Single Mamas Seen: Meet Erin Boaz

BY CHRISTINA MCGAIRK

When you meet Erin, you immediately sense both calm and conviction. As a registered nurse and a mother to three children, one of them on the autism spectrum, she has walked through fire— and instead of becoming consumed by it, she’s used it to light the way for others.

Her story isn’t just one of survival; it’s one of reinvention. Holding titles like RN/BSN, Functional Medicine & Integrative Health Coach, Mindset and Life Coach, Coaching Program Director, and practitioner of Purposeful Living’s Emotion, Body & Belief Code, she proves that your circumstances don’t define you—your purpose does.

We sat down with her to talk about single motherhood, healing, and the power of showing up, even when it’s hard.

Q: Let’s start with your background. How did your journey as a nurse evolve into everything else you do now?

It’s been a very interesting journey— one I know was guided by God. After my divorce 17 years ago, I put myself through nursing school while raising three children— one with autism, my daughter, and an infant. I had to support my family, and nursing seemed like the most practical path. It was a four-year journey filled with blood, sweat and tears. Honestly, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done—second only to raising kids.

I worked in the field for just 18 months before I felt God pulling me in a different direction. I kept hearing, “You’re going to be the light in someone’s darkest day.” That’s why He placed me in the ER, but over time, it felt soul-sucking. I didn’t have the words for it back then, but I knew something was off. We weren’t making a real difference—we were just handing out pills and not truly listening to patients. I kept asking: Why are they experiencing the same symptoms? Do they really need more medication?

God kept saying, “You have to be in it to see it,” and He was right. That experience helped me realize I wanted to work with people one-on-one. I became a nurse health coach, a nurse advocate, and began consulting with individuals who had hit dead ends in their health journeys. I listened to their stories, and behind those stories, I found trauma, pain, defense mechanisms and disconnection—things that often showed up as anxiety, stress, sleep issues and poor eating habits.

That led me on a new path—one that wasn’t just about physical or mental health. Yes, the body and mind are important, but I felt God pushing me to understand the spiritual and energetic aspects of healing too. That journey unfolded over the next three or four years as I worked independently, learning from each person I helped. Honestly, working in the ER, especially on night shifts with three kids at home, left me completely drained. I was running on fumes. And while I was a good nurse, I knew I didn’t belong there long term. I wasn’t meant to just treat symptoms—I was meant to truly help people heal.

Q: How has motherhood—particularly as a single parent of a child with special needs—shaped your mission?

The first thing that comes to mind is my drive to understand the root cause of my son’s autism. Early on, when autism was just beginning to be widely discussed, there wasn’t much information available. A lot of doctors didn’t have clear protocols or answers—not to discredit them, but many truly didn’t know what they were doing at the time. I was often told things like, “It’s just First Mom’s Worry,” or “You’re overthinking it.” But I’m not naturally a worrier—I just knew something wasn’t right. That experience shaped my mission in two major ways. First, it turned me into an advocate. I stopped blindly accepting what I was told and instead started asking questions: Does this make sense? Does it resonate? I became deeply curious—not only about my son’s journey, but about others’ as well. That curiosity opened the door to empathy, connection, and deeper understanding. In many ways, it became a gift.

Like many moms of children with autism will say, my son is pure love—he is walking love. He’s taught me how to slow down, be present, and live in awe. Even though his way of experiencing the world is different, it’s incredibly beautiful. That kind of unconditional love is something I now feel called to share with others.

Motherhood also led me down the holistic path. I began exploring integrative and functional medicine, not just for my son but for myself and others. I didn’t want to just manage symptoms—I wanted to understand the root cause. What started as something I learned for him became something I lived, and now something I teach and share. It’s shaped a whole lifestyle of wellness—mind, body, and spirit.

Q: What do you say to other single moms who feel overwhelmed or stuck?

First, I’d say: learn how to advocate— for your child and for yourself. When you don’t advocate, it can feel like life is just happening to you. That sense of helplessness is incredibly defeating and can keep you stuck. But once you start standing up and using your voice, you begin to feel empowered.

Advocacy leads to empowerment. And along with that, it’s important to practice real, meaningful self-care. I don’t mean scrolling on Facebook for an hour or binge-watching Netflix—those things might feel like a mental break, but they’re really just ways to disconnect or buffer your emotions. True self-care helps regulate your nervous system and brings you back to a place of peace. It’s about getting to a state of calm, of neutrality, where you can say, “I’ve got this. It’s going to be okay.”

It also means accepting where you are, asking for help when you needit, and finding a community. Support groups can be powerful. I was alone, but I’m not.” There’s healing in knowing others are walking a similar path. That sense of belonging makes a huge difference.

To connect, learn more, or follow her work, visit https://www.erinboaz.com/