Impactful Women of the 918: Rhiannon K. Thoreson

Attorney Rhiannon K. Thoreson says she is guided by the question, “How can I use this to help someone else?” As a survivor of a traumatic attack and kidnapping, this question has frequently motivated Thoreson to advocate for others going through traumatic situations and to share her story in order to “light a path for someone else.”

“Surviving trauma taught me firsthand what it feels like to be voiceless, dismissed and unseen by systems that were supposed to protect me,” says Thoreson. “That experience lit a fire in me, not just to heal, but to change the way we show up for survivors.”

In addition to her work in civil litigation, Thoreson is the Board President of Tulsa Lawyers for Children (TLC) as well as a board member for Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS). Thoreson reports that, under her leadership this past year, TLC has increased its support for vulnerable children, now focusing not only on helping children in “deprived cases” but also on supporting those going through guardianship, custody and adoption proceedings. “Without this advocacy,” she says, “many would be left to navigate an overwhelmed system alone.”

Thoreson has also impacted others by sharing her story through her TEDx talk, “Forgiving the Unforgiveable,” and will soon publish a memoir, “My Beauty from Ashes.” “As an author and speaker,” she says, “I hope to keep telling the truth about what it means to heal after trauma—not in a way that ties things up in a bow, but in a way that gives others permission to face their own stories with compassion and courage. I want to create more spaces—whether in courtrooms, conferences or community settings—where survivors feel seen and empowered to use their voices.”