Dr. Evandra Catherine spent her childhood surviving the very systems she would later dedicate her life to changing.

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Born into generations of loss and unresolved grief, she was passed from caregiver to caregiver, separated from the father who loved her, and exposed to instability and abuse before she was old enough to understand what was happening. She learned early that survival was not a choice; it was the only option.

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In Wounded Healer, Dr. Catherine traces the patterns of trauma woven throughout her family’s history, from a childhood marked by neglect and family secrets, to serving at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, to driving cross-country alone and nearly homeless the day after earning her Ph.D. Along the way, the systems meant to protect and support her repeatedly failed her. Yet she continued moving forward.

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Drawing on her expertise as an Infant Mental Health Researcher, Dr. Catherine reveals how the trauma that shaped her became the foundation of her life’s work: helping professionals better serve Black children and families. Through the lens of Sankofa, she connects her personal story to the broader legacy of intergenerational trauma and the possibility of healing.

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Wounded Healer is for anyone carrying pain they did not choose, for parents navigating systems that fail to see their children, and for survivors ready to transform their wounds into wisdom.

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The cycles can be broken. Dr. Catherine is living proof.