Today we’d like to introduce you to Dorothy Patterson.
Hi Dorothy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My journey to becoming the woman I am today came unbeknownst to me at the age of five. I remember many nights being laid down to be taken advantage of by a man I trusted. He used me as his personal enjoyment until I was about eleven years old.
Shoving the memories out of sight, out of mind lead me on a countless journey(s) of undetectable self-destructive behaviors. After two husbands, two children, and years of lost time, friends and money, I realized I needed a change.
Instead of changing by the time I turned forty years old, I became the Champion of Complaining.
Subsequently weakening my ability to differentiate right from wrong or real versus fantasy. My life became a trail of trials and tribulations.
Desperately seeking to find a place of peace for my mentally fractured mind and my fragile heart, I found myself hopelessly addicted to living through the eyes of people, places, and things.
I became a people pleaser; going places without a purpose and treasuring things that had no value.
Living years in this cyclone of chaos I was anxiously angry for answers.
I begin to question: “God why, why, why?”
“What did I do to deserve this, Lord?”
Frustrated to no end, I found myself in a seminar where the facilitator asked this question: “What is the one thing you would do all day for free? Your ability to answer this question is how you find your purpose in life.”
I pondered the question over in my mind and realized the only thing that I would do all day for free is share my path of pain hoping to help others avoid the things I had suffered through. This revelation became the turning point in my life. I began living my life in real time instead of allowing yesterday’s pain to continue to dictate my decisions.
I proudly began sharing my life’s journey openly and honestly as “LaShawn 4 Real”.
In 2017, I released my first book The Reality of Abuse, the Aftermath and the Recovery” this book leaves no room for deceit. It opens closed eyes to the mental madness one can suffer as an adult when childhood innocence is taken.
I began feeling alive and accomplished.
A few months later this same year I was finally able to hug my baby boy; he was home from prison after serving ten years.
I was on top of the world beaming with pride thanking God for it all.
Before I could embrace the moment fully pain, beyond anything I had ever experienced hit me hard!
My baby boy was murdered. I couldn’t believe it; he was gone! My God, he was only home five and a half months.
Lord, how much more must I endure! In order to cope with his death, I drew closer to God. I asked God daily, “how do I deal with this type of pain?”
I went from knowing of the Holy Spirit to knowing the Holy Spirit is real in my life.
I began listening to the faint voice I know now as the Holy Spirit, which has compelled me to use my pain to help others.
Lord, “how do I do this?”
The gentle, invisible voice spoke: Live out loud.
I pondered this for months.
One day while driving aimlessly, the Holy Spirit spoke clearly to me: “I have chosen you to share everything about your life with the world as it happens.”
LaShawn 4 Real is now “The Reality Coach,” inner healer, liberating minds, transforming lives.
I Dorothy Patterson, hence now known as “The Reality Coach.”
I am an eye-opening motivational speaker, event host and entertainer.
I “The Reality Coach” am recognized for using my “REAL” life circumstances and painful situations as a way to help others find their purpose in life. I throw caution to the wind when showing people how to turn hurt into healing.
My popularity as “The Reality Coach” recognition increased in 2019 when I became a Commissioner for the City of Mesquite.
I served only a few months as Commissioner before I stepped down and announced my candidacy for Mesquite City Council.
Shortly after announcing my candidacy, heart-shattering pain came once again.
I received a phone call asking: “If that was my son on T.V.?”
I replied: “On T.V., for what?”
I could not believe what the voice on the other end was saying. I rushed home to see my only living son on T.V. being labeled “The Dallas Uptown Serial Rapist.”
I immediately fell to the floor screaming, “God, no!”
I started shouting and asking the Lord, “How am I supposed to deal with this; haven’t I been through enough?”
I shouted at God.
Exhausted and enraged I sat on the sofa constantly murmuring: “How much more must I take Lord?”
I felt completely hopeless and helpless; just as I was about to accept defeat the Holy Spirit whispered: “You are Chosen.”
I am using you as light in darkness.
Your son; My child I have Chosen also.
He will be a better man and the truth shall be revealed.
Suddenly, a gentle calmness came over me like never before.
All I could think about was the scripture Philippians 4:7 (KJV) “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
With strength beyond my understanding, I continued to run for Mesquite City Council.
While running twice for candidacy, I was blamed and called many names.
Although I was defeated both times, God had chosen me; therefore, I refused to allow people, places, or things to get in the way of God’s glory.
During my run for Mesquite City Council, I hosted “The Reality Coach Show” every Monday night on TPV Radio Network. Venturing out I became KNES Texas 99.1 FM Sunday Night Gospel Radio host. Before running, I was the recipient of Mesquite NAACP Community Service Award, opted article writer for The Garland Journal News, served as Judge Alex hair care specialist, certified Community Health Worker (specializing in peer counseling), certified Adult Mental Health First Aider, a panelist for the 2020 NFL Super Bowl Mental Health Forum in Los Angeles and founder of PACC (People Against Crime & Corruption).
Although there are many more layers to me “The Reality Coach” I’ll share more as God leads in books or any place opportunity presents.
By living my “REALITY” my scars of sorrow and sadness are now my strength, turning the bitterness of life into beauty and devastation into God’s divine journey to my destiny as “The Reality Coach!”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road for me has not been smooth at all! As I shared in my journey’s story, my life has been a road full of potholes, puddles, and pit-stops meant to become pitfalls for me. Again, I refused to allow anything to get in the way of God’s glory using my life as a way to show people how to roll on with faith down roads that are not paved smoothly.
My two biggest struggles mentioned were the murder of my baby boy (DeMarcus Patterson) and the arresting of my only living son (Dralon Patterson).
These struggles are my reality because I have to live and fight within a judicial system (Dallas County, TX) that has shown me no justice while showing me injustice,
I wake up everyday face to face with two facts:
1) DeMarcus Patterson murderer got a five-year plea deal for my baby boy’s life
2) Dralon Patterson, my living son, got a life sentence by being convicted as “The Uptown Serial Rapist” using false documents and numerous egregious harmful constitutional errors.
Living in the aftermath of having a son murdered is a challenge; as his mother, I must a conqueror by holding on to the memories left behind.
However, living in the truth of wrongful conviction of my living son as his mother I must become a conqueror of right versus wrong.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a professional hair stylist specializing in short sassy hair; I am known for being a creative stylist full of talent, love, and laughter.
I am most proud of my ability to enhance the beauty of people outwardly so they can see their beauty within.
What sets me apart from others is God has gifted me with the ability to know when a client needs to be heard or helped during their time of need.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Within the next 5-10 years I foresee the beauty industry continuing to be a leading source of revenue both externally and internally. Externally because a person will always spend money banking on hairstyle combined with makeup to change the way they look on the outside or how they feel on the inside.
Internally because banking institutions can always depend on money being exchanged or deposited from both those seeking change and those providing the change.
Being in the beauty industry for over 35 years I have learned and earned this opinion: “The beauty industry will always be the catalyst of changes, trends, etc.”.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.therealrealitycoach.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/realitycoach.me?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DP4D2
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorothy-patterson-342b18220/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealitycoach/status/1272391408389931008?s=20&t=nHRhD78X1gGdu6PV7VhDEw
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=therealitycoachdorothypatterson
- Other: https://calendly.com/dorothytherealitycoach
Image Credits
Dorothy Patterson
Destiny Anetekhai
Trinity Anetekhai
