#182. From Survival to Empowerment: Education & Support for Single Moms with Gail Showalter

In this warm, practical conversation, host Desiree Stanley sits down with Gail—speaker, author, and founder of Single Moms Empowered—who has spent nearly two decades turning her hardest season into lasting support for women navigating single motherhood.Gail shares how she returned to college with three little kids and started writing because she realized other women needed the same kind of stories that had carried her through. What began as weekend retreats to give single moms a break evolved into something more permanent when she noticed a pattern: the women who were thriving had some form of education or skill, while those barely scraping by had neither the training nor the time to get it. That insight led her to found Single Moms Empowered in 2007, a nonprofit that helps single mothers earn two-year degrees or certifications in fields with real employment waiting.Throughout the episode, Gail offers clear-eyed, compassionate advice for single mothers and those who want to support them. She talks about the power of routines and calendars, and combating loneliness without running to the wrong places. She encourages awareness without judgment, practical support, and understanding that the viewpoint you have toward a mom makes all the difference. Whether you're a single mom looking for encouragement and practical tools, someone who wants to support the single mothers in your life, or anyone navigating a season that wasn't part of the plan, this conversation offers both hope and actionable wisdom.Bio:Gail Showalter had it all — three children, a family business, a dream home, a boat, and a promising future. Then came the other woman, and everything changed.As a newly single mom, Gail leaned into inspirational stories that fueled her through the hardest season of her life. She returned to college with three little kids in tow, published her first piece, Baby Steps, and eventually moved in an entirely different direction, becoming a Braille teacher. For sixteen years, she navigated single motherhood firsthand.Trained as a personality specialist in 2000, Gail began coaching women and discovered that understanding personalities is essential to parenting and life. What started as simply wanting to give single moms a break grew into something much bigger. In 2007, she founded Single Moms Empowered, a nonprofit supporting single mothers earning a degree that leads to employment. She's still at it.Gail eventually remarried and is now not only a mother but a grandmother. In southeast Texas, she's known as the "Old Bird with Feathers of Wisdom for Women and a Soft Spot for Single Moms." Her book, Living, Learning, Loving, published by Morgan James Publishing, is available on Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold.She counts herself a fortunate woman, remarried and still passionate about single mothers.Connect with Gail:WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInYouTubeResources: https://www.singlemomsempowered.org/The  Jeremiah ProgramBucknerBooks mentioned:Living, Learning, Loving: Lessons of Insight and Encouragement on the Path of Motherhood by Gail Cawley ShowalterWired That Way Florence & Marita Littauerhttps://amzn.to/3Ot02TuEnneagram Made Easy: Explore the Nine Personality Types of the Enneagram by Deborah Threadgill EgertonThe Adversity Advantage: Turning Everyday Struggles into Everyday Greatness by Erik WeihenmayerPodcasts mentioned: Bent Not Broken with Deborah Griffiths——— If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your friends so that they can be educated, informed, inspired and empowered!Contact me through my website, PocketsofKnowledge.com, or find me on Instagram @desireedstanley. Thanks for listening!———This podcast is intended to educate, inspire, and empower you on your personal journey. Please note that individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.