We’re looking forward to introducing you to Monica Bowens . Check out our conversation below.
Monica , so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is a normal day like for you right now?
I currently work fulltime, have a private practice, am a PhD candidate in the research study phase, and am married. So, a normal day for me involves managing those diverse roles and expectations. It involves being present, organized, and intentional with my time. I must be attuned to my clients needs as well as be aware of my own social and mental battery levels all while being a supportive spouse, family member, and friend. My normal day involves a lot of balancing.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a native of New York City but have lived in other areas before settling in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I was a former military spouse and am currently married to an Army veteran and have two wonderful bonus sons. My journey started in early childhood education, which led me to transition into social work. With social work and my love of traveling and exploring different cultures, I created my businesses.
I am the owner of Bowens Counseling Services, PLLC, and A Key to Travel. With Bowens Counseling Services, PLLC, I offer therapy via telehealth to adults in North Carolina. A Key to Travel was created to inspire the love of traveling in others by offering consultation and planning services.. Further, I am the author of The Travel Planning Journal for the Planning Enthusiast and the Non-Planner, Too and contributing author in the Titus 2 Principle: Reach, Teach, Lead anthology. Both publications support my intention to help uplift, inform, and empower others.
My passion goes beyond traveling to include spending time with family and friends, community involvement, and helping others. I am very engaged in the cultural arts scene in my area, where i actively support local arts and artists. I believe in the importance of a nurturing community where furtherance and success are uplifted due to the balanced emotional and mental well-being of everyone.
People have the ability to make positive changes to their lives if they are motivated, affirmed, and supported. I enjoy opportunities to serve as a beacon to assist others in progressing on their journey. She enjoys helping people discover and develop the best version of themselves in ways that empower and motivate them to accomplish their goals.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
For me, bonds are often broken when silence replaces honesty. When we stop saying what we truly feel, or when hurt gets buried instead of voiced, distance slowly grows. Betrayal and broken trust can fracture connection too—but sometimes it’s the smaller things, the unspoken disappointments or feeling unseen, that weaken relationships over time.
What restores bonds, though, is courage. The courage to be vulnerable, to admit when we’re wrong, to say, “this hurt me,” or “I miss you.” Healing comes when there’s a willingness to listen, to see one another with empathy, and to do the hard work of repair. Restoration is about co-creating something grounded in understanding, respect, and care. I believe restoration is less about going back to how things were and more about building something new—something more honest, more intentional, and more rooted in love.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
The defining wounds of my life began early. I lost my mother when I was just six years old, and I never knew my biological father. Those losses left me with an ache for love, safety, and acceptance—a longing to feel chosen and cared for. Later, at 25, I faced another heartbreak when I lost the ability to have children. That loss touched the deepest part of me, reopening questions about worth, identity, and what my life was meant to hold.
Each of these wounds has carried its own grief. For years, I wrestled with feelings of emptiness and with the fear that love and wholeness might always be out of reach. But slowly, healing began to take shape. As an adult, I learned to nurture myself, to offer myself the compassion and gentleness I once longed for from others. I leaned into faith, creativity, and the kind of relationships that reminded me I am not alone.
And perhaps most importantly, I found purpose in my pain. The very places that hurt me the most have made me sensitive to the wounds of others. My work, my relationships, and my way of moving through the world are shaped by a desire to help people know they are seen, valued, and worthy of love. Healing hasn’t meant erasing my losses—it’s meant transforming them into wisdom, empathy, and strength. My story is not one without scars, but one where those scars have become a source of connection and hope.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would probably say that what really matters to me is being surrounded by people who are genuine and who truly care. They’d say that what really matters to me is love that feels safe, steady, and real. I’ve gone through life knowing loss early and longing for a place where I could just be accepted as I am. Because I keep a small circle, they’d know that loyalty, honesty, and trust are everything to me. They’d probably also say that I don’t take it lightly when someone sees me for who I really am and chooses to stay. At the heart of it, what matters most to me is knowing that the people I hold close are safe, cared for, and that our bond is real. What matters to me is having relationships where I can show up fully, and where love isn’t taken away when things get hard. At the end of the day, I don’t need a lot of people around me—I just need a few I can trust with my whole heart.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
I think people might misunderstand my legacy because it doesn’t look the way they expect. They might see that I don’t have biological children and think nothing will be carried on after me. But what I will leave behind isn’t measured in bloodlines—it’s in the hearts I’ve touched, the courage I’ve sparked, the ideas I’ve nurtured and watched grow. I’ve been a gardener of possibility, tending to seeds in myself and others, often in silence, often without recognition. My legacy is quiet, invisible to some, but it lives in every small act of growth, every life inspired, every mind opened. And maybe that’s the part people won’t understand—the depth of love and life that can exist without a conventional mark, yet still be endlessly real. The truth is, I’ve poured myself into nurturing ideas, growth, and potential—in myself and in others. I’ve carried the role of guide, supporter, and encourager, planting seeds that will grow long after I’m gone. My legacy isn’t something you can always see or measure. The love and care I’ve given hasn’t followed a conventional path, but it’s real, and it matters, and it lasts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.bowenscounselingservices.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stormof76?igsh=YjR1bGh1OG5jcW5h
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-bowens-049284161
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Nif5pfR9c/
