Chris Coursey: I’ll never forget my alcohol counselor swearing at me out loud as she watched me walk into her office after I received my second DUI within a year. She hoped to never see me again after my first round of counseling. Now I faced jail time and hefty fines. I had stopped trying and was dying.

My mother had faithfully driven us kids to church every Sunday. At five years old I told her, “Mommy, when I get older I want to be a pastor.” My dreams took other forms too; I wanted to be a movie star, baseball, basketball or a racquetball player.

Even though I had talent, intelligence and many things came easily for me; I would blow one chance after another. I quit time after time. In grade school I found school, learning and testing easy. My teachers and principal recommended me to take an entrance examination at an elite school. I took the test but I purposefully flunked so I could stay in my grade school with my friends.

My fears slowing took over my life but I thought I was having fun. Ask me if I was afraid and I would have laughed, unless you asked about public speaking. I was terrified! More…

Jen Coursey: You may think that I can teach THRIVE brain skills because I have had them all my life but the truth is just the opposite. Until I began learning joy and relationship skills in 2002 my life revolved around finding a safe place to live or, maybe, to hide. My family had fallen apart and I was looking for a place where I would not feel out of control. I desperately wanted to trust someone, even God, but I could not shake the feeling that even God would not turn out to be who I expected. Fear and confusion started fairly early in my life and by age eleven I had been hospitalized for suicidal depression. It wasn’t like most people could look at me and know there was a problem. Sometimes I could do very well in school, at others I fell apart.

I wasn't able to be consistent. I would learn things and not be able to apply them, like learning I needed to rest when overwhelmed but not be able to apply it when needed. I could not follow a daily routine. Fears often kept me up late so there was no knowing when I would get up or if I would have energy to do anything the next day. Emotions and fears overwhelmed me to the point I quit my school internship with no notice and moved out of state. It was this point where my life crossed paths with Chris.  More…