"You have to lose, I believe, in order to gain."
"When you tell me it can't be done, I'm going to say, well, hold on a minute, let's find a way."
"You're essentially, you're wearing this invisible armor as you sort of navigate through life."
"I am not a superwoman, I am a human being. There's only so much I can do."
Barrister Creanna Dodson joins Annie Wenmiao Yu to trace her extraordinary journey from being homeless at 22 with a newborn to becoming a probation officer, qualified social worker, founder of Soaring Heights Care, and a practicing barrister in criminal and family law. Creanna was born in London but always embraced her Caribbean heritage from an early age, with yearly holidays to Guyana South America where she spent considerable time with her relatives. This has been an integral part of her life and upbringing and she has no doubt this is part of the reason why she still has such strong ties to the Caribbean today and hope to relocate there at some point. She shares hard-won lessons on resilience, deferred gratification, building a support system, and protecting mental health while raising four children and running a business. The conversation covers career reinvention, poverty and inequality, and adapting to AI in the legal sector.
What you'll learn
- Setbacks and rejections can be tools to build resilience — peel back the layers of a 'no' and re-strategize rather than giving up.
- Practising deferred gratification means being willing to lose in the short term in order to gain in the long term.
- Children learn ambition and work ethic by observing their parents in real life, not just through encouragement.
- A strong support system of friends, family and mentors who see your potential can be invaluable when you can't see it yourself.
- Career reinvention is possible at any age — life experience and transferable skills can be an unfair advantage rather than a hindrance.
- Protecting your mental health by recognising your 'emotional capacity bucket', taking regular breaks and delegating is essential in a demanding world.
Key moments from the conversation
Homeless at 22 with a newborn
Creanna recounts becoming pregnant and homeless at 22 in 2003, living in temporary accommodation and feeling there was no way out — a turning point that fuelled her determination to build a better life for herself and her child.
Every child, a new chapter
She describes how each stage of having children propelled her forward — completing a criminal justice degree, a master's in social work, and later a law conversion — studying throughout her pregnancies.
Building Soaring Heights Care
Creanna founded her company in 2013, growing it to over 20 homes and more than 20 vulnerable young people, including unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, which sparked her interest in law.
The unfair advantage of age
She reframes her age and life experience as an advantage rather than a hindrance in law, giving her empathy, perspective and the ability to prioritise family over pure ambition.
If she could change one thing: poverty
Asked what she'd change tomorrow, Creanna names poverty and inequality, arguing it requires government policy and world leaders coming together, alongside individual support of resources like food banks.
Frequently asked questions
Can you become a barrister after a career in another field?
Yes. Creanna Dodson transitioned into law after roughly 20 years in probation and social work, completing a graduate diploma in law, winning an Inner Temple scholarship for Bar School, obtaining pupilage in 2023, and being taken on as a tenant. Her existing advocacy and transferable skills made the transition feel natural.
How do you stay resilient after being homeless?
Creanna kept her dreams alive and focused on her duty to her child, leaned on a strong support system of friends who valued her, and treated each setback as a chance to reflect and re-strategize rather than give up.
How can you balance career ambition with mental health?
Creanna advises working hard but also enjoying life, taking regular breaks (she takes a week off every couple of months), recognising when your emotional capacity is full, delegating, and living in the present rather than working yourself to exhaustion.
Is it harder to build a career now than 20 years ago?
Creanna believes it is harder now — housing and job opportunities are more limited, support from local authorities may place people hundreds of miles away, and remote working has left people more alienated and with fewer chances to develop soft skills.
How is AI affecting the legal profession?
Creanna sees AI as here to stay and something the legal sector must understand, adapt to and implement, but does not view it as a major threat to law as a whole for now.
Who is Creanna Dodson?
Creanna Dodson
Barrister / Entrepreneur
Creanna Dodson is a barrister at Church Court Chambers, practicing in both criminal and family law. She began as a probation officer with a 20-year career in probation and social work, and is the founder of Soaring Heights Care, an organisation she has grown over 10 years to more than 20 homes supporting over 20 vulnerable children and young adults, including unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. A mother of four, she completed a graduate diploma in law, was awarded a scholarship from the Inner Temple, obtained pupilage in 2023, and was taken on as a tenant at the chambers where she trained. Creanna was born in London but always embraced her Caribbean heritage from an early age, with yearly holidays to Guyana South America where she spent considerable time with her relatives. This has been an integral part of her life and upbringing and she has no doubt this is part of the reason why she still has such strong ties to the Caribbean today and hope to relocate there at some point.
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