Connecting to Cope: A Woman’s Journey of Healing Behind Bars and Passion for Justice Reform with Ranae Van Roekel (Episode #141)

Dr. Lynn Hellerstein of Vision Beyond Sight speaks with Ranae Van Roekel, founder of Connecting to Cope, trauma informed coach, justice reform advocate, and caregiver coach, to talk about her journey of healing from being a felon behind bars that led to her passion for justice reform. She shares her story with the hope of helping others heal from their trauma, utilize self-care and coping strategies, and avoid the consequences and impact of unresolved trauma. Turning herself in is just the start of her recovery. Ranae shares how to find safety in healing behind bars through peer advocates, and the different programs and therapies like CBT and EMDR that helped her discover who she was and how to be herself. By building the program Connecting to Cope (named after her dog!), Ranae now advocates for reforms in the justice system that prioritizes restoration, not destruction, and lowering the rate of recidivism. She helps people cope with post-incarceration syndrome, and emphasizes the need for programs in schools with high-risk demographics. Ranae is here to make you realize that, “You are not the worst thing you ever did and not the best thing you ever did. You are a culmination of everything you’ve done in your life.”

Click here and tune in to the show now to explore these insights:

• Being a victim of sexual abuse at a young age living in a small community in the 70’s
• Coping through dissociation and people-pleasing through the years that eventually led to committing mail fraud in her 40’s
• Waking up one day and choosing to turn herself in and begin healing
• “The day I walked into prison was a very scary day but it was also the start of my freedom.”
• Taking accountability and forgiving yourself
• Healing begins with honesty, not avoidance.
• Undergoing therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Ranae’s justice reform advocacy Connecting to Cope
• Healing can begin in the justice system
• Making certain programs within the prison system mandatory
• The need for more trauma-informed care and mental health education
• Restoration, not destruction
• Demographics of incarcerated people
• USA has the highest rate of recidivism in the world
• Finding safety behind bars to start healing through peer advocates
• Help after prison for people with Post-Incarceration Syndrome
• Programs in schools with high-risk demographics
• Contact Ranae and Connecting to Cope
• Healing and vision both start in the same way: with clarity, courage and commitment

About Ranae Van Roekel:

Ranae Van Roekel is a mother, grandmother, wife, dog lover, and a woman whose journey includes the unexpected label of “felon.” After serving 36 months in federal prison, Ranae confronted the reality that much of her path was shaped not only by her own actions but also by unresolved, lifelong trauma. Rather than allowing that chapter to define her, she chose to transform it into a catalyst for healing and advocacy.

Ranae has dedicated years to personal recovery, embracing self-care, education, and resilience practices that empower her to move forward. Her lived experience fuels her passion for helping others who are navigating trauma, adversity, or the weight of difficult past choices. Through her work, she offers practical coping skills, healing strategies, and compassionate support to those seeking a way forward, regardless of their history.

Her commitment extends beyond individual healing. Ranae is a strong advocate for justice reform, championing a system that acknowledges the humanity of every person and addresses the root causes of crime, such as trauma, stress, and mental health struggles.

Through her platform, Connecting to Cope, Ranae shares her story as a source of hope and empowerment. She provides resources, coaching, and insights for individuals, families, and communities seeking resilience in the face of challenges. Her mission is clear: to help people discover strength, embrace healing, and build lives rooted in self-awareness and growth.

By combining her personal journey with her passion for advocacy, Ranae has become a voice for compassion, change, and possibility, proof that healing is possible and that every story holds the power to inspire transformation.

Connect with Ranae Van Roekel and Connecting to Cope:

Website | Facebook | Linked In | Instagram

“The day I walked into prison was a very scary day but it was also the start of my freedom… I started to understand that my crime in my life wasn’t proof that I was bad, it was evidence of how deeply I was hurting, and that I hadn’t taken care of the things that had happened to me. I learned that I had to take accountability for what I did. I had to learn that forgiving myself was not not taking accountability. It was evidence that I could heal and take accountability.” – Ranae Van Roekel

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