ATLANTA — Each year, more than 600,000 people are released from prison, and, while freedom may be guaranteed, healing is not. Prison is not solely a place where people go to serve punishment, but over time it can become an identity that does not end upon release, a theme explored in Beyond These Walls, a newly-released book on wellness consulting written by Matilde Hernandez.
Hernandez is also the founder of Dare 2 Lift It, a personal development and wellness platform dedicated to helping others rewrite their stories and reclaim their power. She also has firsthand experience with incarceration, having turned her life around after being incarcerated.
Hernandez carried this lived experience with her while writing the book. She shares her firsthand journey through incarceration, shame and emotional rebuilding in a raw and unfiltered way.
Hernandez said her experience became the stepping stone in her personal journey. Hernandez had this to share:
“After navigating incarceration, being separated from my children, and rebuilding my life from the inside out, I realized my story had purpose,” Hernandez said. “This book is part memoir and part healing guide. It is an invitation for anyone who feels stuck in their past to rewrite their narrative, reclaim their power, and live again.”
According to an article by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, “More than 93% of formerly incarcerated individuals between the ages of 25 and 44 … are actively working or looking for work.” This reflects a job market with many requirements, such as a high school diploma or GED and a clean criminal record.
Once a criminal record is accumulated, it becomes more difficult to obtain employment.
Lack of employment leads to other issues, such as financial instability, and, without employment, rates of recidivism rise.
“60% of formerly incarcerated individuals will be arrested again within three years,” and the rate only increases. When employment or a new skill is obtained by formerly incarcerated people, they are “24% less likely to return to prison.”
The work Hernandez does aims to show formerly incarcerated people that there is hope for a second chance in life and that being formerly incarcerated does not dictate their future.
Beyond These Walls has a deeper impact on individuals who can relate to where Hernandez once was. The book focuses not only on survival but also challenges readers to reclaim their sense of identity and push beyond the limits they set for themselves — becoming the owners of their future.
This message is conveyed through reflection prompts, mindset shifts and candid storytelling.
“Healing begins when we stop running from ourselves,” she said.
Her new book also helps people navigate life transitions from prison to the outside world, including trauma recovery, burnout, divorce and personal reinvention.
Hernandez aims to support others, not only through her book but also through her personal development and wellness platform. The platform provides workshops and coaching.
One framework she developed is called Soul Care SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats), which provides individuals with practical tools to evaluate their strengths and confront internal barriers that often linger long after external circumstances change.
“Healing is possible, no matter your past; you are not what happened to you,” Hernandez said. “You are who you choose to become. Shame does not get the final word.”
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