Why Forward Brightly?

Many people with complicated backgrounds struggle to find their way to a productive, successful and fulfilling life.  Addiction, disability, mental health challenges, other health difficulties and life challenges can upset anyone’s typical movement forward. 

Once we get past the immediate disruption of these challenges, we begin to wonder: 

• What’s next? 

• How do I pick up the pieces and develop long-term stability? 

• Who can help me?

• What should I do now that things have settled down? 

My name is Carole Carlson and I am the sole proprietor of Forward Brightly.  I’ve been kicking around the idea to start an agency that can support people through their life transitions for about 10 years now. Recently, the circumstances in my own life finally gave me the push I needed to make that a reality. 

Life transitions represent unique opportunities for creative transformation if given the right conditions and support. 

I truly believe that. 

Forward Brightly can help people experiencing life transitions to move forward with dignity, courage and hope towards their best vision of themselves.

As a person in long-term recovery from substance use disorder, I can attest to the difficulty of trying to decide:

• what to do next,

• what resources would best support my transformation,

• and how to use those resources to bring about the results I wanted for my successful recovery and a productive life in the community. 

My biggest challenge was my own mindset! 

I muddled through a lot, made a ton of mistakes along the way, until I finally came to understand that I really needed to focus on my strengths, learn to utilize effective strategies to get me through hard days (or weeks) and rely on my advisers and peers for support and encouragement. 

As a result of that hard work, I was able to

• Develop and implement a unique approach to home and community coaching supports to young adults with disabilities;

• finish earning first my Bachelors in Human Services and then my Masters in Adult Learning; 

• co-created the first fully inclusive college housing program in Wisconsin for young adults with intellectual & developmental disabilities;

• served as an Inclusive Higher Education Specialist for Think College, Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts-Boston;

• and developed a unique professional development model to provide training and technical assistance to educators providing college-based transition services.

Again, creative transformation is possible – despite your challenges - if the right conditions and support are provided! Forward Brightly hopes to partner with you to make this a reality!

Some goals I have for my blog:

• provide interesting information related to higher education/training to career, college readiness

• share usable strategies for sticky mindset challenges

• share news about upcoming services from Forward Brightly

• offer interviews from subject matter experts on inclusive higher education, customized employment and college to career readiness

• provide spotlights of college programs that serve people with various barriers to higher education

• provide introduction to free resources through Forward Brightly and other helpful organizations.

I hope you find this helpful as you are working through your life transition!  Please let me know how Forward Brightly can help you further.