Dallas/Fort Worth businesswoman Dr. Traci Gardner-Petteway defies toughest of odds, blossoms in her divine calling and purpose
Andre Johnson 
DALLAS — Dr. Traci Lynn Gardner-Petteway is one big-hearted, compassionate woman who customarily goes above and beyond to demonstrate agape love.
You know, the kind of unyielding, faith-based kind of love God’s manual specifically admonishes us to fortify daily.
“(I love) encouraging, empowering, and providing guidance along with proven techniques, from a psychological modality as well as from a Biblical perspective as it relates to dealing with the situations of life,” Gardner-Petteway, during a recent interview with Making Headline News, said when asked what she likes most about her business.
Amongst the grandest reasons Gardner-Petteway is steadfastly enjoying the fruits of her labor, coupled with her holding fast to the mission and vision for which God has blessed her is that she’s proven to be one who doesn’t merely take defeat lying down.
In a nutshell, the greater the obstacle, the greater the golden opportunity for which Gardner-Petteway sees before her defy the urge the quit.
“I learned that if the elevator to success is broken, you must take the stairs,” Gardner-Petteway said.
Such an intriguing, life-enhancing analogy, to her credit, certainly rings true, particularly as a progressive, thriving businesswoman.
A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Gardner-Petteway is founder and chief executive officer of Hope Inc. Christian Counseling, a non-profit — or (501(c)(6)) — organization that is sanctioned through the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Located at 522 Edmonds Lane, Suite 201, in nearby Lewisville, Texas, Hope Inc. Christian Counseling strives to bring about clarity and wholeness to the lives of individuals, couples, and families by way of life coaching, of sorts.
In addition, this institution seeks to assist people with self-evaluations, as well as help them understand what patterns and behaviors greatly create stress, various types of conflict, not to mention effective strategies and solutions on how to deal with them effectively, particularly as it pertains to relationship assessments.
FOLLOW HOPE INC. ON SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.facebook.com/HopeIncChristianCounseling/.
As for her personal mission for which she was inspired to start her non-profit organization, Gardner-Petteway — who’s widely known as a Christian life coach, college professor, an accomplished author, motivational speaker, as well as a local radio personality (The Talk Show With Dr. Traci/Every Thursday on Heaven 97AM from 7-8 pm) and licensed/ordained minister — alluded specifically to her childhood, most notably when she was molested by a relative at just seven years of age.
As if that wasn’t enough to bring about a sense of dysfunction to the life of a youngster with so much potential and promise, her parents eventually divorced after 23 years of marriage when she was 16 and, as a young adult — particularly in her late teens and early 20’s — she recalled how she was victimized mightily as a result of domestic violence by a then-boyfriend.
A little more than two decades removed from that horrific encounter, she consequently endured unsolicited sexual advances by her then-supervisor, which ultimately gave way to what she described as a hostile working environment.
“I had friends who ostracized me because my parents were no longer together, and the abuse I suffered through was one that you were always told to remain silent about because people will judge you without the facts,” Gardner-Petteway explained.
By and large, she admittedly sensed that such a sequence of downtrodden events seemed downright unbearable at times.
But God…
“I internalized the pain and suffered through years of depression until I realized that I did not do anything wrong and that I had no reason to be ashamed,” Gardner-Petteway said. “As an adult, I came to realize that many people internalize their guiltless pain and walked throughout life with the mindset that they have no hope.”
For Gardner-Petteway, her renewed sense of peace in life was manufactured, courtesy of the Supreme Peacemaker, as Jesus specifically enlightens us, according to John 16:33.
“My personal mission is to give hope through Jesus, the Christ,” said Gardner-Petteway, adding she was inspired to establish her organization thanks in large to the continuous support of a host of family members.
Devoted love ones from her husband, Leroy Petteway, Jr., to her parents, George and Eula Davis-Gardner, her brother, Sheldon Gardner, not to mention her loving, late grandmother, Essie Lee Davis.
Having earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from Wiley College in nearby Marshall, Texas, Gardner-Petteway holds a dual Masters of Arts degree in Psychology and Human Resource Management from Our Lady of the Lake University and a dual Doctorate of Philosophy in Social Work and Counseling from Capella University.
Talk about an impressive, commendable resume for a woman, who not only expresses daily her love for Almighty God but, most importantly, a woman who goes above and beyond to exemplify it.
You know, the kind of unyielding, faith-based love God’s manual specially admonishes us to fortify daily.
“You were not built to break,” Gardner-Petteway, a lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and an active member of Jack And Jill of America, Inc., said. “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. I lost some friends because of my speaking out against the unsolicited sexual advances, but that was God’s way of revealing to me who my real friends were.”
For Gardner-Petteway, when the dust had finally settled, after she had suffered awhile, God — just as He always does — had settled and established her, as only He could.
“The lost was hurtful,” she said, “but God always takes care of His own.”
In that order.
For more information about Hope Inc. Christian Counseling, call (972) 420-4673. Also, send email to Dr. Traci Gardner-Petteway at: drtracipetteway@me.com.
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Andre Johnson is founder and publisher of Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University Of Memphis School Of Journalism, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send an email to memphisgraduate@yahoo.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
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