Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Stenback.
Hi Renee, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
When COVID hit, the world stopped—and so did my career. I was an artist working in the entertainment industry, chasing dreams I’d spent years building, when suddenly everything I knew collapsed. Like so many others, I lost my job and found myself staring down a mountain of student loans and bills, unsure of what came next. But losing work wasn’t the only thing that unraveled. In the quiet that followed, pieces of my past began to surface—memories I had buried deep from growing up in a religious cult, the pain my family, friends, and I endured, and the silence that had followed me into adulthood. My counselor encouraged me to start writing it all down—to pour the truth onto the page, one memory at a time. What began as journaling for healing slowly became something more: a way to reclaim my voice, and maybe, someday, to help others find theirs too.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As I journaled, each memory felt like reliving the devastation all over again. What began as one counseling session every two weeks quickly became two sessions a week, as the floodgates of my past opened wider than I could have imagined. I cycled through waves of guilt, fear, anger, and depression—each emotion pulling me deeper into what felt like a dark, endless chasm. In those pages, I found the little girl I had long forgotten—the one who used to hide in the corner, terrified and unseen. Through months of therapy, I had to learn how to reach her, to comfort her, and to tell her that she was never to blame. The doctrine that had been drilled into me for over fifteen years was wrong. Slowly, painfully, I began to understand that I could let it go—and for the first time, I felt the faint stirrings of healing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I used to call myself an artist. Now, I can call myself both an artist and a writer. After leaving the entertainment industry, I began teaching art while writing my book. I love encouraging my students to never give up, to work hard for their dreams, and to believe that their voices matter. Somewhere along the way, I discovered a passion for helping others—something I never thought possible back when I was so afraid of people.
When I finally published my book, I felt a release from the past, as if I had laid down a burden I’d carried my entire life. Since then, I’ve started writing fantasy stories, worlds built from imagination rather than pain, and I hope to share them with readers soon. I’m proud that I stayed the course and brought my story into the light. A friend I met recently told me that my book inspired her to begin her own healing journey—to step out of the shadows of victimhood and into the strength of survival.
I don’t see myself as set apart from others, but I can finally hold my head high without the shame that once wrapped around me like a banner. For the first time, I feel free to simply be—an artist, a writer, and a survivor.
What makes you happy?
What makes me truly happy is seeing my daughters grow into strong, resilient young women who refuse to let life’s struggles hold them back from becoming the best versions of themselves. I feel that same joy when I watch my students push through their own challenges and refuse to give up, even when life feels impossibly hard. If I can play even a small part in helping my daughters become confident, independent women, and in guiding my students as they walk across that stage at graduation, then I know I’ve done something meaningful. That’s what happiness looks like to me—seeing strength, courage, and hope take root in the people I care about.
Contact Info:
- Other: https://a.co/d/hCdhyM6
