skills I learned in publishing has been more than rewarding. It has given me a different purpose in life and that has been a blessing after making my way through the darkest night of my soul. Leaving these books for my future grandchildren and great-grandchildren will show them who they came from (Me and I’m awesome!) and why taking care of your mental health is so important and shouldn’t be considered weak or bad. If you had a broken bone, you’d get that fixed, right?
I now teach Meditation, EFT Tapping and Deep Breathing exercises, which are tools I learned to ease my anxiety while struggling. I lead groups or individuals but am hoping to branch out into schools to teach the children how to handle and understand their feelings, anxiety, and everything else that can come at them in waves and disrupt their beautiful little lives.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Estes Park is the most beautiful little town. Though there are many things to do in town and, of course, in the RMNP, I think my backyard is the place I’d spend the most time friends. Fall River runs through it and the top of the huge pines pointing towards the clear sky and stars is something magical. I feel as though being in Estes Park and listening to the river has played a big part in my healing and I hope the ones I love get to experience it one day.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Though there have been many people that have supported me and encouraged me throughout my life and especially this new and existing endeavor but there is one person who I will forever be grateful for and deserves recognition. I’d like to dedicate this to Cheryl Tunnel. She was my very first therapist while living in Texas as a single mom of two. She listened to my deepest and darkest feelings and fears. She cried with me and she held me when I didn’t think I could go on. Cheryl saw me up to three times a week, for FREE, for 4 years. She offered a place where I felt safe and seen. She counseled my children during a very difficult time. If it wasn’t for the time that Cheryl sacrificed for me and my kids, I wouldn’t have made it through that period and I definitely wouldn’t be happy and living a dream life in Estes Park, Colorado.

Instagram: SunshineWallace22

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/karrie-wallace-66b93419b

Facebook: Sunshine Wallace

Other: TikTok KarrieW222 Email: Sunshinewallace222@gmail.com

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