This episode: From Trauma to Triumph: Lafaya Mitchell on Breaking Cycles, Raising Neurodiverse Kids, and The Lafayette Way.
Here’s what you’ll learn about:
Introduction and Purpose of the Meeting (0:13)
- Host Drew Deraney expresses happiness about speaking to his Guest Lafaya Mitchell and mentions the purpose of the meeting, one of which is to discuss her new book.
- Drew thanks Anke Herrmann for introducing Lafaya and he discusses the concept of life being non-linear.
- He introduces the idea of three types of women: one with many blind spots, one who is a victim, and one who sees adversity as opportunities.
- Drew asks Lafaya to reflect on her defining moments and how they transitioned from one type of woman to another.
Defining Moments and Personal Growth (3:20)
- Lafaya shares her first defining moment, which was the birth of her first son at 17, and her determination to avoid the trauma she experienced as a child.
- She describes her struggle with self-awareness and being a victim in her early 20s, despite finishing high school and starting college.
- Lafaya recounts a pivotal moment at 25 when she had a life-changing decision to make while driving, which led her to seek help from her grandmother.
- She explains how these moments helped her transition from being a victim to seeing adversity as opportunities for growth.
Overcoming Personal Trauma (6:29)
- Drew asks Lafaya to elaborate on the trauma she experienced as a child, which included extreme domestic violence and suicidal thoughts.
- Lafaya details her upbringing in a home with heavy drug addiction and the impact of witnessing domestic violence.
- She shares her struggle with suicidal thoughts and how her fear of going to hell kept her alive.
- Drew acknowledges Lafaya’s strength and resilience in overcoming such difficult circumstances.
Becoming a Mother and Caretaker (8:44)
- Drew inquires about how Lafaya became a wonderful mother despite her young age and lack of parenting skills.
- Lafaya explains that her early responsibility in caring for her siblings helped her become a protective and caring mother.
- She shares examples of her young self taking care of her siblings and stealing medicine for them.
- Lafaya discusses her fierce protection of her son and her role in keeping him safe from harm.
Balancing Motherhood and Professional Life (12:43)
- Drew asks about Lafaya’s current family situation and how she balances her professional life with motherhood.
- Lafaya mentions her first son, who is now 32, and her two younger children, one of whom is on the autism spectrum.
- She talks about adopting her three nieces and the challenges and rewards of raising six children.
- Drew praises Lafaya for her incredible strength and accomplishments as a mother and professional.
Professional Endeavors and The Lafayette Way (16:17)
- Drew transitions to discussing Lafaya’s professional life and her book series for parents of hypersensitive children.
- Lafaya explains the concept of The Lafayette Way, which is an advanced relational approach to calming hypersensitive systems.
- She shares her experience working with children on the autism spectrum and how her methods have helped them.
- Lafaya describes the evolution of her approach and how it has been applied to various areas, including poker.
Applying The Lafayette Way to Poker (24:27)
- Lafaya discusses her love for poker and how she applied her four-step approach to managing emotions in the game.
- She explains the concept of tilt in poker and how her methods help prevent it.
- Lafaya shares how her approach has been successful in both her professional and personal life.
- Drew highlights the versatility of The Lafayette Way and its application to different areas.
Current Professional Focus and Impact (27:17).
- Drew asks about Lafaya’s current clients and how she helps them through The Lafayette Way.
- Lafaya explains that she works with children on the autism spectrum, those with severe ADHD and mood disorders, and children of intergenerational trauma.
- She mentions her work with poker players to improve their mental game.
- Lafaya emphasizes the importance of connecting with people in a human way and teaching them to be good to one another.
To learn more about Lafaya’s mission, go to her LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lafaya-mitchell/
or her website https://lafayaway.com/
Lafaya Mitchell Bio
Lafaya Mitchell, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Poker Player, Wife, and reluctant but happy mother of 6 is on a mission to calm the effects of “Red Alert Brain.” She aspires to share her life changing philosophy, “The Lafaya Way” (created in over 20 years of real life and professional experience) with the world.
Lafaya recently co-authored #1 International best seller, “Speechless: Giving the #voiceless a Voice” and “The Advocate, The Healer, and Heeding a Higher Caller” authored International Best Seller, “Poker A Woman’s Game.” She also published 3 books and created a 12-week training curriculum for parents and organizations from her parenting series “The Lafaya Way”
Lafaya has found a way to apply her 4-step methodology used in her Mental Health Therapy practice to battle T.I.L.T. (Temporary Interruption in Logical Thinking) in Poker and low performance in competition-based environments. She discusses the issues that link the challenges in life, competitive sports and poker in her new podcast, “The Lafaya Way Powerful Women Podcast w/ a Poker Twist.”
About your host: I’m Drew Deraney, the proud father of three children. For most of my life I’ve been concerned with what people thought of me and how I was supposed to act. I learned not to be my authentic self and instead became a people pleaser, a man wearing a mask.
In a 9-month span a few years ago, I endured four faith-shaking life events that caused me to question my existence.
I became determined to find a better way to live. Through intense self-reflection and awareness, I realized that in order to be happy, I must adhere to my standards of honesty, integrity and truth and needed to break free from the belief system that was anchored in me for close to 50 years.
I now believe that success happens when we find a better way and are willing and able to share it. HOW I do that is by challenging the status quo and thinking differently. Ultimately, WHAT I bring is a way to contribute and add value by having an impact on the lives of others.
My company, Profit Compassion LLC consists of 3 paths:
The Mindful Man Movement: men’s self-discovery coach, speaker, podcast host, author. For Men Seeking Answers Within: Imagine having crystal clear knowledge of your purpose in life where you make confident decisions, and are assertive, productive, and at peak mental health. Corporate executives hire me to guide them to tap into their natural power through self-discovery so they may write their own story and live the life they want to live.
The Caregiver Coach: coach for fathers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). For Caregivers who are open to a conversation about how I can support you on your Caregiving journey: I help caregivers find balance, build resilience, and rediscover their own well-being. Through personalized Coaching, I provide practical strategies, emotional support, and the tools to reduce Burnout, strengthen Relationships, and navigate the challenges of caregiving with confidence. My goal is to empower you to care for yourself as compassionately as you care for your loved one.
Business Solutions: health/wellness and financial services to support individuals and businesses.
Join me in transforming challenges into opportunities for growth. Let’s embark on this journey together.
HOW TO CONNECT WITH COACH DREW:
Website: https://profitcompassion.com/
Email: drew@profitcompassion.com
Book a discovery call: https://link.mavericksystems.online/widget/bookings/netweaving/connect30
Pick up a copy of Drew’s book: https://amzn.to/40dsbyR or https://bit.ly/BandNDrew
Drew Deraney now travels the world both to Live and Virtual Events showing mostly men the steps needed to strengthen self-identity and self-worth, to overcome self-limiting beliefs, and to build confidence while being authentic, maintaining boundaries and to transcend people pleasing skills to become the person they are destined to be. Drew challenges them to reach deep inside and make a lasting impact.
In a 9-month span, Drew experienced a grueling divorce, job loss, his son’s suicidal ideations, and his father’s death which devastated Drew emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. It is a commonality for men to consider any challenge as a weakness as well as to show emotion and ask for help. While writing his book, Drew realized he was not the only man suffering in silence. With more clarity of purpose than ever, he began asking for help. Drew Deraney’s mission is to help especially men, release their inner greatness by showing vulnerability, keeping in integrity of their power, and making a great impact on the people in their lives both personally and professionally.
Drew Deraney was born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ where he still lives to this day caring for his elderly mom and his 3 adult children Matthew, Nicholas, and Emma. Drew earned his B.A. in Psychology, M.A. in Applied Psychology, and two psychology research publications while at Fairfield University; a scholarship from the Healthcare Financial Management Association; and his M.B.A. in Health Care Administration from Baruch College / Mount Sinai School of Medicine in NY. His hospital career spanned 24 years where he was co-chair of the Leadership Institute, spoke at JD Power, was one of three leaders interviewed by The Commonwealth Fund, received his Communicating with Empathy Trainer certification and is a Certified Patient Experience Professional. Four years ago, Drew founded Profit Compassion LLC, an entity to coach and empower mostly men to create resiliency and authenticity as Chief Resilience Officer. Drew is the podcast host of ‘From Caving in to Crushing It’ and recently became a best-selling author with his book ‘I’ll Have What She’s Having’ - Memoir of a reformed People Pleaser.
