Page Title

           Executive Director
                                                 Next Steps, Inc.
                                                7441 Poe Street
                                              Detroit, MI 48206
                                                 313-870-9790
                                             313-870-9791 (fax)

              Your destiny will be determined by your...Next Steps!!!
                                             Copyright © 2006

                                      Denise Mosby-Lewis, MA, LLPC, CAAC
                                                      Founder/Executive Director

Denise, mother of three, was a product of low self-esteem. Denise Mosby-Lewis
understands the struggle of self-hate and self-abuse as her life was filled with
inconsistencies. Among other issues, her parents had a "revolving door"
relationship. On several occasions, she witnessed her father beating her mother
and in many instances, she would get in the middle, in an effort to break up the
altercations.

Her father's behavior (she later discovered) was a result of the vicious cycle
of abuse.

At the age of 12, her parents separated for the last time. A few years later, her
father's sister, who resided in the home suddenly announced that she was getting
married. So, at the age of 15, as the eldest daughter, Ms. Lewis was suddenly
propelled into an adult role, becoming responsible for the care of her younger
siblings, in addition to making decisions related to their well being. When she made
less than perfect choices, she was labeled as "dumb" or "stupid." After continuously
being referred to in such a manner, she believed it to be true. As a result, her
self-esteem was shattered. Ms. Lewis was an encourager and counselor by
nature, but at the time, she did not recognize it as the mission for her life;
it was merely something she enjoyed doing.

Many of her family members and friends would come to her for advice, which
she would give freely with an abundance of wisdom, while the circumstances
in her personal life were in total chaos. She barely graduated high school and
the attempt she made toward college was brought to a standstill, at the first sign
of difficulty.

At the age of 20, she married for the first time. Before she was married, her
husband- to-be was verbally abusive and controlling, but, Denise was certain
she could "change" him and that things would get better after they were married.
She was wrong! While he continued to verbally and emotionally abuse her with
greater intensity; it wasn't until thirteen months after their marriage that the
physical abuse occurred. It began with a slap.

Weeks later, (after begging for forgiveness and the promise of not doing it again)
he attacked her with his fists. This time, she began seeking refuge. Her husband
had also kept a double barrel shotgun by their bedside and threatened to shoot
her if she tried to leave.

However, Ms. Lewis was determined not to become a recipient of the same type
of violence that her mother had endured. Willing to die rather than to submit to
the abuse; she invited him to shoot her. Finding himself powerless; he relented and
she left the relationship, but the scars from the emotional and physical abuse by her
husband yet remained.

By the time she was 34 years old, she had been married and divorced three times
and had three children. All of her marriages were short-lived. She continuously
made decisions that were neither in her best interest nor in the best interest of
her children. After her third divorce, she experienced a deep depression which
lasted several months. Ultimately, she went on welfare. Deep down inside she
knew there was a better life for her, but due to her lack of self-confidence, she
made no attempt to do anything about it. As a pastime, she slipped into a
fantasy world of soap operas.

One day, she was faced with a hard, cold, bitter truth. Most of her younger
sisters were pursuing and obtaining their college degrees, while she babysat
their children and collected welfare checks. She knew that something was
wrong with that picture! Ms. Lewis took a long hard look at herself and decided
that it was time to make a change.

She was 35 years old when she reached the marked transformation of her life.
Although her parents were partially responsible for her lack of self-worth; she
realized that she could not continue to blame them. Ultimately, she had to accept
some personal responsibility. She knew she needed to make a decision as to what
she deemed more important: focusing on the negative things that had happened
to her, or making a better life for herself. She chose the latter.

In 1990, at the age of thirty-five, she returned to college taking two or three
classes each semester in an attempt to decide which area or profession to follow.
Ms. Lewis recognized the charge for her life in 1994, when she went to work for a
women's shelter. Many of the clients were struggling with low self-esteem, drug
abuse, domestic violence issues and many other issues confronting women today,
she had found her niche and embraced her calling!

Realizing that she needed to bring more than just her "personal experience," she
continued taking classes. However, she never perceived herself as being a lead
person. In 2002, she obtained a classroom assignment which entailed designing a
program that she could teach, and thus, Next Steps, Inc. was born.

In 2003, she graduated from Spring Arbor University, Magna Cum Laude!
September of 2003, she began the pursuit of her Master's degree. In June of
2005, she graduated from Ashland Theological Seminary with her Master's
degree in Pastoral Counseling.

She was all set and gung-ho to implement her program, but there yet remained
some unfinished business. She now found herself face-to-face with the emotional
"demons" of her past. The program would have to wait a little longer.

It was not enough that she had obtained degrees. Ms. Lewis recognized that she,
as the lead person of the agency, needed to experience inner healing for herself
in order to be a truly effective Director. After two years of "personal" inner-healing,
she knew that it was now time to execute the program.

Today, at the age of 54, Ms. Mosby-Lewis is a living testimony that with dedication,
diligence and determination, any woman can emerge from being a victim to being
victorious. However, she must first be willing to take the Next Steps!!!

                             Call us now at 313-870-9790
                                     or email us at:
                           dmlnextsteps@sbcglobal

Designed to Make A Difference!!!
Copyright © 2007