By Sarah Mitchell
Mary C. Lawson Corrigan grew up in Houston, but it’s Dallas that truly feels like home. After moving to University Park in seventh grade, she quickly became part of the fabric of the Park Cities. A graduate of Highland Park High School, she still laughs about being voted “Most Likely to Live at Home.” As it turns out, she now lives just blocks away from her parents.
The oldest of three sisters, Mary C. headed to Baylor for college where she spent four years studying child and family studies. “I always knew I wanted to work with families in some way,” she explained. “I just didn’t know exactly how that would look.” After college, she returned to the Park Cities, got married at 24, and spent nearly two decades as a full-time mom. “I loved doing that, but unfortunately, we split up last year,” she said, referring to her recent divorce.
With her daughters growing up fast, Mary C. found herself standing at a crossroads. “I realized I had this opportunity to reinvent myself for this next chapter of my life,” she said. That turning point led to what she describes as an “aha moment.” After hearing from so many friends juggling careers, raising their own kids, and suddenly helping aging parents, she recognized a major gap in support and resources. That’s when she decided to become a Certified Senior Advisor and launched Journey for HOPE (Helping Older Parents Evolve). “Helping families prepare for aging isn’t just my business, it’s personal. I know what it’s like to feel unprepared, and I never want anyone else to feel that lost.” Mary C. says her goal is simple: to help families plan ahead and make sure their parents live well and leave a meaningful legacy. “Most people wait until there’s a crisis. My goal is to work with families before that, helping them create a clear, customized roadmap for aging well, based on their parents’ needs, values, and spiritual beliefs. It’s a concierge style service that provides individual planning, care, and maintenance.” With the launch of her website (www.journeyforhope.net), she is ready to help families with customized care planning. ““Some clients come to me for overall care planning, while others need help figuring out when it’s time to move a parent into assisted living or how to support early cognitive decline. I help families navigate doctors, create personalized binders, and prepare for legacy conversations. I act as a bridge between what’s happening now and what needs to happen next, providing clarity, confidence, and peace of mind. While I do support families in crisis, my real goal is to get ahead of it. It’s so much easier to make thoughtful, confident decisions when there’s a plan in place before things get chaotic.”