About Paula
Paula has spent more than a decade practicing trademark and estate law while also serving as a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem for individuals navigating mental illness and vulnerability within the legal system.
Her professional background is paired with lived experience. As a mother of children with medical complexities—and a survivor of life-threatening preeclampsia—Paula understands firsthand what happens when expertise is dismissed, decisions are second-guessed, and families are expected to comply quietly.
Tumbleweeds was written from that intersection: law, mental health, motherhood, and advocacy.
Credentials & Leadership
- Attorney licensed in North Carolina, Georgia, Oregon, and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor
- Founder and Clinical Supervisor, Yost Counseling, PLLC
- Chair, Cabarrus County Child Protection and Fatality Team (over a decade)
- Virginia Tech Distinguished Alumni Board
Paula has been recognized at both local and state levels for her leadership and advocacy on behalf of children and families.
Systems are designed to solve problems. This book examines what happens when they don’t.
Tumbleweeds is a clear-eyed, unapologetic examination of what happens when families are expected to navigate broken systems quietly and instead choose to speak up.
Through the births of her three sons and the years that followed, Paula documents her experience navigating medical gaslighting, special education systems, foster care and adoption, and the cultural contradictions imposed on working mothers. The book exposes how institutions protect themselves—and how families can respond with clarity, strategy, and confidence.
Independent bookstores are the heart of our reading communities, and I’m so grateful for every one of them. If there’s an indie near you, I’d love for you to find my book on their shelves.
Have Paula Speak At Your Next Event
Paula is an experienced speaker who shares her message with audiences who work with, advocate for, or support families navigating complex systems. Her work bridges law, mental health, and lived experience, without apology.
Speaking Topics include:
- Creative advocacy for special needs children
- What every parent needs to know about IEPs
- Surviving preeclampsia and medical dismissal
- Foster care, trauma, and informed advocacy
- Merging legal training with lived experience
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Paula combine legal training with lived experience?
Paula is both an attorney and a licensed clinical mental health clinician who has personally navigated complex systems.
She merges legal literacy, trauma awareness, and real-world advocacy experience to help families communicate more effectively, strengthen their credibility, and pursue better outcomes for their children.
What is creative advocacy for special needs children?
Creative advocacy means using effective strategy when navigating special education systems.
Paula shares how to prepare for IEP meetings, document concerns effectively, respond to school resistance, and protect their child’s legal rights. Her approach combines legal insight with practical tools so families can advocate with clarity, credibility, and measurable results.
What should every parent know about Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)?
An IEP is a legally binding document.
Paula helps audiences understand how evaluations determine services, how goals are written, what accommodations actually provide, and when procedural safeguards apply. Paula equips families to move from confusion to informed special education advocacy, so their child’s educational rights are protected.
What does Paula share about preeclampsia and medical dismissal?
Paula addresses preeclampsia and medical gaslighting through the lens of patient advocacy and systemic accountability.
She explains how medical dismissal happens, why women’s concerns are often minimized, and how to document symptoms, seek second opinions, and advocate effectively within healthcare systems.
What information does Paula provide about foster care and trauma-informed advocacy?
Drawing on her work in the child welfare system and her personal experiences Paula explains how foster care policies intersect with trauma, legal process, and family stability.
She teaches parents and professionals how to advocate within the foster care system while understanding trauma responses, documentation requirements, and systemic constraints.
