Be Unstoppable, Be Uplifting, Be Unforgettable: Embrace Transformation with Dr. Denise Nura Loy Buchanan

Dr. Denise Nura Loy Buchanan is an innovator of transformation, offering a profound methodology that reimagines what it means to live a life of purpose and depth. Her journey—from landscape designer to psychoneurologist and a sought-after speaker—has forged a unique approach that dismantles conventional definitions of potential and pushes the boundaries of personal evolution. For Dr. Buchanan, growth is not about linear improvement; it’s about cultivating a life that reflects the richest, most complex layers of who we are and can become. Drawing deeply from the rhythms of nature, Dr. Buchanan has developed an approach that sees each person as an ecosystem in motion, a dynamic landscape that evolves with every experience, challenge, and triumph. She inspires individuals to view their obstacles as integral forces that shape, rather than limit, their potential. Just as nature’s elements create resilience in the landscapes they shape, Dr. Buchanan’s teachings cultivate a fierce self-awareness that transforms life’s challenges into the foundation for an authentic and powerful existence.  At the core of Dr. Buchanan’s philosophy is an unshakeable belief in individuality as the source of true strength. In a culture obsessed with benchmarks and comparisons, she encourages us to step outside the template, guiding us to embrace the unpolished edges of our identities as essential facets of our power. By shifting focus away from societal metrics and toward self-defined values, her teachings release individuals from the restrictions of conformity, awakening a vibrant, unapologetic sense of self. That is why she created " Faith Has Feet ”, an organization dedicated to inspiring and equipping youth and community leaders to create a more inclusive and thriving world for all. Dr. Buchanan’s own life is a testament to radical reinvention. Leaving the predictable paths of journalism and landscape design, she pursued psychoneurology—a discipline that combines psychology and neurobiology with a focus on human potential. Her career exemplifies a commitment to limitless exploration and reveals that profound transformation is not only possible but essential at every stage of life. Her journey speaks to those who feel confined by their circumstances, demonstrating that life’s most impactful chapters are often those we dare to write ourselves. More than just a teacher, Dr. Buchanan is an advocate for holistic, interconnected growth. She believes that personal transformation is not isolated; it resonates through our relationships and our environments, creating a web of influence that extends beyond the self. Her approach sees connection as an active, living force that amplifies our growth, with our communities and the natural world as co-creators in our journey. This unique perspective on interdependence redefines transformation as both an individual and collective phenomenon, where every relationship becomes a mirror reflecting facets of our potential. Rejecting superficial methods of “quick-fix” self-help, Dr. Buchanan insists on a rigorous and courageous journey of self-exploration, a process that is both demanding and exhilarating. For those prepared to confront their inner worlds with honesty and tenacity, her approach provides a transformative path, revealing hidden dimensions of resilience and purpose. This work is a call to engage with our full capacity for growth, inviting us to continuously uncover deeper layers of meaning and insight. Dr. Buchanan’s philosophy isn’t merely inspirational; it’s catalytic. She reshapes the concept of self-fulfillment into an art of continual reinvention, where transformation becomes a powerful expression of agency and purpose. Her approach is a rallying cry for those who seek more than just incremental change—it’s a call to craft a life of profound substance and unbounded possibility. In Dr. Buchanan’s vision, personal growth is not an endpoint but a lifelong voyage into the extraordinary, illuminating pathways to a purpose-driven, impactful existence.

Denise Buchanan, Ph.D. , Founder, Faith Has Feet and Member of the Brave Movement As a Jamaican survivor of clergy sexual abuse, I write this not only from the place of deep personal pain, but from a position of global purpose. I am the Founder and CEO of Faith Has Feet, an international organization on a mission to create community-based solutions that combine grassroots advocacy, survivor leadership, and policy reform to safeguard children from sexual violence wherever they may live, learn, or worship. We are not only advocating but building avenues to justice, healing, and protection for every child. To date, we have 12,000 youth engaged in Nigeria on a mission to heal and end childhood sexual violence. World leaders will gather in Canada for the 2025 G7 Summit this June, amid immense global uncertainty. The agenda includes critical global priorities: peace and security, economic stability, climate change, digital transformation, and democracy. And yet, absent from this list is one of the most pervasive and devastating human rights violations of our time: child sexual violence. SEE MORE HERE 

I know that the Roman Catholic Church has failed historically to prevent and to root out child sexual violence within its own ranks. I am a Jamaican survivor of such abuse by a priest. Francis spent much of his papacy issuing apologies for clerical sex abuse . His successor must do more. The 135 cardinal electors must ensure the church’s next leader is committed to a public position of zero tolerance of abuse by any of its members. Though a 2021 update to canon law declared sexual abuse criminal and not merely a moral offense, it only imposes certain penalties “where the case calls for it.” The next pope must update canon law to adopt a zero-tolerance law given that sexual abuse is a grave crime against the life, dignity and freedom of victims. It must be applied without exception, and in sexual abuse cases, the church must release sufficient information to demonstrate compliance with these rules. He must establish an independent compliance agency to investigate, document and publicly identify people of authority in the church who contributed — through their negligence or intentional acts — to concealing abusive priests. This conclave must select a new pope with the commitment — and the record — to show he has never and will never tolerate the abuse of children within the church, nor the secrecy that enabled it. We need more than apologies; we need change. Read the full article here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/05/06/francis-catholics-pope-trump-ai-vance/ Denise Buchanan, PhD. , Los AngelesThe writer is the CEO, Faith Has Feet, and a member of the Brave Movement.

Published in Ms. Magazine 5/29/2025 By Denise Buchanan, Ph.D., a Jamaican survivor of clergy sexual abuse and international advocate for child protection and trauma recovery. She is the CEO of Faith Has Feet, co-founder of ECA: Ending Clergy Abuse , a Global Justice Project and member of The Brave Movement When Pope Leo XIV stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on May 9, 2025, survivors of clergy sexual abuse around the world looked on—not with awe, but with apprehension. His election, rather than ushering in an era of accountability and healing, has reopened wounds. Many had hoped for a papacy rooted in reckoning, but instead, we have received familiar deflections—denials of personal responsibility for cases that unfolded under his leadership in past roles. Rather than acknowledging institutional failures or the human suffering caused, he has opted for self-preservation over repentance, speaking in guarded tones that prioritize the Church’s reputation over the voices of its most wounded. Yet, paradoxically, survivors must hold on to hope—not because of what has been said, but because of what remains possible. Hope is not passive. It is the fuel of the faithful and the force behind every justice movement. And while Vatican pronouncements remain cautious, the Church no longer operates in the secrecy of past centuries. Civil investigations are advancing. Lay Catholics are mobilizing. Survivors are organizing, speaking truths that no papal statement can silence. We must not forget: The clergy abuse crisis is not just a moral failing of individuals—it is a structural crisis fueled by clericalism, secrecy and misplaced loyalties. The solution requires more than denials and vague assurances. It demands humility, transparency and systemic reform. MORE HERE IN MS. MAGAZINE

Your Holiness Pope Leo XIV,  Today, as you meet with the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, I write to you not only as a survivor of clergy sexual abuse, but as one voice among thousands who have endured profound suffering and who are working tirelessly to ensure no child ever endures what we did. I am a Jamaican woman of Nigerian ancestry, and the founder of Faith Has Feet, a global faith-based organization devoted to safeguarding children and empowering survivors. Over the past eight years, many of us have helped build a global network of survivors and advocates across the world—people who are united by pain, resilience, and an unshakable determination to ensure justice and prevention. But this work cannot advance without your leadership. And leadership, in this moment, demands listening. The time has come for the Church to make a decisive shift: survivors must no longer be excluded from the rooms where decisions about safeguarding are made. Although there may be a few survivors on the Pontifical Commission, the question must be asked—how can the Commission be effective in preventing clergy abuse without listening directly to those who are still muted and in pain working for years seeing no pathway for justice? Survivors in regions such as Africa and across the Diaspora have been especially marginalized. Our experiences, our perspectives, and our wisdom are too often silenced. Yet it is in these very places that clergy abuse has gone unacknowledged, hidden beneath layers of secrecy and shame. Your Holiness, if you are serious about protecting minors and restoring the moral credibility of the Church, you must: Meet with Survivors Directly – not only from the Global North, but from across the Global South and the Diaspora. Our perspectives are indispensable. Update Canon Law to Include a Universal Zero-Tolerance Law – recognizing sexual abuse as a grave crime against life, dignity, and freedom. Enforcement must be consistent and transparent. Establish an Independent Global Survivor Council – with the authority to investigate, document, and publicly identify those within the Church who, through negligence or intentional acts, concealed abuse or enabled abusers. Ensure Compliance Through Oversight – granting the Survivor Council true enforcement power to monitor how zero-tolerance is applied in every diocese. This is a pivotal moment. You have the opportunity to lead the Church into an era of bold transparency, meaningful accountability, and survivor-centered justice. Will you rise to that calling? Will you direct the Pontifical Commission to open the door to this level of engagement and inclusion? The world is watching. Survivors everywhere are waiting—not simply to be acknowledged, but to be included as partners in building a Church where the safety and dignity of children come before all else. With hope, urgency, and in solidarity, Denise Buchanan, PhD , Survivor of Clergy Sexual Abuse, Founder, Faith Has Feet, Jamaican-Nigerian Advocate for Global Survivor Justice, Member of the IADC Pontifical Gregorian University IADC Advisory Committee and Member of the Brave Movement

Today I witnessed the signing of the Take It Down Act. It is not just legislation, it was a national reckoning with the digital expoitation of our children and it was a profoundly personal moment—a victory for every survivor whose voice was once silenced by shame and fear. For Ben Holman and I, who were invited as Members of the Brave Movement, this law represents more than legislation—it’s a declaration that in the digital age, dignity, safety, and justice are not optional; they are essential. First lady Melania Trump, who championed the legislation, said, "This legislation is a powerful step forward in our efforts to ensure that every American, especially young people, can feel better protected from their image or identity being abused through nonconsensual, intimate imagery," she said at the ceremony. "Artificial Intelligence and social media are the digital candy for the next generation — sweet, addictive and engineered to have an impact on the cognitive development of our children, but unlike sugar, these new technologies can be weaponized, shape beliefs and, sadly, affect emotions and even be deadly." READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Welcoming everyone in dialogue and love. I, and many other survivors of child sexual violence by priests, accept this invitation. We have already crafted a “zero-tolerance law” alongside canon lawyers. The next crucial step is for Leo to include survivors in discussions that will accelerate a way forward. A Global Survivor Council, with the authority to oversee and enforce compliance with the zero-tolerance law, would be a profound indicator that the church is ready to confront this clergy abuse crisis with genuine accountability. The track record of the U.S.-born pope is an indication of the level-setting and leadership that he will take into the forward momentum of the church — one that we hope prioritizes justice over reputation. Survivors have the ability to forgive missteps of the past; however, there must be a trajectory toward healing and justice for those harmed. Leo’s words, “God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail,” set the tone for his papacy. Survivors now look with expectation that the pope will ensure the evil of clergy sexual abuse will no longer prevail. Leo has an opportunity to lead the church into an era of unwavering transparency, accountability and survivor-centered justice. Will he rise to the challenge? The world is watching. Survivors everywhere are waiting. #bravemovement #faith_has_feet #PopeLeoXIV #Survivors #bebrave Read the story here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/05/08/american-pope-letters-leo-xiv-robert-prevost/

On 26 January 2024, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) took a historic step by calling for the recognition of abuse in institutions across Europe (Resolution 2533). The decision highlighted the necessity for thorough reparation for all types of violence against children, such as sexual abuse, physical violence, and mistreatment in various institutions. Contributions from 22,285 victims and survivors worldwide, shared through the Global Our Voice Survivor Survey, supported the case for this significant decision. At  Faith Has Feet  , we believe that safe environments for our children, whether in churches or other spaces, requires everyone's involvement. Leaders will not hold themselves accountable, so it is our responsibility to do so, and I invite you to embrace this mandate.

Having faith is a powerful force, but true impact comes from turning belief into action. FAITH HAS FEET is an organization dedicated to doing just that—mobilizing communities and individuals to create tangible change where it's needed most.