An exclusive magazine serving the residents of Monarch Beach, Ritz Pointe,

Pointe Monarch, Monarch Bay, and Upper and Lower Three Arch Bay

The BAYS JUNE 2017

A Healed Heart,
Meet
Tanya
Brown

ALSO Inside:
Through the Lens:
Local Three Arch Bay Photos

Cover photo by Jack Randall

 From the Content Coordinator

Bringing People Together

Dear Residents,
PUBLISHING TEAM One of my favorite childhood memories is when my dad used to take me on road
PUBLISHER: Mike Afuso trips to California. I remember long hours on the road, the sound of him cracking
CONTENT COORDINATOR: Alicia Arteaga sunflower seeds and the turn signal blinking for miles as his 1978 blue Ford pickup
DESIGNER: Donna Johnson had nothing automatic about it. We would listen to Loretta, Johnny and Willieall
FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER: Jack Randall the greats. But, my favorite was when he would turn the radio down so he could sing
You Are So Beautiful a cappella to me he really did put Joe Cocker to shame. It was
my song. Every every once in a while Ill be driving in the car, in an elevator, or at a
ADVERTISING restaurant and that song comes on and stops me dead in my tracks. I am taken back
CONTACT: Michael Afuso to being six-years-old and it being just me, my dad and the open roadand my heart
PHONE: 949-874-8112
EMAIL: mafuso@bestversionmedia.com just smiles.
In honor of my dad and dads everywhere thanks for the memories!
Happy Fathers Day!
This magazine is not produced or endorsed by, or affiliated in
any way with, Three Arch Bay Association. No HOA dues go
toward production of this magazine. Warmly,
Alicia
FEEDBACK / IDEAS / SUBMISSIONS:
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happy to hear from you! Deadlines for submissions are
the 3rd of each month. Go to www.bestversionmedia.
com and click Submit Content. You may also
email your thoughts, ideas, and photos to mcafuso@
bestversionmedia.com.
Alicia Arteaga
CONTENT SUBMISSION DEADLINES Content Coordinator
Content Due: Edition Date: aarteaga@bestversionmedia.com
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THE BAYS 3
 A Healed Heart,
Meet
Tanya
Brown
By Alicia Arteaga

If there were ever a shining example of

what love, time and self-care can do
to heal grief, and your life, it is Tanya
I am not married. But, I found my
life partner, Scott Walker, who is a San
Clemente resident and director of pro-
Brown. grams at the Mission Viejo Rotary. He
Tanya is the author of the book Find- invited me to speak last year to share
ing Peace Amid the Chaos: My Escape my book. Scott adds value and enhanc-
From Depression and Suicide. Tanya es my life. We make each other shine
describes it as a personal memoir and every day. Our relationship is based on
inside look of her life before, during respect, appreciation, acknowledge-
and after the Trial of the (last) Centu- ment and acceptance which I person-
ry involving the murder of her sister, ally believe are qualities that are most
Nicole Brown Simpson. She says, It is important in a relationship. We do not
a story about inner turmoil and how need to nor do we want one another
unresolved pain and grief can destroy to changeIt is a beautiful thing when
your life. two people come together and are on
the same page. We both have had life
The youngest of four girls, Tanya was experiences that have altered us (for
born in Garden Grove in 1970 and the better) and now it is our turn to
moved to Monarch Bay Dana Point live, love and laugh together. We are
when she was four-years-old. A long- ready for each other and he found me
time resident of the area, Tanya lov- at the perfect time in my life.
ingly recalls her childhood and says,
We once were that house on the block Tanya is also a lover of animals and has
that everyone wanted to come to. My a feisty nine-year-old French Bulldog
parents were super cool and involved named Winston. She describes him
in our lives and the lives of all their as a tyrant, but such a lover. She adds,
grandkids when the kids were young. Animals are my joy and can bring so
She continues, Our family has shifted. much peace and joy in your life.
Now, everyone is older, living life onTanyas life wasnt always filled with
their own. Some in different states and
love and happiness. She has experi-
have kids of their own. But, Christmasenced many losses in her life, starting
was a huge affair. We are German so at early age. These losses molded her
we celebrate on Christmas Eve and life experience until she found a way
our house was full of life, laughter and
to process pain and find joy. She says
yes, chaos. But, fun chaos. in high school she had to bury many
Tanyas book and speaking engage- friends for a variety of reasons and
ments have led her to love. She says, back then high school counselors just

4 JUNE 2017

helped you select careers and college,
not process pain and loss. Two years
after high school Tanya lost her best
friend, Herissa, who was killed in a hit
and run accident. As she transferred to
college Tanya says, I took all that pain
with me and guess what? Where ever
you go, there you are. That is why now
I am an advocate for self-care and cop-
ing strategies to help people get through
the chaotic situations in life. Eight years
after college Tanya describes another
loss that tested her faith. The loss of her
friend, Troy. She says, Suicidal thoughts
and all those emotions were very familiar
to me. But, when your faith is tested, it
is a total different ball game. I was very
dark, angry, and my soul was grey10
years after Nicole was murdered, I had
an emotional breakdown, which I now
call a break through, because I did not
feel my every day stress nor all the losses
I encountered. It all caught up with me.
From this experience I was inspired to
finish my BA in Counseling Psycholo-
gy and then pursue my MA in the same
study. I wanted to give back to what was
given to me.LIFE - because LIVING IS
FOR EVERYONE!
Today, Tanya works at the nations largest
hospice agency educating the communi-
ty on stress management for caregivers,
health care providers and families that
are experiencing their loved one transi-
tioning. She says, On the side, I speak
nationally and internationally on domes-
tic violence and mental health awareness.
I want to distinguish mental health and
mental illness. They are two different
things. I focus on self-care so people can
live life with mental health. I advocate
for those who battle with mental illness.
I speak to colleges and our youth and
encourage them to walk through their
tornado of despair by talking to some-
one they trust. We are all human and
have some pain going on or at least we
experience stress on a daily basis and it
is critical we learn the coping strategies.
Tanya also works as a life coach, but it
shouldnt be confused with therapy. Life
coaching is not therapy. Tanya says, The
way I practice is that I do not go to past
childhood trauma or pain. When I come
across those who have, I work tightly
with a few doctors and therapists in be-
tween their sessions. Tanya describes
Resident Feature
her work as assist-
ing clients in em-
bracing their expe-
rience rather than
running from it.
She says, There is
a saying, What we
resist, persists. So,
I encourage them
to acceptI always
encourage people
to learn how to ac-
cept and surrender
to situations be-
yond their control.
I am not saying
dont feel the pain,
stress, chaos, etc.
I encourage that
like no other. But, there comes a time
when you have to try to give yourself
permission to accept things otherwise
the hamster in your head is going to con-
trol you and take you to a dark place
Tanya provides clients tools (those that
are aligned with their needs) so they too
can find peace amid daily chaos. In her
book, Tanya provides 12 tools to help
people navigate through the busyness of
todays society - called Tanyas Formula.
She adds, I am all about hugs. When I
sign my book, I sign it with a Huge Hugs
his son, my family and our animals. We laugh a lot
and Love. We need more of this in the
and keep life really light. Yes, we have serious jobs
world so I am promoting it. All major
and careers. But, it is so important to laugh, espe-
athletes have coaches who guide them to
cially at yourself - which I do a lot.
play their best and succeed. Life Coach-
ing is the same philosophy. I help you Tanya offers this advice, No one is immune to
move forward by using the experience stress, chaos, depression, loss or anything that
to your benefit so you can succeed. I am can cause duressno one. My message is to walk
your coach; your accountability partner through the tornado. Dont go around it or above it.
to make sure you are on target to health Go through it. Gain some coping skills and practice
and happiness. self-care daily. Do one thing that makes your heart
smile and feel your life shift. Life is hard at times,
Tanyas speaking engagements have tak-
so you need to try to accept and surrender (if you
en her to almost every state and she says,
cant control it) so healing can begin. With my new
I am looking to do more work here in
site I am going to start blogging. So, I would like to
my own back yard. There are hurting
ask the readers (of The Bays) to share with me what
students and families in our community
they would like to learn more of when it comes to
who need some inspiration and hope. I
mental health and wellness as well as healthier re-
usually say to those in pain, use me and
lationships. I am here for you. A quote from Tan-
family as an example. We are smiling,
yas book says, For everyone suffering with mental
laughing, loving and living life to the
illness, loss, or struggles of any kind. May you be
fullest.
blessed with the courage and grace to find the peace
As Tanya continues to reinvent herself, and hope you deserve.
she says, I feel that I have a servants Tanya can be reached at tanya@tanyabrown.net or 949-
heart and try to help as many people as I 278-5550. Please view her revamped website at www.
can to get through hard timesBut, my tanyabrown.net.
greatest joy is spending time with Scott,
THE BAYS 5