On January 10th, 2010, I drove drunk. With a blood alcohol content of 2.8, I pulled out of a parking lot and in a drunken blackout crashed head first into a tree on the way home. It wasn’t until I came to, to the sounds of my five-year-old daughter’s screaming, did I remember… both of my children were in the back seat.

I had a unique opportunity two years after that accident to share my experience with the world on Oprah Winfrey’s Lifeclass. The segment focused on “Overcoming Guilt,” and I was chosen among thousands to share my struggles with addiction, my crumbling marriage as a result, and ultimately, the crippling guilt after my drunk driving accident left my five-year-old daughter in critical condition. I held onto guilt and humiliation like it was my purpose. It wasn’t until I met inspirational life coach Iyanla Vanzant on that segment that I finally give myself permission to let go.

My talk will take the audience through the same process Iyanla took me through to overcome guilt and shame.

You’ll learn the ”5 steps to Owning Your Story”

1. That it’s OK to give yourself permission to move forward
2. That holding onto negative events from the past causes more harm in the present
3. How not to close the door on your past but use it to your advantage
4. How to identify the silver lining in your mistakes
5. Why happiness is a choice and how you can choose it 

Takeaway
You’ll leave this healing talk with a deeper understanding of why we experience hardships and how shifting our perception from guilt and shame to acceptance can completely transform our reality. And you’ll learn how to take that first step toward starting a conversation with the ones you love that leads to reparing, rebuilding and restoring relationships. “When you understand the power of forgiveness,” says Amy, “no relationship is ever past hope.”

Fast Facts

• Amy was featured on “Oprah’s Lifeclass” where she had the unique opportunity to share her message worldwide.
• In recovery, she became a published author and received a Master’s degree in Educational Counseling.

What people are saying…
“We read this book as soon as it was available because we were to share the podium with Matt and Amy at the Better Marriages Mid-Atlantic Conference in September. It is a tragic but uplifting story of a marriage and a family being nearly destroyed by the disease of alcoholism but saved and redeemed by recovery and forgiveness. It is a powerful message for any married couple for one like us with a similar story… Wow! We highly recommend this.”
– Drs. Bill and Linda McConahey, Certified Relationship Coaches

• Conferences, Conventions, Trade Shows
• Expos, Fairs, Retreats
• Corporations, Non-Profits
• Parties, Events of all types
• CEOs, Executive Managers, HR Professionals
• Team Leaders, Sales Reps  
• Business & Civic Groups
• Women’s Groups, Career Women
• Baby Boomers, Millennials
• Seniors, Retirees
• Community Organizations
• Colleges, Universities, Schools, Youth Groups
• Attorneys, Financial Planners, Investors
• Military, Police, Firefighters, Paramedics
• Emergency Preparedness, Risk Management
• Parents, Educators
• Entrepreneurs, Business Owners, Small Offices
• Tech/Electronics Specialists & Hobbyists
• Travel Companies, Cruise Lines
• Therapists, Psychologists, Counselors and Coaches
• Political & Historical Groups/Associations
• Churches, Synagogues, Religious Groups
• Christian Groups
• Libraries, Museums
• Entertainment Venues
• Hospitality Organizations, Restaurant Associations
• Health Care Groups, Hospitals, Medical Offices
• Health Workers, Healers, Caretakers, Cancer Survivors
• Nursing Programs, Medical Centers
• Health Spas, Fitness Centers
• Realtors, Real Estate Associations, Property Owners
• Rehab Centers, Recovery Support Group

Keynote Presentation

Offered as a keynote, breakout, seminar or workshop, retreat, training and webinar. Amy Baumgardner is also available as a panel guest or moderator.

The Shift: Impact & Innovations of Recovery

The impact and innovations surrounding Addiction and Recovery have come a long way. Sharing our experiences and being vulnerable has opened the hearts and minds of many to help lessen the stigma. You’ll hear personal stories from those who have struggled with drugs, alcohol, exercise, food, sex, or whatever “it” is, and hear where the shift from guilt to acceptance occurred for them. By identifying their “it,” each person in the audience gains a new appreciation of how the recovery process begins and where it can lead. This talk is a motivational starting point for anyone interested in identifying their own “it” and giving themselves permission to move beyond.

Meet Amy Baumgardner…

Amy Baumgardner is an author and freelance writer.  She co-authored her first book, From This Day Forward: A Love Story of Faith, Hope and Forgiveness, through HCI Books, September 2014, with her husband Matt. She is a freelance contributor to recovery magazines, wellness blogs and, most recently, Success Stories from the Heart: Passionate and Caring Stories to Open the Heart and Energize the Spirit to Succeed in Life and Love (HCI Books, 2019).

Amy had the incredible opportunity to share her story with the world as a guest on “Oprah’s Lifeclass” with inspirational life coach Iyanla Vanzant. Since that time, she has spoken at various conferences, seminars and workshops on the power of owning your story.

Through patience and grace, Amy continues her journey through recovery and hopes to bring the message forward. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational School Counseling. She is a Certified Recovery Coach and currently works as a Recovery Supports Program Director for a local health department. She resides in Pennsylvania with her husband and three children.

What people are saying…

“Loved this book. Honest as the day is long. An emotional rollercoaster that had me reading from start to finish in one day. Two people who defied all odds and were able to put their family first and learn to love themselves and each other again! Hoping for a sequel.”
– Sandra Y.

“We read this book as soon as it was available because we were to share the podium with Matt and Amy at the Better Marriages Mid-Atlantic Conference in September. It is a tragic but uplifting story of a marriage and a family being nearly destroyed by the disease of alcoholism but saved and redeemed by recovery and forgiveness. It is a powerful message for any married couple for one like us with a similar story… Wow! We highly recommend this.”
– Drs. Bill and Linda McConahey, Certified Relationship Coaches

“I was not sure what to expect from the book, From This Day Forward: A Love Story of Faith, Hope and Forgiveness, written by Amy and Matt Baumgardner. This was a very moving and honest book from start to finish. This is a story about a couple who seem to have it all. Their lives and marriage, their children; everything seemed perfect. Then Amy began drinking and not caring for herself, ultimately leading to a car accident in which she was drunk and critically injured their daughter. The couple go back and forth recounting their story to help others who may be in a similar situation not to lose hope. They discuss the struggles, the despair and in the end, the coming back together of their marriage. They are not preachy about alcohol and addictions. Instead they are honest about discussing how this addiction dramatically impacted their lives.”
– GW

From This Day Forward

Like many relationships, after eight years of marriage and two kids, Amy and Matt had drifted apart. They started fighting, lost trust and respect, and their marriage spiraled down. Instead of dealing with the problems, Amy started to drink. She lost her job, she gained weight, she neglected her children. And then one day, she went too far. Even though she knew she’d had too much to drink, she got behind the wheel of her car and in a drunken blackout crashed head first into a tree. Only when she came to―to the sounds of her daughter’s screams―did she remember . . . both her children were in the car with her. After this ultimate betrayal, Matt was done. He filed for divorce.

But this is a story of miracles.

Combining the heart wrenching blow-by-blow devastation of Beautiful Boy, and the inspiring devotion found in The Vow, From This Day Forward has all the drama of a Lifetime Movie, with a universal message for anyone who strives to love one person, no matter what happens. With heartrending honesty, Matt and Amy tell a story that will keep readers on the edge of their seat. It is a story with the power to help others find the strength to take that first step in the right direction, to start a conversation with the one they love, to repair, rebuild, and restore, because once we understand the power of forgiveness, no relationship is ever past hope.