Typically, I write separate letters to the readers and followers of Mom to Mom and Woman to Woman magazines, but our year-end issue is a special one because we get to announce our Mom of the Year and Woman of the Year award recipients.
Every day, we encounter incredible people doing amazing things, from the businesses they are building to the art they are creating to the heart and soul they bring to their careers, communities, and families.
In 2025, we had the immense pleasure of taking the magazine across the country through our photoshoots and the pilot of our subscription service. Our roots are in Northwest Indiana, but it is clear that our stories are resonating from California to New York and everywhere in between.
So, what is next for us in 2026? The print magazines you know and love will continue to improve with expanded pages and digital access through our website. Our e-zine, which hits inboxes every other month at no cost, has been an amazing complement to our print issues, and we are eager to keep that momentum going. If you are not receiving the e-zine, registration is simple. Scan the QR code below or visit sendmediacompanyllc.com. You can also drop us a DM on Facebook or Instagram.
As mentioned, we have tested a paid subscription option. We know our reach is growing, and many outside our delivery area want to receive issues quickly and conveniently. Our subscription delivers magazines directly to your door, whether home or business, and includes special inserts, an annual subscriber-only e-zine, and exclusive giveaways. All the details are available now on our website.
And we could not stop there. Following one of our favorite issues of the year, we are releasing an annual special-edition directory, The Ones to Know List early on in the new year. This will be both self-and reader-submitted and will spotlight the businesses, organizations, and people you need and want to know. More details are coming soon.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for another phenomenal year. Your support and love mean the world, now and always.
All the best,
& Send Media Company, LLC team
Woman to Woman is always open to story ideas and leads and conversing with talented writers, photographers, makeup artists and hair stylists! Have an interest in advertising sales or marketing? Let’s chat! Reach out to sendmediacompanyllc@gmail.com.
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BORN TO BE EXTRAORDINARY
Life is made of hand-holds, giggles and those butterfly flutters you feel in your belly. It’s the small joys, the gentle pauses – these tiny miracles.
At Franciscan Health, we’re here to help you celebrate each and every extraordinary moment.
FranciscanHealth.org/LaborAndDelivery
ERIN CLARICH | 46 | CROWN POINT, IND.
Job title / company: Strength and nutrition coach and owner of JETA Strength and Conditioning; I’m also a mitigation specialist and am the founder of Sentencing Solutions, LLC
Describe your family. Significant other? Children? I’ve been married to my husband, Jason Clarich, for 30 years, and we’ve truly grown up together. We became parents at a very young age. We joke that we were the original “Teen Mom” and it’s been a journey filled with love, learning and resilience. We have two beautiful daughters, Taylor and Ashley, who each hold a special place in our hearts. We’re also proud grandparents to one amazing grandson, and we’re thrilled to have another grandbaby on the way.
How did having children in your teens influence your life?
My daughters have always been the driving force behind everything I do. I was determined not to be a stereotype. We bought our first home when I had just turned 17-years-old. I was committed to finishing high school, going to college, and building a life my daughters could be proud of. I wanted to be someone they could look up to. Someone who showed them what resilience, love, and dedication really look like.
It wasn't easy being a teen mom as I was harshly judged, but I didn't care. Those years shaped me just as much as they shaped them, and I carry that same drive and devotion into everything I do today.
Like any family, we’ve faced our share of ups and downs, but our love remains constant. We’re proud of the strong, compassionate women our daughters have become, and we hold space for every chapter of our story with hope and unconditional love.
Do you have a license or degree? If so, in what, from where?
I have a degree in psychology and I’m a certified coach through Westside Barbell, which is a well-respected name in the strength and conditioning world. When it comes to mitigation and sentencing advocacy, there isn’t a formal license or specific certification required, but I have received training from all over the country and have built my skills through years of hands-on experience. This work is deeply human, and it takes empathy, insight, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Describe your professional background / history?
I’ve always known I was meant to help people. It’s not just a career path, I feel it’s a calling that’s been with me since my childhood. My mother instilled in me the importance of compassion and non-judgment: never speak badly about someone, never tease, never judge especially those others might label as “bad.” She taught me that you never truly know what someone is going through, and that lesson has shaped every part of my life.
As a mitigation specialist and sentencing advocate, I work to uncover the human stories behind criminal cases. Through my company, Sentencing Solutions, LLC, I’ve spent the past 15 years helping attorneys, families, and courts understand the deeper context of a person’s life: trauma, mental health, poverty, abuse… the things that do not show up in a police report. My work can be dark and emotionally intense, but I love what I do. I believe in redemption, in dignity, and in the power of storytelling.
I started my career as a paralegal in the Lake County Public Defender’s Office. At the time, we had five active capital cases, and mitigation specialists are required on all death penalty cases. Since there weren’t any local mitigation specialists, our office was bringing in professionals from all over. I knew their role was important, but I didn’t fully understand what they did, so I started researching. It overtook me. The more I learned, the more I realized this was exactly what I was meant to be doing.
How did you discover your passion?
I became incredibly passionate about mitigation work and went back to school to earn my degree in psychology. I was fortunate to have amazing bosses who saw my potential and supported me every step of the way. They sent me to trainings all across the country, and I began assisting on cases until I was ready to take them on independently. Eventually, I launched my own business, Sentencing Solutions, LLC and now I do contract work. I work throughout the whole state of Indiana. I have taken cases in Texas, and I do a lot of work in the Chicago area.
Attorneys typically reach out to me when they need mitigation support for their clients, especially in serious felony or capital cases. I work mostly on high profile murder cases. I work closely with legal teams to gather life history, conduct interviews, and build comprehensive reports that help humanize the individual before the court.
I have always had a passion for health and fitness. In 2019, my husband and I opened JETA Strength & Conditioning, a gym built on the same foundation of empowerment.
Opening JETA has brought me so much joy. I get to help people in such a different way. From my work in criminal law I see what can happen to those who are lost in life. I know how important it is for people that struggle to be seen. At JETA, I get to help people rediscover themselves. I get to watch them build confidence, find strength, and feel good in their own skin.
This journey has been nothing short of amazing. We are tripling in size, adding over 30 pieces of new equipment, and bringing back spin classes. It has been a labor of love, and watching our vision grow into something even bigger and more impactful has been deeply rewarding.
JETA has not only been a place where I help others grow, it has also been a lifeline for me personally. About three years ago, I was diagnosed with lupus. And now, I have entered full-blown menopause, which brought its own set of challenges. My knowledge of nutrition, health, and wellness, and the supportive environment we’ve built at JETA has made all the difference.
Through strength training, movement, and mindful nutrition, I’ve been able to keep myself strong and healthy. I’ve learned to listen to my body, honor what it needs, and stay consistent. JETA has truly helped me heal from the inside out, and I’m grateful every day for the space we’ve created. Not just for others, but for myself, too.
Are there any cases that have stuck with you? Honestly, they all stick with me each in their own way. Due to strict confidentiality, I can’t share specific details, but this work is heavy. It’s heartbreaking on every side, from the horrific nature of these crimes to the deeply traumatic and painful upbringings my clients have endured. They shape how I see the world and how I approach people.
How do you find balance in your life?
The honest answer is I’m still figuring it out. Like many women who pour their hearts into their work, their families, and their communities, balance can feel elusive. I’ve learned that it’s not a fixed destination. It is a daily practice. Some days I feel grounded and aligned, and other days I’m just doing my best to keep up.
What helps is staying connected to my purpose. Whether I’m advocating for someone’s future or helping someone find their strength in the gym, I remind myself why I do what I do. I also lean on the incredible community my husband and I have built. They lift me up more than they know.
I’m learning to give myself grace, to take breaks, and to celebrate the small wins. Balance isn’t perfect, it’s personal.
What are you most proud of in your life personally and/or professionally?
What I’m most proud of isn’t one single achievement, it’s the everyday moments. It’s watching someone stand a little taller, speak with more confidence, or believe in themselves for the first time in a long time. Whether it’s in my mitigation and sentencing advocacy work or the gym, being part of someone’s journey toward strength and self-worth is the greatest honor of all. To me, there is no better feeling in the world.
What advice would you give your younger self? Another woman on the path to finding her calling?
Trust your instincts. That quiet voice inside you, it knows where you’re meant to go. Don’t ignore it.
You don’t have to have it all figured out at once. Your path will unfold through the people you meet, the challenges you face, and the values you hold onto. Stay rooted in kindness, lead with empathy, and never let the world harden your heart.
There will be moments when your work feels heavy, when your purpose feels distant, or when others question your vision. Keep going. The impact you make, even in small, quiet ways, matters more than you know.
Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing?
It’s hard to even call what I do “work” because I genuinely love every part of it. Outside of the gym and my advocacy work, we try to prioritize time with friends and family. We’re big fans of the outdoors. We love boating, hiking, rucking, and cycling. There’s something grounding and energizing about being in nature, moving your body, and sharing those moments with people you love.
“ ” The impact you make, even in small, quiet ways, matters more than you know. The impact you make, even in small, quiet ways, matters more than you know.
