Community Highlights: Meet Chenae Mathias of Anodyne Companion & Advocacy Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chenae Mathias.

Hi Chenae, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story is really about discovering purpose through some of the hardest seasons of my life.

I experienced trauma, abandonment, domestic violence, single motherhood, financial hardship, and seasons where I struggled with my own identity and worth. For a long time, I carried many of those experiences quietly. But through motherhood, my faith, and the process of healing, I began to realize that what I had survived didn’t have to define me, it could become part of my purpose.

Professionally, I built a career in healthcare education and training, where I’ve spent more than a decade helping people learn, grow, and navigate change. Along the way, I discovered that one of my greatest strengths is making people feel seen, supported, and cared for.

That realization has also influenced the work I’ve begun pursuing outside of my traditional career. I founded Anodyne Companion & Advocacy Services because I saw a need for people who are navigating healthcare to have someone beside them, not just to help with logistics, but to listen, advocate, encourage, and provide compassionate support.

I’ve also become increasingly passionate about helping women understand who they are beyond what they’ve experienced. I’ve had opportunities to encourage women who may be carrying pain, shame, disappointment, or uncertainty about their purpose.

I’m also writing my own story in my book, Echoes of a Broken Heart: From Hidden Pain to Healing, My Story of Trauma, Faith, and Redemption. Writing it has been another part of my healing because I’ve had to look back at the parts of my story that I once wanted to hide and recognize how God has been present even in those places.

I want other people to know that the parts of their story they may want to hide can sometimes become the very places where purpose is found.

Today, I’m still growing and becoming, but I’m much clearer about who I am and what I’m called to do. My story is ultimately about healing, faith, resilience, and learning that my past can be part of my testimony without being the definition of my future.

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?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I’ve experienced challenges with relationships, single motherhood, financial hardship, trauma, caregiving, and learning how to navigate my own healing while still showing up for the people who depended on me.

There were seasons when I felt like I was simply surviving and trying to keep everything together. One of the biggest challenges was learning that being strong doesn’t mean you have to carry everything alone, and that taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of everyone else.

I’ve also had to learn how to turn difficult experiences into something meaningful instead of allowing them to define me. My faith has been a huge part of that process. I’ve had to trust God through seasons where I couldn’t see the bigger picture.

Looking back, I wouldn’t say the challenges made the journey easy, but they made me more compassionate, resilient, and intentional about how I show up for others. A lot of what I do today comes from knowing what it feels like to need someone in your corner—and wanting to be that person for someone else.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Anodyne Companion & Advocacy Services ?
Anodyne Companion & Advocacy Services, or ACAS, is a private-pay, non-medical companion and advocacy service created to help individuals and families navigate some of life’s most difficult seasons with compassion, dignity, and support.

We specialize in patient advocacy, healthcare navigation, and concierge companion support. That can look different for every client—whether it’s accompanying someone to an appointment, helping them prepare questions for their healthcare team, taking notes and helping them understand what was discussed, providing transportation support, assisting families who live out of the area, or simply being a trusted presence when someone doesn’t want to navigate a difficult experience alone.

What sets ACAS apart is that we focus on the person, not just the task. I don’t want clients to feel like they are being “serviced.” I want them to feel seen, heard, respected, and genuinely cared for. My healthcare background gives me an understanding of the system, while my personal experiences with caregiving have given me an intimate understanding of what it feels like to sit on the other side of that system as a family member.

ACAS is also faith-centered, and that influences the way I serve—not by imposing my beliefs on clients, but by allowing compassion, integrity, kindness, and a spirit of service to guide the work.

One of the things I’m most proud of about the ACAS brand is that it represents something I deeply believe in: no one should have to navigate a difficult healthcare or caregiving journey alone. Even the name Anodyne reflects that heart—it speaks to something that soothes or comforts.

Our tagline, “Advocacy. Compassion. Presence.”, really captures what I want people to experience when they encounter ACAS. We’re there to advocate when someone needs a voice, provide compassion when things feel overwhelming, and offer a steady presence when simply having someone beside you makes all the difference.

Ultimately, I want people to know that ACAS is more than a companion service. We are there to help lighten the load—giving individuals and families peace of mind, support, and the confidence of knowing that someone is in their corner.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I wouldn’t necessarily describe myself as a natural risk-taker. I’m more of an intentional risk-taker. I like to understand what I’m stepping into, consider the potential consequences, and then decide whether the risk is worth taking.

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken professionally was starting ACAS. I had a stable career in healthcare, and stepping out to build something of my own meant putting my time, energy, money, and reputation behind an idea without knowing exactly where it would lead. But I believed strongly enough in the need and in what I could offer that I was willing to take that chance.

In many ways, I think my personal life has prepared me for that kind of risk. I’ve had seasons where I had to start over, make difficult decisions, and move forward without knowing exactly how everything would work out. My faith has taught me that sometimes you have to take the next step even when you can’t see the entire path.

For me, risk isn’t about being fearless. It’s about being willing to move despite the fear when you believe something is worth pursuing. I’ve learned that staying comfortable can be a risk too—you can miss opportunities simply because you’re afraid of what might happen.

So today, I try to ask myself: Is this a reckless risk, or is this a purposeful risk? If it aligns with my values, my purpose, and something I genuinely believe in, I’m willing to take the chance.

Pricing:

• Companion Support – $85 per hour
• Patient Advocacy – $120 per hour
• End of Life Presence – $150 per hour
• Comprehensive Care & Advocacy- $180 per hour

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.acascare.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theacasway?stkn=ZmtnMmVoZGZiZmpj&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ACASLLC?mibextid=wwXIfr