It’s a losing battle, but I won

Sasha Johnson is a licensed counselor who has impacted the community in Alabama and Georgia by providing counseling, advocacy and support. Sasha recently authored a book titled “It’s a Losing Battle, But I Won,” which talks about her experiences with suicidal thoughts, molestation, and physical abuse in the hope of inspiring and empowering women who have dealt with similar issues.

Sasha Johnson is a licensed counselor who has impacted the community in Alabama and Georgia by providing counseling, advocacy and support. Sasha recently authored a book titled “It’s a Losing Battle, But I Won,” which talks about her experiences with suicidal thoughts, molestation, and physical abuse in the hope of inspiring and empowering women who have dealt with similar issues.

When Sasha Johnson was pregnant with her second child and a mother to a Six-Month- Old Baby, her ex-husband took her car and disappeared for five days to one of his drug binges. When he finally returned, she asked for her car keys. He gave her the key and flew into a rage telling her, “That’s why no one will want you after having two kids by me,” Sasha narrates.

As her ex-husband verbally and emotionally abused her, Sasha said that she did not care as long as he did not touch her. “He tore the house up to the point that the police were called and we had to be removed from the house because he had made holes in the front door and knocked a door off its hinges,” recalls Sasha.

“I remember crying for him like an idiot as the police were taking him away. I remember how low I felt at this moment, but what I remember the most is a weird feeling of relief when I knew I didn’t have to go back.” Although these feelings were confusing then, Sasha says the incident made her stronger. Sasha has fought other battles, including suicidal thoughts and abuse.“The truth is I feel like we all lose over and over again in life. The point is to gain strength and knowledge from every situation,” she says, explaining that although she felt lost after being molested, abused, and feeling suicidal, she won by not giving up. She is now a trained counselor and author of self-help book, “It’s a Losing Battle, But I Won.” In recent times, most people have been fighting common battles such as mental health issues, abuse, substance abuse and seeking justice for the black community. Sasha wants everyone who is facing these issues to know that they will be okay. “I want people to know that whatever battle they are facing at this time, they will win. You will win, but you have to keep pushing,”. She encourages communities to help survivors of abuse by being there for them while acknowledging that everyone is affected by abuse and mental health in individual ways.

People have to deal with their issues in their own way while having the support of family, friends, and the community, Sasha says. It is also important for them to seek help such as counseling or a social support organization.

Sasha has founded a social support organization, Sister’s 2nd Chance, which supports women by providing free counselling, food and financial assistance as well as mentorship for children. “I am a single mother and I know that there were times that I wished that I had someone to support me. I decided that I needed to provide support to other women like me,” she says.

The organization has offered a lot of support to people in the local community. “The most memorable case is when I arrived at a home to provide food to a family and the whole family was disabled and unable to do a lot on their own,” Sasha recalls. “We provided Thanksgiving dinner for them and they were so happy and grateful, which brought tears to my eyes because the simplest things made them happy.” The mentoring program that the organization provided for children was a great success last summer. They took the children to college campuses and civil rights museums in Montgomery, AL, such as EJI and discussed suicide prevention and taught the children about self-care and job preparation.

“I want people to know that whatever battle they are facing at this time, they will win. You will win, but you have to keep pushing.”

www.sashamercedes.org sasha@sashamercedes.org Phone: 334-328-5070 IG: www.instagram.com/ sashamercedesss