Action is the antidote to despair. Joan Baez, singer, songwriter, activist Today I was reminded of the power action has to lift despair. Living through Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) the ability to act, to escape, or to get help was limited. As children we had no power to take liberating action. Often children who experienceContinue reading “Action”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Patterns and Change
When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge. Tuli Kupferberg, poet, peace activist Lately I’ve been up against persistent patterns of numbness and distance. I know where they began. I understand their destructiveness. I see them and feel them. I see how they injure others. Yet, the grip of these patterns remains powerfully paralyzing. As aContinue reading “Patterns and Change”
Kindness
The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. Oscar Wilde Today, encouragement to slow down to notice and offer kindness. The lingering harm caused by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) like Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) at times feels overwhelming. What helps me when I sense these feelings of residual oppressive negativity isContinue reading “Kindness”
Wisdom
Turn your wounds into wisdom. Oprah Winfrey Today, acknowledge and celebrate your earned wisdom. Recovery from Childhood Sexual Abuse is a journey of steep hills and deep valleys. Recovery brings moments of searing grief as we realize the profound loss and broad impact the abuse has had on our sense of safety, confidence and identity.Continue reading “Wisdom”
Journey
Today, recognition of the friends and partners, who provide a safe haven to heal. Recovering from Childhood Sexual Abuse is a long and continuing journey. As I reflect on my recovery, I recognize that although I physically survived, invisible injuries persist. Among the deepest wound is the compromised ability to trust and love. I amContinue reading “Journey”
Connect
Today, encouragement to connect with yourself. Many of us walk around living at a distance from our immediate experience. This is especially true for survivors of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA.) These childhood traumas often result in hyper-vigilance and shame which pull a child out of the immediacy of what theyContinue reading “Connect”
Acceptance
Today, acceptance of what we cannot change. Early in my healing journey, I attended a 12-step program for survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. It was a revelation to sit among other survivors. In their stories, to understand that I truly was not alone, as I previously believed. Many draw solace from the serenity prayer: “God,Continue reading “Acceptance”
Visibility
Today, an acknowledgement of you sister and brother survivors! In the 1980’s when I started to search for any publication that reflected my experiences as a survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse, I ran into the brick wall of the unintended consequences of statistics. Since the greatest reporting of CSA at that time was male perpetratedContinue reading “Visibility”
Joy
For those musical nerds out there, my people, we begin today with a lyric by Alan Jay Lerner from Camelot. Tra-la! It’s May! The lusty month of May! This photo of Finn captures the joy of possibility. Wind on the face on a drive with the family. The pack being together! Maybe there will beContinue reading “Joy”
Hi, I’m Beth, and I am a Survivor.
I’ve decided to move my voice out into the universe in hopes another survivor or friend of a survivor will find this daily dose of encouragement and share it so each of us can continue to heal, recover ourselves and discover magnificence that may be hidden by shame, fear, isolation or self-blame. Statistics indicate thatContinue reading “Hi, I’m Beth, and I am a Survivor.”
