Clarisse Tiansay Sepulvado’s life took a significant turn this summer when she participated in a No Barriers Warriors Backcountry Program.
Clarisse is a Navy Veteran. She heard about No Barriers when her wife shared an email from the VA.
“She thought it would be a great opportunity for me because I always wanted to do a backpacking trip; I just never had anyone to go with, and I also felt like I didn’t have the skillset.”
After reading the testimony of a Veteran who had participated in a No Barriers Warriors Program, Clarisse was inspired to apply.
“[The testimony] said something along the lines of ‘I don’t mean to be dramatic, but this program saved my life.’ – I didn’t think it was dramatic at all because, at the time, I was feeling suicidal,” shares Clarisse. “I remember thinking…please save my life.”
Indeed, the Warriors experience and the tools she gained and continues to practice have transformed Clarisse’s life, including her relationship with herself and others.
“The program actually did save my life, but not in the way I initially thought it was going to,” Clarisse explains. “I knew that it was going to have a profound impact on my life because of the physical challenges of hiking with weight, the lack of creature comforts, sharing a tent with another person, unpredictable weather, meeting my dietary restrictions, and all the other adversities that come with being away from home. I didn’t realize that it was going to be ME who was going to do the work to change my life. I guess I kinda hoped that someone would save me.”
“I struggled so deeply with grief and the toxic parts of my life that I couldn’t see a way out.” Clarisse continues. “No Barriers gave me the tools to save myself and create solutions to my hardest problems.”
Clarisse acknowledges that the challenges she faces in her journey are still difficult, but says, “I can now feel a future that does not yet exist. I believe it and I know it so deeply. I’ve implemented these tools with others in the past three months and it has significantly changed our lives, our relationship, and my relationship with myself. It has helped me reclaim my power and I am deeply grateful.”
Clarisse’s No Barriers experience didn’t just impact her; it has also had a profound effect on her wife and their partnership. Taking inspiration from the No Barriers 7 Life Elements, Clarisse put the element of being an Alchemist into practice, reframing her struggles as opportunities for growth. This mindset helped her support her wife through a very challenging time, as Clarisse became a catalyst for her wife’s recent treatment. As a result, their bond is strengthened.
“In the past, things like this would be extremely difficult to overcome; it would set us back mentally and create distance between us,” Clarisse shares. “I chose to be an Alchemist and utilize the No Barriers Life Elements to support my wife and myself. This propelled our relationship into a new level of emotional intimacy, and it has helped my wife reclaim her power. She, too, is taking her life into her own hands and together we are pioneering [another of the No Barriers 7 Life Elements], with our goal of being healthy and well mentally and physically.”
Clarisse has learned to see her own worth as well as the strength and beauty in others. This shift in perspective has allowed her to embrace her traumatic brain injury (TBI) disability and the challenges it brings in a new way…being supported by others who genuinely care.
One of Clarisse’s favorite memories from her No Barriers Backcountry Expedition is when she lost a glove during a hike. A simple moment of forgetfulness became a powerful symbol of transformation. Clarisse recounts the story here:
“I brought a pair of gloves with me that one of my best friends in the Navy gave me – we were both MA’s (military police). Going up the summit, the weather changed, and we needed to put our rain jackets on. I took off my gloves and forgot them on a rock. My Program Leader (PL), Shasta, said, “Ma’am, your gloves – you need those.” I laughed and said thank you.
As we got up to the false summit, I paused with my friend to take a picture of the view. Of course, I took my gloves off and one went flying because it was so windy. My friend ran and retrieved my glove – it was close to the edge of the mountain! I felt so bad, I kept apologizing.
When we got to the summit, I stopped to take a picture. When I went to put my gloves back on, I only had one! I couldn’t believe it.
As we were getting ready to hike back down another PL, Racheal, asked me where my glove was (it was windy and cold). I told her I dropped it. Our PL, Matt, and Bob and Nick, (members of my Rope Team) checked the rocky area for my glove, which made me feel worse and I kept saying,” It’s okay; just leave it”. They kept saying the glove is very important because of the weather – they’re so awesome, always making sure we’re okay, which is great for my disability because I have a TBI and am very forgetful and confused often.
Thankfully I had a backup.
Rachael said, “I don’t know Riz, I think a piece of you wanted to stay up here.”
So, I took it as a sign that I was leaving the parts of my old life behind that weren’t working anymore and taking the meaningful parts (my other glove) with me and moving forward.
When I got back to the bottom and told this to my tent mate, she said, “Yeah dude, but really that’s just how you are! You lose shit!” We laughed so hard!
I love it [this story] because it highlights my TBI and the areas I struggle with in my life, and it shows me how each person on my Rope Team supported me.
This experience taught me what it’s like to be with a group of people who are supportive because they genuinely care about my well-being…people care about me without me having to give anything in return or explain myself.
I was humbled. I wasn’t getting shamed for my disability. I felt celebrated. I felt seen and validated and it helped me see my disability with grace and embrace it.
I used this story for the courage to get my ADA plaque! I continue to reference this moment to remind myself that I can be myself and not hide my disability…and that it is possible to be with people who know I am disabled and love and support me with it.
Clarisse continues to apply the lessons she has learned in her daily life. While she believes all of the No Barriers 7 Life Elements are important and rely on each other to work, the element of “Alchemy” (reframing challenges as opportunities) continues to be her favorite and something she practices every day.
“Reframing my challenges into opportunities is the work I didn’t realize I was going to do to change my life,” she shares. “Every day I am making a choice – a conscious decision to live. To be positive and challenge my negative thoughts and do the opposite of what my depression wants. To be healthy and well because that’s what I owe myself. That’s what I owe to my wife, my dog, and the people who are relying on me for support. When I’m well, we all are, and we can spend time together meaningfully. That’s what I deserve. That’s what my family deserves. And that’s what all the people I interact with deserve. I finally realize how impactful one person’s behavior/influence can be to a group of people/another person.”
Inspired by her Rope Team’s mantra – “peace with our own pace”– Clarisse learned the importance of embracing her pace and recognizing the value each individual brings to the table. By focusing on what she can offer, rather than what she lacks, she is able to shift her mindset and build stronger connections with others.
The words of her PL, Matt, still resonate with her: “Love increases when judgment decreases.”
“I feel that,” she shares. “I wanna keep living that. Reclaiming my confidence and rediscovering myself, using the No Barriers framework helps me in everyday life. It takes work to challenge those old thinking patterns and toxic behaviors. When I get stuck, I always go back to my Vision. From there I work the steps and life elements. I rest, eat, process, be gentle with myself, support myself, and talk to my Rope Team – until I feel strong and can overcome the challenge.”
The No Barriers program helped Clarisse embrace the perspective that each day is meaningful and that personal growth can come from the smallest moments of connection. Whether it’s reflecting on her past, present, or future, or leaning on her Rope Team for support, Clarisse understands that life’s true value lies in the people we connect with and the challenges we overcome together.
No Barriers programs incorporates daily activities with a No Barriers flag (see photo). Clarisse feels this is one of the most important parts of the program.
“Being able to come together, as a Rope Team, helped me process my past experiences, process the present moment of how that element related to our No Barriers journey or what happened that day, and it made everything feel so meaningful – especially since I drew things on my flag to represent each element and our team signed it,” Clarisse shares. “It showed me how each day is so special and that there are so many small meaningful things that happen between people and with ourselves when we pause and hold space for ourselves and others. And it helped me believe that I could take on whatever the future holds because I did it before, I’m doing it now, and I can do it again. All is possible, I have the strength inside of me and the flag is a tangible reminder of that strength inside of me.”
Clarisse summarizes her experience with No Barriers, as follows: When you are stripped of all nonessentials and external distractions, like our phones and tv, and are only left with the bare necessities, your mind, and a great group of people with shared experiences and adversity in the mountains for three days with inclement weather, you’ll learn right away what kind of person you are and what really matters in life. And you can either go all in, learn and grow individually and with others to gain new meaning and forge deep connections…or stay the same.
For Clarisse, that choice was clear.
About. Retired from the Navy, today, Clarisse finds fulfillment in both work and hobbies. With work, she DoorDashes and sells goods on eBay. Delivering food allows her to meet new people, explore neighborhoods, and offer a valuable service—especially to the elderly and disabled, who may not have access to transportation. Her eBay store is driven by her passion for collecting toys, shoes, and fitted hats, with the approach of being an equitable seller, offering items at affordable, accessible prices.
Beyond work, Clarisse is particularly passionate about reading, writing, art, photography, and nature, and enjoys sharing these passions with others. Her free time is often spent hiking or taking walks with her wife and dog. She spends a lot of time exchanging ideas and creating art with her wife. Clarisse is also a self-proclaimed lover of brunch—there’s nothing better than enjoying good food and company!
Thank you, Clarisse, for sharing your powerful testimonial. Your story reminds us that with intention, commitment, perseverance and our beloved Rope Team, we can re-discover our own strength and learn how to move through life’s journey with a sense of confidence, knowing that our future holds endless possibilities.
Want to help other Veterans with disabilities learn how to live a No Barriers life? Donate today.
