A Safe Place: Emotional Wellness Institute, LLC

07/05/2025

and I had the honor of joining Cole James, President of the Grief Recovery Institute, on the Feel Free Again podcast!

This wasn’t just a conversation—it was a full-circle moment.

We sat down with Cole to share how the Grief Recovery Method didn’t just transform our individual healing journeys—it reshaped our marriage, our family, and our mission.

We opened up about:
💛 The hidden grief we didn’t even know we were carrying
💛 The power of emotional honesty
💛 What it looks like to give grief language in a culture that often silences it
💛 Why we now view grief work as an act of generational love and leadership

For us, walking through the Grief Recovery Method isn’t just personal—it’s generational. We’re not just healing for ourselves. We’re rewriting the emotional story our children inherit and giving the next generation permission to feel, speak, and heal freely.

If you’ve experienced loss in any form—death, divorce, loss of identity, broken trust—this conversation will meet you with compassion, truth, and ignite hope.

With love,
Alfonzo & Gwen
Certified Grief Recovery Specialists

Want to learn more about the Grief Recovery Method and how we can support you?

Visit GwendolynJJones.com | Trifectaprime.com

Cole James welcomes husband and wife duo Alfonzo and Gwendolyn Jones to share their powerful transformation story through the Grief Recovery Method. Gwendoly...

06/24/2025

Feeling stuck?
Stop searching.
Start looking within.

"Everything I needed was in the house. I had to stop… but I had to start again."
—Miranda Cox Haskins

Sis, what if the very thing you’ve been praying for, hoping for, or waiting on—is already in you?
What if you stopped searching outward and looked within?

This month’s WLG SHERO, Miranda Cox Haskins, did exactly that. She turned $1 cupcakes into provision for her children—and she didn’t stop there. Today, she’s the owner of Legacy Cakes & Courtesies, an award-winning bakery in Goldsboro, NC.

Her story is raw, real, and a powerful reminder that you don’t need perfect conditions to build something beautiful. You just need to believe that what’s already in you is enough.

Sometimes, you don’t need more—you just need to look again.
This is your sign: what’s already in your house can change everything.

Encourage a sister today: take inventory, take courage, and take the first step.

Watch this inspiring new episode of With Love, Gwen.
It’s not too late. You’re not too far behind. You’re right on time.
It’s never too late to pivot.

With love,
Gwen
___
Watch Now: https://youtu.be/_9FYzWY_HSE

06/19/2025

✨You can’t skip the struggle.✨

This episode is a reminder that the strength, resilience, and confidence we carry doesn’t come easy. It comes by walking through the hard stuff—even when our feet get wet.

If resilience were a person, it would be this month’s shero: Miranda Cox Haskins.
In honor of Juneteenth and the undeniable power of Black Girl Magic, I invite you to tap in and hear a story that’s already touching hearts and shifting mindsets.

I’m loving all the beautiful comments around this conversation—keep them coming! And in the words of our girl Miranda: “Refuse to lose.”
It’s all working together for your good.

This is the story you didn’t know you needed.
🎧 Watch it now.
💬 Like, comment, and subscribe.
And let me know—what part resonated with you most?

With love,
Gwen 💛
__
Available on YouTube, Audible or wherever you listen to your podcasts
https://youtu.be/_9FYzWY_HSE

06/16/2025

What happens when life pushes you to the edge, when the plan you were holding onto falls apart, and you’re left with nothing but grit, faith, and a divine idea that could change your life?

This episode of With Love, Gwen is a tribute to Miranda Cox Haskins—a visionary, a trailblazer, and a reminder that it’s never too late to change your story.

What happens when life pushes you to the edge? When the plan you were holding onto falls apart, and you’re left with nothing but grit, faith, and a divine idea that could change your life?

This episode of With Love, Gwen is a tribute to Miranda Cox Haskins—a visionary, a trailblazer, and a reminder that it’s never too late to change your story.

Miranda is the owner of Legacy Cakes & Courtesies in Goldsboro, NC—the woman who turned $1 cupcakes into an award-winning brand and a legacy that continues to inspire.

I was honored to sit with her and unpack what it really means to rebuild from the inside out. When life backed her into a corner, she didn’t crumble—she pivoted. With nothing but faith and her God-given gift, she built a successful business and a life she and her children love, completely from scratch.

This one’s for the woman who’s rebuilding, rediscovering herself, or finally giving herself permission to dream again.
Sis… if you’ve ever had to start over, question your worth, or wonder if your dream still matters—this one is for you.

🎧 Be sure to subscribe, comment, and share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that everything they need is already within.

And if you’re listening right now, wondering if it’s too late for you— Let this be your sign: It’s not over. There is life after loss. You can pursue and recover all.

🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss an episode!
💌 With love,
Gwen
____
You can watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_9FYzWY_HSE
Listen on Apple Podcast, Audible, or Spotify

06/13/2025

Some stories don’t just inspire you—they change you.
They challenge you, expose you, and then ignite (or reignite) a fire deep within.

This is one of those stories.

A new episode of With Love, Gwen is dropping SOON, and this SHERO is giving us something we can feel.

We talk about love, legacy, and what this boss chick did when life tried to put baby in a corner. If bounce back were a person, she’d be the queen—and I cannot wait for you to hear her story.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, tired, or unsure of what’s next—this episode is for you

It’s for the woman who’s rebuilding, rediscovering herself, or simply needs a reminder that everything she needs to fulfill what she was divinely designed and called to do is already within her.

I believe this testimony is the spark that will reignite your hope, renew your faith, stir your passion, and restore your belief in what’s still possible.

Subscribe now so you don’t miss it when this episode goes live.

With love,
Gwen
___
https://www.youtube.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/with-love-gwen/id1564631035

www.gwendolynjjones.com

06/02/2025

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵?

That question stopped me in my tracks last week.

I sat with it.
And one of the answers surprised me:
Scrolling.

Yep—me, the blogger, podcaster, and content creator!

Scrolling has inspired, taught, and connected me to new voices.

But it’s also

distracts me,
drains me,
and sometimes leaves me creatively paralyzed.

It became noise instead of nourishment—
a barrier I didn’t even realize I had.

Here’s the truth I’m wrestling with:
The same tool that feeds us can also deplete us.

And it's a slow kill.

I reach for my phone …
Then my brain switches to autopilot, and I become some sort of scrolling zombie.

Ten seconds becomes ten minutes.
Ten minutes becomes an hour.

It got really scary when scrolling started to manifest physically and evolved into a version of brain fog that looked like this:

*Inability to focus

*Difficulty retaining or recalling information

*Feeling uncomfortable simply sitting still without stimulation

𝗔𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿?

I tried to blame the symptoms on a vitamin deficiency… or perimenopause. But there’s too much research supporting a direct connection between what I was experiencing and excessive scrolling.

I know scrolling isn’t inherently bad—sometimes it is the getaway, laugh, or point of connection we need. But when it starts replacing our ability to be present, think clearly, or exist without it—that’s when it becomes a barrier.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝟮, 𝟰, 𝟴, 𝟮𝟰, 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝟰𝟴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴?

I’m learning:
**To pause and become more aware of my personal defaults.
**To pick up a book instead of my phone.
**To scroll with intention—not out of habit.

Not everything we take in is helping us grow.
Some of it is keeping us stuck.

This is no longer just a trend—
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲.

And the only way I know how to interrupt it
is to do what I always do:
1. Bring awareness to it.
2. Initiate positive, safe conversations around it.
3. Develop realistic tools to support change.

I hope this one helps you as much as it's helping me.
Let’s grow together.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹: 𝟯 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

1. Set a Time Limit – Don’t scroll mindlessly. Try setting a 10-minute timer and honor it.

2. Curate Your Feed – Follow accounts that inspire action, not comparison. Mute or unfollow anything that drains you.

3. Ask Before You Scroll – “What am I looking for right now?” If you don’t have an answer, try journaling instead.

𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
I’m choosing less noise… and more becoming.

What’s one barrier you’ve identified lately?
And how are you working to remove it?

With love,
Gwen
___
🎙️ With Love, Gwen Podcast is available on YouTube, Audible, and everywhere you love to listen. Just search the name—and come join the conversation.
www.gwendolynjjones.com

05/27/2025

What a thought! It's actually more than a thought, it's a scientifically backed truth.

“If obstacles are removed, the individual will develop into a mature, fully realized adult, just as an acorn will develop into an oak tree.”
Wow.

Dream with me for a moment:
Obstacles removed—who would you have become by now?
Where would you be tomorrow? In five years?

Now pause.
What are your obstacles?
And more importantly, how can we start working to remove them?

It’s not too late.
Every single day is a new opportunity for growth.

May your week begin with a shift in focus—one that empowers you to recognize and remove the barriers to your growth.

With Love,
Gwen
__
With Love, Gwen Podcast—available on YouTube, Audible, and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

05/23/2025

3 Reasons Why Curiosity and Play Are Two Items Worth Your Investment

I get it, we’re all busy, and I’m over here yelling from the top of my lungs:

STOP, PAUSE, DREAM!

Here’s why:

Curiosity breaks barriers.

Reality can become a barrier to growth. Wonder and curiosity allow you to move beyond the confines of reality and cultivate hope, expanding your world by reminding you what’s possible. I’ll start, you finish: “What if...”

Permission unlocks vision.

When you give yourself permission to dream, you’re not just imagining—you’re casting vision. You begin to see the version of yourself that exists beyond the limits of time, money, societal expectations, family pressures, or whatever other barriers stand in the way of the life you desire, putting you in alignment with your core values and allowing you to connect with your authentic self.

Consider this: Who could I become without all of these constraints?
Aren’t you just a little bit curious?!?!

Mindset shift sparks possibility.

If your mind is stuck in what always was, what is, or what’s not, you’re continuously suppressing what can be. Wonder, curiosity, possibility—your dreams revitalize the parts of you that life has caused you to suppress. There’s freedom and growth connected to a curious mind—the kind that doesn’t just ask, “What is?” but dares to explore, “What could be?”

Earlier this month, I crafted a list of tools to sustain you during your G.R.O.W.T.H. season. But I believe the very first step to growth... is permission.

What if you gave yourself permission to be curious again?
To see yourself and your future with a different end?
To try something new?
To consider what your heart desires?
Tostir up your gifts?

I’ve crafted this permission slip that I hope you’ll take advantage of.

Complete it
Sign it
Post it up and be reminded that you are allowed to

Ask questions
Be curious
To dream with your eyes wide open!

With love,
Gwen
___
Dream Catalyst: Inspiring Powerful and Purpose-Driven Lives - Live Now | YouTube: https://youtu.be/eaS2D9zZwvQ?si=XMgfuCBVbVTNNqPL
Audible and wherever you listen to your podcasts - Just search for With Love, Gwen
___
www.gwendolynjjones.com

05/20/2025

When Sarah asked me to share my dream, my first response was, “I don’t know—I don’t think I have one.”

A path had been laid out before me, and I followed it. I never considered coloring outside of those lines… until she asked me that question.
A simple question that acted like a key, unlocking a door of possibility:
“Tell me about one of your dreams—an aspiration, something you long to create in or with your life.”

There were no rules, barriers, or boundaries.
Only freedom, safety, and a big heart with ears eager to hear what my heart truly longed for.

In that moment, I gave myself a kind of permission I didn’t even know I needed:
– Permission to go off-script
– Permission to explore life without barriers
– Permission to wonder, to ask, “What if?”
– Permission to dream—boldly and fearlessly.

And now?
I want to pass that permission on.

I’m dreaming again.
Boldly.
Openly.
Unapologetically.

And I’m thinking…
What if we had a Dream Party?

A space to speak our dreams out loud.
A moment to reconnect with the part of ourselves that is free and limitless.

Let’s make dreaming cool again.

It’s a bit of a lost art, and I truly believe there is reconnection, restoration, and reinvigoration in daring to dream—in longing and in creating.

With Love,
Gwen
____
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dream-catalyst-inspiring-powerful-and-purpose-driven/id1564631035?i=1000708545823

YouTube: https://youtu.be/eaS2D9zZwvQ?si=fM5KwSltouq-Qb6C

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/B0F8PNFCWD?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

05/16/2025

I’ve got three questions for you today:

1. What makes you come alive?
2. Now that you’ve named it—how often do you actually make space for it in your life?
3. And when was the last time you truly asked yourself question #1?

“Dreams are invitations from life for you to express your gifts into the world.”�– Sarah L. Kent

When was the last time you dared to dream?

As women, we plan, pursue, and execute—but how often do we pause to embrace the power of wonder?

In this episode of WLG, Sarah and I inspire you to connect—or reconnect—with whatever it is that brings you purpose, passion, and fulfillment. That thing that lights you up from the inside out. That part of you the world needs—even if you’ve forgotten it’s there.

This episode is inspiring and validating. It’s beyond motivation—it’s a call back to your soul’s assignment. A reminder that it doesn’t matter whether your dream is big or small—it’s yours, it matters, and it’s not only worth believing in—it’s worth reaching for.

Tune in and beware… you just might awaken dreams that have been lying dormant—or discover ones you didn’t even know were there.

With Love,�Gwen
______

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dream-catalyst-inspiring-powerful-and-purpose-driven/id1564631035?i=1000708545823

YouTube: https://youtu.be/eaS2D9zZwvQ?si=fM5KwSltouq-Qb6C

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/B0F8PNFCWD?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

05/01/2025

Journey to 43: Grace for G.R.O.W.T.H.
This year has pushed, pulled, tangled, and stretched me in ways I didn’t even know were possible.

It demanded physical, mental, and emotional grit I didn’t even know I had—and I thought I was one pretty tough chick. So this birthday called for a moment of pause, recovery, and reflection.

So, as I sit, exhausted, I realize this feels different. I’m tired, but this isn’t burnout. I feel completely empty, but it’s not from aimless striving, running with no finish line in sight, or the empty cup that comes from people-pleasing or the inability to say no. This emptiness feels sacred—like something has been pulled out of me. I had vivid descriptions of what I was feeling, but no language to connect with the definitions.

Sometimes, you’ll never see how you’ve grown, what you’ve become, or what you’ve produced until you pause and reflect. So I’ve been quiet. I took a step back. I sifted through all the noise, and I made a list—sort of a year-end inventory review. Then it all began to make sense.

This past year felt like I was stuck in a video game with one difficult level to conquer after another. I had to acquire new skills, earn enough coins to purchase new armor and weapons, and even learn new fighting combinations to beat whatever was waiting for me at the next level. And it birthed something beautiful in me. I realized what I’m feeling right now is the cost of growth.

Becoming a fruit-bearing tree requires an immense amount of energy. So yes, I’m tired—but I’m also so proud of what I’ve been chosen, gifted, and graced to produce.

I look back over the year in awe, full of wonder, completely amazed by what I’ve had to become to accomplish each item listed on my annual reflection list—remembering the moments when I wanted to quit, now grateful that I just kept taking steps as I honor this list of conquests.

And the biggest win of the year? Everything on this list—I did it while being fully present for my husband and children, remaining true to myself, and staying in alignment with my core values. I have no regrets.

I was able to do this because I gave only my best yes—and I gave myself the grace, space, and room required for this year of G.R.O.W.T.H.

May 2024 – 2025 Reflections

Relaunched my podcast, With Love, Gwen

I learned to navigate the senior year of high school, college applications, and graduation

I moved my first baby into college

Served faithfully on the church staff and in the community

Began my final year of graduate school, including practicum (8 hours a week of on-site counseling supervision in addition to classes and a 40-hour standard workweek)

Inducted into Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society

Inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society

Accepted a speaking opportunity and overcame a major fear of public speaking

Committed to weekly mental health counseling

Completed an 8-week Breaking Beliefs Intensive with Advanced Grief Recovery Trainer/Coach Sandi Derby

Launched the “In My Grace Era” Movement, encouraging hundreds of women to give themselves grace

Committed to marriage counseling

Created and released the Ultimate Holiday Survival Toolkit

Encouraged women to begin the new year with trust and confidence

Celebrated 20 years of marriage

Supported my second baby as he learned to drive

Rebranded my podcast, With Love, Gwen

Began working on my next book

Awarded the 2025 Governor’s Institute Scholarship

Participated in the City Church of Goldsboro Consecration Service

Spoke as a featured guest for Omicron Delta Kappa

Passed the National Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE)

Guest speaker at Phenomenal U | Girl Scouts NC Coastal Pines

Supported my baby as he went to his first prom

Supported my baby on his first time traveling with his team to Texas alone

Supported my baby on her first main stage production at UNCG

I developed a toolkit to equip you with all the tools you need to survive your season of G.R.O.W.T.H. (coming soon | stay tuned)

03/28/2025

Last night, I had the honor of speaking to members of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) National Leadership Honor Society on a topic close to my heart: Capacity, Capability, and Contentment—balancing who you are, where you are, and who you’re becoming.

Together, we unmasked burnout and began dismantling the internal systems that feed it.

We explored the difference between what you’re capable of and what you actually have capacity for.

We also talked about contentment—not as complacency, but as alignment.
It’s making decisions that align with your purpose, honor your capacity, and support your well-being.

I was deeply grateful for the opportunity to hold space, offer insight, and empower this group to understand what’s driving their yes—and what freedom becomes available when we finally begin to honor our capacity.

___

Here's your Friday morning inspiration:

Burnout has become an epidemic, but society has disguised it as the new normal.

We’ve normalized exhaustion, glorified the hustle, and started wearing overfunctioning like a badge of honor.

I stand in the gap for the overwhelmed, overworked, and overextended.

You DON'T have to keep saying yes out of fear, pressure, or habit.

And it’s NEVER too late to begin honoring your capacity and building your Best Yes Only muscle. In fact, begin today! Let every decision you make come from a place of alignment and not anxiety.

Because we all deserve a life that’s not just full, but fulfilling.

With Love,
Gwen