One of those lessons came at only 17 years old when she found herself in a violent relationship.
"You're never fully over it. You learn how to cope with it," Winstead said.
She said the violence escalated quickly.
"The first time he put his hands on me. It was more so I apologized after. And then I was like, Well, he's sorry. Which we know that's a typical response, right? And then it just carried on," she said.
She eventually fled the Washington, D.C. area, moving twice to get away.
"I actually had to move to Texas first before I even came here just to get out of the D.C. area, because I could have lost my life. and I mean this is like, being kidnapped at gunpoint," she said.
Winstead now runs Neco Niche, a business she created to support women. She said her phone "doesn't stop ringing."
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"We're receiving calls where women are trying to flee," she said.
Her organization also hosts an annual women's tea. Winstead said the urgency of the work has only intensified.
"We don't have time to waste. We don't have time to wait a week because she may be in danger," she said.
Data from the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence shows 12 domestic violence homicides have occurred in the state this year.
Nationally, the FBI reports 1.1 million domestic violence victims since the COVID-19 pandemic, including 11,000 deadly assaults.
"The numbers are actually at an epidemic level," said Deanna Manley with InterAct.
Manley said economic pressures are contributing to rising cases.
"When gas prices go up, and clothing prices and food prices go up, it makes it more difficult for people to maintain their financial stability. And so that causes tension in the home. And with that increased tension, we're going to see more domestic violence," she said.
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Financial instability can also trap victims, she added.
"If you're not economically able to get out of a relationship, then it makes it even harder to try to get out," Manley said.
Winstead said she wants women to know help is available.
"I would like for women to understand they're not alone. It may feel like a very isolated place, but you're definitely not alone," she said.
She plans to continue spreading that message at her next Woman to Woman Tea Talk scheduled for May 3 at Traine in Seaboard Station.
"Having a community full of other women and other people that believe that your well-being and your mental wellness is important is an important thing," she said.