DFSA Dialogues: Katy Washburn
“ It was a joyful experience because there were other women that had their own issues and struggles, and we were working through the program together. ”
Mary Katherine “Katy” Washburn, owner and operator at Katydid Austin Decorating, strolled cooly into the DFSA offices wearing a warm smile that pointed to rich orange and black guitar picks dangling from each ear. When asked if she played, she confidently chuckled at the irony and said she didn't. This was surprising, but as Katy stepped into full view, the big picture became clear. She dressed for success, from an auburn-toned rocker pixie cut to a casual burnt orange dress. Katy had thoughtfully crafted an ensemble that would communicate the essence of who she was. Yet in sharing her story, Katy would reveal a much louder internal strength.
In our interview, we discussed Katy’s experience working as a single mother, how she came to find DFSA and where her time with the organization has led her. Our conversation has been edited and condensed.
Q: I wanted to start by learning a little more about you and your background. Where would you like to begin?
A: Well, I became pregnant with my first child at 16 and had him at 17. Then I got married. We divorced after about a year and a half. So at 18, I became a single mom. I was on my own again, so I had to support myself. I started working full time, and luckily, the job that I landed was exactly what I should be doing: Interior Design!
I started school when I was a young mommy. At the age of 20, I was still working full time, and going to school 45 minutes from work. My son went to the daycare on campus for two nights a week. I did that for two years.
When I was about 23, I got married again, and I could stay home for a good chunk of time. I wanted taking care of my two small children to be my full-time job. But then I divorced again, and once the divorce was finalized, I became ill. Luckily, I had some money from the divorce to get me by.
Q: How did life proceed after you got married again?
A: Well, then I worked a bit. After I had my last two children, I started my own consulting business as an outlet for my creativity. I went back to school and started trying to get sober.
So that was, again, a whole stretch of time where I was trying to be healthy. When my second husband and I divorced, it was a period where I had a lot of ups and downs. Still, I was determined to get a BA in interior design, so I used money from the settlement to support me trying to earn my degree. I initially had a bit of difficulty with some classes and found out it was because I have adult ADHD and clinical depression.
Mentally, I didn’t have the energy to continue school once I got divorced. I did it, though! It was very difficult. Before we divorced, I’d started with online learning at the Institute of Pittsburgh. I had a lot of difficulty there and learned that I’m better at learning in school. So, I transferred to the art institute here, and it was a fiasco.
It was very expensive, and I also had some transfer credit issues. I got through the courses, though they were very difficult. I was staying up until four in the morning doing interior design classes. Then, I got pretty sick for about a year. My major obstacle before coming to DFSA was being out of the workforce for so long and figuring out how to get back in.
Q: Wow, it sounds like you needed a lot of strength to move through those events on your own.
A: Yes, in hindsight, I can see through a lot of the work that I’ve done with spirituality, that God was working in my life and a higher power was leading me.
Q: I know you came into contact with DFSA through your own volunteer work. Could you speak a little more about that?
A: In 2016, I’d already gotten sober and was volunteering as a sponsor in a 12-step program. My sponsee came to me and asked for a ride to DFSA. She had signed up for one of their programs, but it turned out it wasn’t for her. I said, “Hey, I can use this!” I think I set up an interview suiting and had a wonderful time.
Q: Wow, now I know you also participated in the Going Places Network (GPN)*. What inspired you to join?
*GPN focused on employment readiness and was an earlier iteration of DFSA’s current Path to Employment mentor program.
A: Well, I’d been out of work for a long time because of complications from my illness. I think what spoke to me was the fact that you never felt that you were doing the program alone. You always had guidance.
Q: That’s great! What did you find most helpful during your time in the Going Places Network?
A: I found that the tools and courses in the program were very specific in helping you to achieve the career you want, with things like resume building and helping you figure out what your hard and soft skills are — things that I hadn’t learned before. I was able to learn as an older adult. It was a joyful experience because there were other women that had their own issues and struggles, and we were working through the program together. You know, it felt like a real community. Not to mention, having access to the clothes broke down another barrier for us.
Q: It sounds like the program helped you understand how to apply your skills in the workplace. How did that impact your transitions back to work?
A: Yes, the difference between hard skills and soft skills made me appreciate my natural capabilities and the communication skills I grew, even being out of the workforce. I did so much self work when I was a stay-at-home mom. I took parenting classes, communication classes, couples therapy, you name it. So, I grew in the communication aspect. I think that’s a soft skill.
They matched us with a mentor through the program, and she helped me work on skills for the industry I wanted to pursue. I was able to use what I learned to transition back into work. When I first started working again, I had issues with an abusive manager, and I was able to reach out to my mentor at DFSA to change my career path again.
Q: It sounds like the main wisdom you’ve imparted is to find and take part in a community of good people who may be able to relate to what you’re going through?
A: Yes! If you don’t have emotional support and communication with others — which I still struggle with, as I tend to isolate — then life is a little more difficult. You can’t do life alone. If there is any advice I want to communicate, it's don’t do life alone.