We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sebrina Walter a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sebrina, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
At the end of 2019, I had to make the hard decision to come off my job due to illness and chronic pain. As a disabled Air Force Veteran with PTSD this was one of the hardest things for me to have to walk through. It triggered a lot of trauma and left me searching for purpose, meaning and struggling to find my footing. Shortly after, the pandemic hit and being isolated just amplified all the emotions. I was mourning the loss of a great job, physical mobility which left me questioning everything and struggling with thoughts of ending it all. At the beginning of 2021, I was fortunate to be assigned a therapist and began my healing journey. I began to explore my creativity through sewing and creating my own clothes as a stress relief and to refocus my mind on positive things. It quickly reignited a dream that I had buried deep inside. I had always loved creating and fashion design, but life just got in the way.
I started wearing my creations outside of the house and getting positive compliments. With each garment I made I felt like I was healing my inner child and slowly crawling out of the dark pit I had fell into. Sewing and Creating clothes became my “safe space” when I was struggling with my mental health.
People eventually began asking me to make clothing for them and if i could teach them how to sew. I started teaching and creating for others. My life finally started to feel like it was turning in the right direction.
I discovered that teaching others something I love and creating beautiful garments that made people feel confident and beautiful was the key to helping me overcome a challenging season in my life.
I felt like I had finally stepped into and was walking in my purpose. I made the scary decision to start my own business and launch my own clothing line for an underserved niche in the fashion world, the plus size, curvy, bold and confident fashionista!
At the end of 2022, I jumped into the unknown and applied for a slot to show my first collection in DC Fashion week.
To my surprise, my application was quickly approved, and I was able to show and launch my first collection at DC Fashion Week in February 2023.
I now offer sewing classes and help others find their purpose in sewing and fashion design.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a self-taught “sewist” and fashion designer. I love helping others discover their love for sewing and creating by taking seemingly complex subjects and breaking them down into smaller digestible concepts. It makes the learning process easier. Overtime I have realized that is how I learn. As someone who was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, I realized that a lot of my learning challenges was not because I couldn’t grasp a concept, It was simply a matter of breaking it down in a way I could understand and apply it practically in my life. Understanding this has allowed me to reach an audience that can learn and feel empowered to pursue the art of sewing.
As I mature, I think more about the legacy I want to leave to the next generation. Teaching young children how to sew is a life skill they can use whether the become a fashion designer or not. I know so many adults who are not able to simply mend a pair of pants and replace a button on a shirt that fell off.
Knowing that I can empower others with a lifelong skill fills me with purpose.
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?
Looking back, three qualities I believe helped me persevere when things got challenging along my journey was being consistent in serving others well, treating people how I want to be treated and keeping my focus on one thing at a time. I would encourage folks who are earlier in their journey to keep going. It is only in taking the next step you discover where you need to be. Serving others well and remaining consistent will not only make room for joy but will also make room for others to serve you when you need it.
Most people are looking for a destination but the journey is the goal. To those that are afraid to start I want to encourage you to start. It doesn’t have to be perfect, Value is provided when you learn to serve others even when they can’t return the favor.
Lastly, be a student of you, learn about yourself, go to therapy if needed. Knowing why you do the things you do and working on improving will help you make better decisions. Knowing these things will not only help you but may help someone else that may come after you and need to be encouraged to keep moving forward.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Healing the Child Within By Dr. Charles Whitfield, as someone who was born and raised in an abusive home and has experienced violence of all kinds into my early adult life this book has allowed me to rediscover my inner child. In it, Dr. Whitfield explains that our inner child is our true self and it is only when we learn to nurture and listen to our inner child in a healthy way we can truly experience joy. When we identify and constructively deal with our feelings, we heal our true self and are able to grow, develop and process life’s challenges and experience success. There are a lot of horrible things that people do to other people. It makes me wonder if only we had the opportunity to have someone speak love and life into their lives and be nurtured maybe there wouldn’t be so many heinous acts being done in this world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sewciallyinspired.com
- Instagram: @SewciallyInspired
- Facebook: Sewcially Inspired
- Linkedin: Sebrina Walter, Fashion Designer
- Twitter: @sewciallyinsprd
- Youtube: @sewciallyinspired
Image Credits
Phelan Marc
