When she was 10 years old, Samantha Heuwagen moved to a small town after growing up in a city with a multicultural community. It was quite the change for her, and she didn't see anybody like her. The town wasn't for her and she wanted to get out of there.

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Samantha chats with host Jessie Browning about growing up in a small town and how entering a beauty pageant helped her realize that she wanted to pursue a career that helps people. Listen as she discusses how a college that adapted to her learning disabilities helped her success in class.

Episode Timeline:

  • [00:03] Intro
  • [03:51] Meet Samantha Heuwagen
  • [04:30] Growing up in a multicultural community
  • [10:04] Moving to Michigan
  • [16:04] Finding out she has a learning disability
  • [20:01] The Red Flannel Queen pageant
  • [28:53] The day of the pageant
  • [34:53] And the winner is...
  • [39:39] Leaving Cedar Springs
  • [42:33] Women and gender studies change her life
  • [45:36] Attending grad school in Florida
  • [46:56] The decision to become a sex therapist
  • [49:42] Relocating to Georgia
  • [53:16] The Starless series
  • [55:16] Her private practice
  • [58:46] How mentors helped Samantha
  • [1:00:50] Contacting Samantha Heuwagen
  • [1:04:07] Jessie's rapid fire questions
  • [1:14:37] Outro

Resources Mentioned: * "Dawn Among the Stars" by Samantha Heuwagen * The Starless Series by Samantha Heuwagen * Red Flannel Queen pageant

Standout Quotes: * "I started off realizing, ‘Oh, I'm not smart' to finally realize, ‘no, no, no. I'm just smart in a different way.' I might forget how to spell a word. Is that because she's bilingual? Is that because she's got disabilities? I realized all of this is part of who I am and I need to accept it." -Samantha Heuwagen [46:09] * "I feel so stable, even though we're in the middle of a pandemic and all that. But I feel confident and I feel very grateful for all the clients that I work with, even the troubled ones." -Samantha Heuwagen [56:14] * "Think Twilight meets War of the Worlds, but without the bad Twilight on healthy relationships." -Samantha Heuwagen [1:02:19]

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