Dr. Marlene Carson BY LORIE McCAUGHAN Dr. Marlene Carson is a “SurThrivalist”… she says, because she survived domestic minor sex-trafficking and it’s profoundly deadening effects on her young life by, first, giving herself over to God through her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Marlene’s faith — in God, in herself, and in those who truly loved her — became real to her the day she decided to get up out of the “coffin” of bondage of forced prostitution, “to become who I wanted to be.” She trusted and prayed and trusted until enough life was breathed back into her to “[dig] deep for the treasures within.” And, what a treasure trove she’s mined. Over the past thirty years, Marlene has started several businesses and non-profits, including Rahab’s Hideaway, a residential treatment facility for women victims of human trafficking. Marlene is Founder and CEO of the anti-trafficking network, “The Switch.” Through The Switch, Marlene has created a line of unconventional greeting cards, “Cards for a Cause,” to encourage those celebrating sobriety. Marlene has authored and published several books, including, “12 Steps to Transform the Exploited Soul,” a series that includes an edition for the survivor, and an edition for volunteers who work with survivors. Her upcoming book, “SurThrology,” set to be released October 2019, is on the art and science of how to move from surviving to thriving. And, per usual, Marlene, already is deep into writing her next book on the subject of “relationship equity.” Dr. Carson obtained her doctorate degree in theology and she loves sharing the Gospel. She has opened restaurants including, “Bojhetto’s Soul Food Restaurant in north Columbus; “It’s a Wrap,” soups, salads, and more, located in the old train depo, Delaware, Ohio, to employ and inspire (and mentor) both men and women to pursue their dreams and destinies. Marlene points out the significance of her restaurant being located at the old train depo - where trains switched tracks -now a place where the exploited work together to “switch the tracks of their lives” from one taking them to nowhere to a new track leading to their best lives. Marlene has done all this while loving and caring for her grandchildren. Marlene knows how to mine for gold, and she has never stopped serving and inspiring others who are recovering from addiction, exploitation, and trauma, to dig deep within themselves to revive their own dead dreams, visions, and purpose. She finds an opening where she sees that her and their lives overlap… “I recognize the abused and neglected…it’s like looking in a mirror from my own younger days.” So, she shares her “secrets,” because she knows that trusting each other enough to share them with each other has much to do, also, with the secret of finding what it is to be whoever you want to be. While many have a textbook knowledge of the perils of forced prostitution, Marlene knows from her own personal experiences. The “SurThrivalist” ENVISIONPROVENSUCCESS.COM | 29
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