Donna & Her Mission
D.A Michaels is the author of Courageously Broken, a memoir about overcoming the adversities that life often hands us. Take a journey through the her life and find out if you can relate to her story like so many of her readers have said. Like many veterans, she fled a small town and dysfunctional family by joining the Navy only to later find herself working side by side with Navy SEALs in the jungles of Panama.
When a series of tragedies strike, they leave us with scars that cut deep. If we don’t properly process these traumatic events and instead, compartmentalize them as we often do, one day, when we least expect it, they will catch up to us and bring us to our knees.
That is what happened to Donna Michaels. As a military veteran and law enforcement officer she set out to make the world a better place. But after years of suppressing her own traumas and witnessing countless others, it took a toll and brought a vibrant exhilarating woman into a darkness she never knew existed.
All her life she had been credited with being resilient and strong. She struggled to understand why after years of life experience and all the coping mechanisms she had learned she couldn’t bounce back and move on.
Courageously Broken is about the adventure of life. The good, the bad and the journey into hell and back. Readers have said they have laughed, cried and been grateful to see the world through the eyes of a veteran and law enforcement officer.
Donna's Mission
My memoir began as a personal journal I chose to share publicly with the hope of helping others understand they are not alone when it comes to fighting PTSD. Courageously Broken is more than a book, it's a mission to ERASE the stigma of PTSD so that others fighting similar battles can rise above stronger than ever before with dignity and confidence.
There are literally thousands of veterans and first responders fighting their own demons both day and night, especially in their dreams when most are able to get proper rest. These very personal battles can and will wreak havoc on a persons body and mind, which is why it is so important to learn how to win these battles.
Until these battles are fought properly, they will continue to haunt those who have already sacrificed so much and who should be living their lives in peace and enjoying years of happiness with their families.
While there is no cure for PTSD, there are many ways to learn to manage it so that the demons surface less often and when they do, we know how to better beat them.
None of us went into any battle alone, whether it be combat, war, fires, traumatic calls and witnessing the worst some human beings have to offer. So why should we battle the internal wounds and scars these experiences leave behind on our own? The answer is... we shouldn't.
There are countless resources that can help and are especially designed for us by folks who have walked in our shoes. They understand the importance of allowing us to maintain our dignity, privacy and they understand the kinds of things that haunt us.
Courageously Broken's merchandise is designed to inspire and erase the stigma of PTSD not only for ourselves, but for others who do not understand it. The coins are to share with one another as a reminder that we are NEVER ALONE and someone is always willing to listen when we need an ear.
All our merchandise comes from veteran owned and operated businesses located right here in the good ole USA.
Please help me spread the word so we can reduce the painfully high number of suicides in the veteran and first responder communities. We have been raising awareness for a while now, my hope is to take action and do something about it.
As a result, I've recently launched a new organization called Heroes United to Heal (HU2H). Please go to that page to learn more about all of the opportunities available to veterans and first responders as well as future fundraising events to support the heroes helping other heroes.
If you or someone you love is in need of safe, confidential resources, please go to the HU2H Page and look over the many options to get help in finding peace.