Former Loyal woman using life experience to help others

By Valorie Brecht Theresa Blume has a vision and a dream to help people in the same circumstances as she has been in find hope, freedom and healing.

A published author, spiritual counselor, songwriter and now a small business owner, Theresa says her mission is “to help people to find their life purpose.”

Theresa lives in Marshfield with her husband, Danny, and two pets. They lived in Loyal from approximately 1993 to 2014, and their children attended the Loyal School District. Now that the children are long since grown up and have children of their own, Theresa has moved into a new phase of life, one that feels like a piecing together of all her talents, interests and wisdom gained from life experiences.

Theresa recently opened Girlfriend’s Corner boutique at 2001 S. Central Ave., Suite D, Marshfield.

“Everything I love to do, or have wished I could do, it’s all been brought together here and it seems to work,” said Theresa.

She hopes the store can serve as a place to celebrate womanhood and the special bond women share.

“The way I look at it, we’re all girlfriends. We can all relate to each other,” she said.

She selected products for her store that she thinks a lot of women would enjoy, including packaged coffee blends, health and beauty products, fashion hats and scarves, Paparazzi jewelry and Pampered Chef products. She also has a corner of her store set up like a Christian bookstore, for those seeking inspiration or decor with positive messages to display around the home. The back room of her store is a lounge area for women to gather for conversation over a cup of piping hot coffee or tea.

Beyond the items sold, however, Theresa sees her store as a connection point, a place to be seen and known.

“I want it to be a place where people can relax and feel safe,” she said.

Just around the corner when one enters the store is a small counseling room. Soft lighting, background instrumental music and pictures of nature provide a peaceful ambience. There is even a massage chair. That room is where Theresa provides one-on-one intuitive spiritual counseling, offering personal meditations from a Christian perspective. She may help a person to understand better who they are or help them move through a difficult situation.

Having suffered a lot of trauma in her life, Theresa knows what it’s like to endure hardship. Her story includes sexual assault, being trapped in a cult and discovering her multiple personality disorder.

“I was healed from the disorder at the age of 40,” said Theresa. “I’m a whole person now… I learned through the Bible and I had friends who helped me, good friends. I had good counselors, and I had my family. They didn’t necessarily understand, but they were still there for me always. So I was very fortunate. I had a situation, but God gave me what I needed to not only handle that situation, but also He used it.”

She said although she was reluctant to talk about her multiple personality disorder at first, she became bolder as she realized people need to know they’re not alone, and that healing and freedom are possible. She has spoken at women’s conferences and been thanked for helping to shed light on a disorder that is not often talked about.

Theresa’s life has not been smooth sailing in her later years, either. She has faced significant health issues, including two bouts of cancer and chronic pain from fibromyalgia. Recently, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Despite her suffering, she always held on to her faith in God and belief that He make something good out of her trials.

Her cancer journey led to her wanting to make life just a little easier for women going through the same thing. She hosts a Women With Cancer Day at the store on the last Saturday of every month when women who have cancer or have survived cancer can come and pick out a free hat.

“The second time I had cancer and I lost my hair, my mom had to shave off the rest because it was falling out in clumps. I was scared to go back in the bathroom. So my mom came over and shaved it and it looked — not that she did a bad job, but I had never seen myself bald. And I looked like my uncle Larry. So I just panicked and ran to the first store I could find and bought the only hat they had, a big ol’ floppy hat and an ugly shawl. So I bought it and it looked awful. I think I would have looked better bald. But anyway, I never want women to feel that way. I want them to be relaxed, come in and pick out a beautiful hat that even women with hair want to wear. Something that looks nice, that’s fun,” Theresa said.

Individuals or businesses can sponsor a hat or hats for $20 each. In addition to receiving a hat, women are treated to coffee and donuts, a free massage, an Avon makeover and a manicure.

“I just want them to enjoy some pampering and feel good about themselves,” said Theresa.

They can also receive spiritual counseling if they would like.

If the fourth Saturday does not work for a woman to come but she would still like to receive a hat, another time can be arranged. The next Women With Cancer Day will be this Saturday, April 27, from 9 a.m. to noon. Call Theresa at 715-383-2866 for more information.

The Women With Cancer Day is just one of the avenues Theresa uses to reach out to the people she meets. She also writes her own songs, accompanied by guitar, and will play them for people upon request. In addition, she has written a book chronicling her story, three children’s books and is working on a fourth. She releases “Silver Linings,” a short devotional video, on YouTube and TikTok Monday through Saturday. The videos can be found at youtube. com/@theresablume7029.

Whatever the mode of communication, the purpose is the same: to encourage and uplift others who have been through a similar situation, even when it comes to something as painful as abuse.

“I started to understand how to help women who carry shame. So many women do. I realized that the only way we can get rid of shame is spiritually… So through my faith I was able to take a horrible situation and somehow find a way to help women with it,” said Theresa.

Aplaque on the wall in Theresa’s counseling room reads, “Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.”

“My meditations, songs and writing are all ways to express the messages God’s given me,” said Theresa.

She hopes that by helping others, they can in turn help someone on else on the journey of life.

For more information on Theresa’s shop, search “Girlfriend’s Corner” on Facebook or call 715-383-2866.

VALORIE BRECHT/STAFF PHOTO

Theresa Blume