From Pain to Purpose: A Family Lawyer’s Journey of Healing and Hope

This blog is part of our Power of Healing series, which explores powerful journeys of healing and recovery and the resilience that fuels them.

May is often painted in soft pastels and warm sentiments—brunches, blooming flowers, and heartfelt tributes to mothers. But for many, this month brings more than celebration; it stirs complex emotions, unearths painful memories, and reminds us of the relationships that didn’t offer the safety or love we needed. Mother’s Day can be a difficult time for those whose experiences with motherhood—whether as a child, a parent, or both—have been marked by loss, trauma, or absence. In this blog, one family lawyer shares her deeply personal journey of navigating a painful childhood, finding healing, and transforming her experience into purpose and hope for others. Casey Tuggle’s story is a reminder that even the most painful beginnings can give rise to powerful new chapters. 

A Childhood Shaped by Trauma 

May has always been a complicated month for me. While the world around me fills with flowers and brunch menus, greeting cards, and commercials praising the women who gave us life, I find myself confronting memories I wish I didn’t have. For many, Mother’s Day is a day of joy, gratitude, and celebration. But for those of us with a history shaped by pain rather than comfort, it can be a difficult day—a reminder of wounds still healing. 

My story starts in that very space—between love and loss, protection and pain. My parents divorced when I was just a baby. For years, my mother had primary custody of me. She carried her own burdens—unhealed trauma, mental health challenges, and addiction—that shaped the way she mothered, or often, didn’t. My childhood was marked by emotional and physical abuse, neglect, and a deep, haunting sense that I was worthless. The voices that surrounded me became internal: You’re nothing. You shouldn’t have even been born. 

As a preteen, I found the courage to confide in my father. I still remember the fear in my voice, the tears in my eyes, and the aching hope that things could be different. Thanks to a compassionate family lawyer willing to push the bounds of a father’s rights in a rural courtroom, they were. My father fought for me, and ultimately, he was granted sole custody. I could finally breathe.  

But this newfound sense of safety didn’t erase the scars. Leaving my younger brother behind was a pain I carried for years. The guilt, the grief, the sense of abandonment—it all lingered. Healing wasn’t a straight line. It took years of therapy, broken relationships, tears, forgiveness, and learning how to love myself in a world that had taught me I didn’t deserve it. 

Turning Pain into Purpose 

Somewhere along the way, I realized that my past was quietly shaping my future. I went to law school, not just to practice law, but to advocate for children and families caught in the same storm I had lived through. Today, I’m a family lawyer. I handle divorces, custody modifications, adoptions, prenups—you name it. But at the heart of it, I help people navigate one of the hardest seasons of their lives. I help them protect their children. I help them find peace. I help them heal. 

Every client that walks through my door reminds me of my own story. When I hear a voice trembling in court, I remember mine. When a parent finally stands up and says, enough, I remember my father. And when a family breaks apart with the hope of building something safer and healthier, I remember that healing is possible—even if it starts with heartbreak. 

Redefining Mother’s Day and Looking Ahead 

Mother’s Day still makes me pause. There are years I’ve felt angry, bitter, heartbroken. But in recent years, I’ve come to see that Mother’s Day isn’t just about my mother—it’s about all mothers. It’s about the women who step in when others step out. It’s about aunts, grandmothers, teachers, foster moms, mentors, and friends who embody what motherhood should be: nurturing, protective, compassionate, and deeply loving. I’m surrounded now by those kinds of women. They remind me what this holiday can truly mean. They reignite my belief that motherhood, in its truest form, is something sacred—and something I look forward to one day sharing with my own children. That thought, more than anything, fills me with hope. 

I know now that my journey—while painful—was also powerful. It prepared me to be a warrior for others. It gave me empathy, grit, and a fire that won’t go out. So, while I’ll probably always carry a little ache in May, I also carry something else: purpose. 

To anyone else navigating Mother’s Day with a heavy heart, know this—your story doesn’t end in pain. It can become your purpose. It can become your power. And you are never, ever alone. 

Resources for the Journey 

As a family lawyer at her firm, The Law Office of Casey Tuggle, Casey sits with clients in some of their most vulnerable moments—navigating divorce, custody battles, or the aftermath of abuse. Many are searching not only for legal guidance, but also for emotional support and hope that life can feel whole again. The following resources offer comfort, clarity, and practical guidance for anyone on a similar journey toward their own healing. Whether you're walking through a separation, processing childhood wounds, or supporting someone you love along this difficult path, we hope they bring you a sense of clarity, strength, and comfort. 

Books 

• Crazy Time: Surviving Divorce and Building a New Life by Abigail Trafford 

• Mother Hunger: How Adult Daughters Can Understand and Heal from Lost Nurturance, Protection, and Guidance by Kelly McDaniel 

• Rebuilding: When Your Relationship Ends by Bruce Fisher & Robert Alberti 

• The Divorce Survival Guide by Calistoga Press 

• Untamed by Glennon Doyle 

Podcasts 

• Divorce and Beyond with Susan Guthrie 

• The Divorce Coach (Spotify) 

• The Divorce Recovery Podcast (Apple) 

• The Empowered Divorce Podcast (Apple) 

• The Smart Divorce (Spotify) 

Author Bio:

After working for a family law attorney in her hometown of Thomasville, Georgia, Casey’s passion for helping families was ignited. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Casey officially began her legal career by joining one of the largest plaintiffs’ firms in the country, where she helped countless clients obtain favorable results after experiencing disastrous accidents. 

Upon graduating from law school and passing the bar exam, Casey dove headfirst into the practice of law by opening her own firm almost immediately—an uncommon move for a new attorney. Why? Because Casey’s purpose and passion required redefining the traditional attorney-client relationship. Her representation begins with effective communication, clearly defined goals, and building trust—without breaking the bank. 

Casey and her team handle a wide array of family law matters including divorce, child custody and support issues, modification and enforcement actions, adoptions, guardianships, grandparent rights, and more. In recognition of her client-centered approach and legal expertise, her firm was voted Best Family Law Firm in Georgia in 2024. 

Casey is active within the Savannah community, most notably through her work as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), advocating for foster children navigating the juvenile justice system. She also serves on the board of Brightside Advocacy, the nonprofit that houses CASA in Savannah. When Casey isn’t assisting her clients, you’ll find her thrifting, antiquing, and spending time with her husband and many fur-children.