Before she was a sober mom of eight living in the suburbs of Seattle, Amy Liz Harrison grew up as a creative dreamer and Evangelical Christian kid in the 1980s (read pre-Google) in Mountain View, California. She returned to her birthplace of Los Angeles to attend University, and returned to Silicon Valley after graduation where she married an Australian airline executive six weeks later. 

 

Grounded by life as a young teacher turned stay-at-home mom to four kids, Harrison watched her husband's career soar. He gained altitude, earning promotions and relocating the family. Meanwhile, Amy struggled with excess baggage. Depression, isolation, boredom and a devastating crisis of faith led to extra glasses (or bottles) of wine and a platinum elite card-carrying membership to the Mommy Wine Club. Eventually this lifestyle led to a shiny pair of silver bracelets (Not Tiffany, mind you, but handcuffs) and incarceration at King County’s largest hotel with non-optional exit privileges. Two trips to rehab and a supportive husband by her side set the foundation for a new flight.

 

Harrison has learned firsthand the dangers of failing to place the oxygen mask on herself before others. She is well aware some flights are turbulent, requiring a change in altitude and action steps to avoid a crash. Sorting through her past wreckage coupled with countless hours of professional help became her “black box,” revealing an untreated ADHD diagnosis. Harrison is fueled by the realization that if she gives her recovery priority boarding, she can expect everything else in her life to fly first class. 

​

Over a decade and four bonus biological babies later, Harrison has written two chuckle-inducing autobiographical books about her experiences with alcoholism and ADHD, and co-authored an anthology. She is still married to the same Aussie who remains supportive of her flight plan.