About - Seven Times and Still Standing

 

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Kenyata Lawson  ·  Our Roots LLC

Seven Times
Still Standing

Certified Health & Wellness Coach  ·  Speaker  ·  Survivor

"I know that life is sometimes very dark — even when the sun is shining. That knowledge does not come from a textbook. It comes from living it, and choosing to turn that pain into purpose."
About
Kenyata
Lawson
Founder & CEO
Certified Wellness Coach

Certified Health & Wellness Coach
Soma Institute · Chicago, IL

O'Fallon, Missouri
SAM.gov Registered Contractor
Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)

Born in the red clay fields of Wilcox County, Georgia, Kenyata Lawson grew up learning that roots run deep — that where you come from shapes who you become. At 14, she moved to O'Fallon, Missouri, carrying those roots with her into a new chapter of life.

But life, as it sometimes does, grew very dark. In December of 2015, Kenyata found herself at her lowest point — her second suicide attempt. She would face that darkness seven times in total. Seven times the world nearly lost her. Seven times she found a reason to stay.

"I survived seven suicide attempts. I know firsthand how dark life can become — even when the sun is shining. That knowledge does not come from a textbook. It comes from living it, and choosing to turn that pain into purpose."

Today Kenyata is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach, trained at the Soma Institute in Chicago, Illinois. She founded Our Roots LLC with a singular mission — to reach the people society too often forgets, and light a fire within them that refuses to go out.

She chose veterans specifically because the numbers are impossible to ignore. Veterans of every age are dying by suicide at devastating rates — and they deserve someone who does not speak to them from a place of theory, but from a place of truth.

Her goal is simple and profound: to light that fire within them — giving them the hope to keep going, keep moving, and keep standing.


The Journey

From Darkness
to Purpose

Wilcox County, Georgia
Where the Roots Began
Born and raised in Georgia, Kenyata learned early that roots — family, identity, resilience — are what anchor you when storms come.
Age 14 · O'Fallon, Missouri
A New Chapter
Moved to Missouri carrying her roots with her. Built a new life while navigating the challenges that would later shape her mission.
December 2015
The Turning Point
Life took its hardest turn. A second suicide attempt became the moment that would ultimately redirect everything — toward healing, toward purpose, toward others.
Seven Times
Seven Times and Still Standing
Seven attempts. Seven survivals. Each one adding depth, wisdom, and an unshakeable understanding of what it means to choose life from inside the darkest moments.
Soma Institute · Chicago, IL
Certified Health & Wellness Coach
Formalized her calling with professional certification, gaining the tools to translate lived experience into structured, impactful wellness coaching.
Today
Our Roots LLC — Federal Contractor
Registered federal contractor serving veterans, military families, and federal agencies nationwide with suicide prevention speaking, training, and wellness coaching.
The Framework

The S.T.A.N.D. Method

S
Surrender the Shame
Release the weight of silence. Shame thrives in darkness — healing begins the moment we speak our truth without apology.
T
Trust the Process
Healing is not linear. Learning to trust the journey — even when progress is invisible — is the foundation of survival.
A
Acknowledge the Pain
Pain that is named loses its power. Acknowledgment is not weakness — it is the first act of true strength.
N
Navigate Toward Purpose
Every experience — especially the darkest ones — contains direction. Purpose is found by turning pain into a map forward.
D
Decide to Live
The most powerful decision a person can make — every single day. Not just to survive, but to stand, to move, and to ignite that fire in others.
What We Offer

Speaking & Services

01 🎤
Keynote Speaking
Live presentations on suicide prevention, mental resilience, and the decision to live — for military units, VA facilities, and federal agencies nationwide.
02 🧠
S.T.A.N.D. Workshop
A structured five-step teachable framework guiding participants from crisis toward clarity — bookable as a multi-session program for organizations.
03 🌿
Wellness Coaching
Certified one-on-one and group health and wellness coaching focused on mental resilience and long-term wellbeing for veteran populations.
04 🏛️
Federal Contract Services
SAM.gov registered. Small Disadvantaged Business certified. Available for VA, DoD, FEMA, and HHS contracts. NAICS 611430 · PSC U006/U099.
05 💻
Virtual Programs
Every service available virtually. Full nationwide reach with no travel barriers — delivered on any platform your organization uses.
06 🚨
Crisis Response
Federal Disaster Response Registry certified. Available for rapid deployment providing mental health and suicide prevention support after disasters.

Ready to Bring This Message
to Your Organization?

Every room Kenyata walks into leaves with more hope than it arrived with. Let's put her in yours.

Book a Speaking Event Call (636) 463-4972