Conversations with Stacey Sutherland

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Sutherland.

Stacey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey has been like a roller coaster. I have always loved being active and that has been a large part of my life.

From team sports to adventurous outdoor activities. I got to do a lot of adventurous activities growing up in Colorado that, ultimately, lead me to become an EMT and now a Firefighter. I also learned to appreciate Nature and the gifts it holds. I have been through a great deal of emotional growth. Like most people I had some childhood traumas, I had to overcome. The adventurous activities I was able to take part in challenged me on deep levels and I had to overcome fears that then allowed me to really grow confident in my true self. I learned that I have a huge heart for helping others. I have used this ability in many aspects of my life. I have done many volunteer projects with disaster relief organizations.

During those projects, I got to meet people affected by those disasters and got to hear their stories. I was also a leader for youth and had many deep conversations about hardships and struggles. Hearing all those stories made me realize I wanted to help people find their strength and hope. That became my life’s purpose. Now I’m a Firefighter/EMT and starting an apothecary business with my wife to empower others in their healing journey.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have had to walk through many struggles along the way. I have so many people to thank for helping me along the way. Overcoming childhood trauma is a feat in and of itself. I also battled PTSD. During my time as an EMT, I worked in a rough part of town and saw many difficult things. My brain was really good at compartmentalizing the things I had to deal with. The funny thing is the brain doesn’t deal with those things it just locks them up. When I quit my brain knew it didn’t have to keep those things locked up anymore. It let them all go. It was the most overwhelming thing I have ever experienced. I had horrible nightmares and I couldn’t get more than 4 hours of sleep a night. The lack of sleep then took a toll on every part of me. I started having panic attacks and hallucinations.

Seeing people I knew weren’t alive. It was terrifying.

It was hard for me to admit that I needed help because I was always the one people called for help. I, unfortunately, used alcohol to help me cope. When I was informed, by my roommate, that I had a problem and needed help. I then realized I didn’t need a bandaid and that no drug would fix this problem. Once I was able to admit that I couldn’t fix this on my own, I went to therapy and began EMDR treatments. I refused to take prescription medications because I didn’t want anything to cover up my symptoms and didn’t want to become dependent on them. I knew I needed to deal with what was going on. I battled PTSD for a year and a half before I finally recovered.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have done many things in my life to try and find my niche. I have many skills in many different fields. I love learning new things and experiencing as much as I can. Ultimately, I know I belong in emergency response services and anywhere I can help others. I just graduated from the fire academy and am working toward other certifications in rescue operations. My wife and I are working on opening an apothecary business (Dragon Roots Herbal Apothecary and Supply) where we can offer people natural products to care for themselves. We also want to offer classes to empower others to learn some of the skills to make their own products. I want to be there for others in the midst of the chaos of life. To be there to give them strength and hope. Whether it’s rescuing them from a burning building or helping them find a remedy for a cough that just won’t go away. To be the calm in the storm. To use the gifts I’ve been given and those I have developed over the years.

My heart is the thing I’m most proud of and the thing that sets me apart. It’s really easy in this field to become jaded and not care, but what I have learned is that everyone has a story, a struggle, that leads them to an event that is life-changing. You have to look at people with an open heart and understanding. Just one person to understand, one act of kindness, one person to care, one person to see them or hear what they have to say. That can change the world. My heart refuses to become hardened by the things that have happened to me and the things I have seen and because of that, I will continue to use it to help others.

What matters most to you?
Making people feel safe is the most important thing to me. Followed closely by empowering others. There is great freedom in safety. When I think about my relationships with my kids I want them to feel free. Free to be, unapologetically, themselves, but to be that way they have to feel safe. Feeling safe allows them opportunities to feel empowered. I want to teach them how to be confident in themselves. To know that they have great abilities and strength beyond what they can imagine, so when a time comes when they will need it they know it’s there. I experienced this deeply when I was 12. I was at a camp and we were doing an element of a high ropes course. It was called the power pole. It was a pole that went up 30 feet in the air and had a shoebox-sized platform at the top. 10 feet, or so, out from the platform was a trapeze. The goal was to climb to the top, you and a partner, stand on the platform, and jump to catch the trapeze. From the bottom, I thought, no problem I can do this. At the top, I thought I was going to fall to my death. Of course, I had harnesses and was attached to safety ropes that someone at the bottom was holding. If I had taken the rope system would have caught me, but the fear was overwhelming. That platform got smaller and smaller the closer I got to it and I could not figure out how to get on top of it. I was crying and shaking. The pole was swaying with every twitch and movement of my body.

My youth pastor and all the other students were watching me. They were all encouraging me but all the noise blurred together. My youth pastor got my attention and said to listen to my voice. He made me feel safe even on top of a swaying pole. In a moment that seemed impossible to overcome. He talked me through step by step and I stood up, waited for my partner to climb up and I helped him stand on the platform next to me and we jumped off together. I would never have found the courage to overcome the fear of that moment if my youth pastor had not been there to make me feel safe and empower me to trust my own abilities. I have carried that moment with me ever since. Now I get to be the one that makes others feel safe so they can find their courage.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.dragonrootsherbal.com/
• Instagram: @dragonrootsherbal