Misty Chaviers

Honestly, just hard work, never giving up, and remaining true to who I am. I'm very authentic. I don't pretend to be something that I'm not. I didn't start any of this to be recognized or awarded - I just started it because it was what was in my heart, and it's something that I wanted to do to help other women become safe. I'm proud of how resilient I am, because I think that I didn't really feel like I was that resilient. There were years there that I didn't talk about what I had went through - I was kind of silenced in my small community in Alabama where a lot of people don't come out and talk about domestic violence or being survivors. I was very scared, and then I was like, you know what? I'm tired of being scared. It's my time.

Start in your community. That's the best career advice I ever received, and that's exactly what I did. I started working with law enforcement in my community behind the scenes, and that eventually turned into the YWCA coming calling and asking if I'd like a job. Starting locally allowed me to build connections and make a real impact where I live.

Stay true to who you are, be yourself, and put your clients first. They come first. Just work hard, and be compassionate and empathetic. Always. Don't pretend to be something that you're not - authenticity is so important in this work. When you're working with survivors of domestic violence, they need to see that you're real and that you genuinely care about helping them become safe.

One of the biggest challenges I face in domestic violence services is balancing the emotional weight of this work while continuing to show up for survivors every day. As someone who is both a survivor and an advocate, this work is deeply personal to me. I not only hear the stories of fear, trauma, and survival — I understand those feelings firsthand.

Another challenge is serving in a rural community where resources can sometimes be limited and where many survivors feel isolated or afraid to reach out for help. In small communities, survivors often fear being judged, not believed, or even recognized when seeking services. Building trust and helping survivors feel safe enough to ask for help is something that takes time, patience, and compassion.

One thing many people may not realize is that a lot of the work advocates do happens quietly behind the scenes. Because confidentiality is so important, we cannot share many of the victories, success stories, or lives that have been impacted. Sometimes the work can feel invisible to others, but we know how important it truly is.

Despite the challenges, this work means the world to me. Being able to walk alongside survivors during some of the hardest moments of their lives and help them find hope, safety, and strength is what continues to motivate me every day.

Family is very important to me, integrity is important to me, and people being authentic is important to me. I spend time with my grandkids whenever I can after working my 40 hours and doing my podcast. Being true to who you are and not pretending to be something you're not matters deeply to me, both in my work with survivors and in my personal relationships.