Meet Olga Lucia Torres

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Olga Lucia Torres. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Olga Lucia, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

I’m a brain injury survivor—I died, was resuscitated, and had to learn how to walk, talk, and take care of myself again. The event left me permanently disabled. I also live with multiple chronic illnesses, including lupus, asthma, and a pituitary tumor that causes hormonal imbalances.
My relationships with my healthcare providers have been strained, especially after my brain injury. I had to learn to trust clinicians and the healthcare system again. What I figured out the hard way was that when I was pessimistic, things were worse for me.

A couple of years into my rehabilitation, I changed my perspective. I could have died, but I didn’t. Yes, I’m not the same person, and I have limitations, but I have so many things to be grateful for. I stopped focusing on the negative. This optimistic attitude led me to a partner, a miracle baby, and a new career.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I was happily working as a public defender when I experienced an iatrogenic brain injury. It took six years of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation for me to recover. I was left with various limitations, including aphasia, brain fatigue, balance problems, and memory loss. My goal was to return to the legal profession, and I accomplished that by becoming a health law attorney. After experiencing firsthand how broken our healthcare system is, I returned to school and obtained an MS in Narrative Medicine. I’m now a Narrative Medicine lecturer at Columbia University. I also volunteer with various organizations, like the Lupus Foundation of America, and serve on multiple councils that align with my values. I’m a proud member of the Patient Engagement Collaborative, and participate in various walks raising awareness and funds for causes that are important to me.

For those wondering what Narrative Medicine is, it uses skills from the humanities and the arts to help us better listen, honor, and respond to the stories of ourselves and others. My passion for Narrative Medicine stems from my drive to improve communication and good outcomes between patients and their health care providers. I do this work because I don’t want what happened to me to happen to someone else.

In addition to teaching and facilitating workshops in Narrative Medicine, I write about the healthcare system, disability rights, and BIPOC issues. I am also a public speaker, working on my first book.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three qualities or skills that most impacted my journey are resilience, faith, and a sense of humor. If you’re early in your journey, my advice is to not give up and be willing to pivot and change direction. I was devastated when my brain injury happened. My entire life changed. All I wanted to do was return to being a criminal defense attorney. Yet, when I opened myself up to other possibilities, new opportunities emerged that I had previously denied myself. I now have a wonderful new career, and more importantly, I’m married to a fantastic partner, and we have a miracle baby (well, teenager). I believed that things would improve and didn’t allow myself to give up. And I laughed at myself and life along the way.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

Mis padres y abuela taught me to care for others. If someone is in need, do what you can to help them. I learned to share my food, clothes, bed, whatever I had. By watching them, and the sacrifices they made, I was inculcated as to how to treat others. I’m sure this is why I became a public defender, then later a health law attorney, and am now a teacher. I enjoy being in service of others because during my life, so many have done the same for me and my community.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where does your optimism come from?

Optimism is the invisible ingredient that powers so much of the incredible progress in society

Confidence
Stories of Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Learning from one another is what BoldJourney is all about. Below, we’ve shared stories and

Resilience
The Power of Persistence: Overcoming Haters and Doubters

Having hates is an inevitable part of any bold journey – everyone who has made