Can We Truly Become Whole Again After Trauma or Brokenness?

I knew that Monday, on my day off, when I saw Lori Poland and Dr. Krugman on the Today Show, we had to connect as our missions aligned. I am humbled by their excellent endorsements in my newly released book, Broken to Beautifully Whole and honored to unite voices with EndCan. We can and must defeat the statistics along with promoting healing after abuse.

 How can we recover after being hurt or suffering abuse? What choices can help us transition from feeling like a victim to reclaiming our purpose and empowering our potential?

 In my book, Broken to Beautifully Whole, I share the steps I followed as I moved through my own pain of carrying shame, humiliation, low self-worth, and very low self-esteem after suffering six years of childhood sexual abuse. I want everyone to know that it is possible to recover from intense hurt and abuse, and create a life filled with value, purpose, and joy.

 Through my journey, everyone can learn:

 *Why we must move through our trauma before it is possible to restore wholeness, experience lasting joy, and develop our true potentials.

 After abuse or trauma, we can think the best way to deal with our brokenness is to keep it buried deep down inside of us. Somehow we think it is safe there and forgotten about. It is not. We carry that weight with us. When we keep the trauma buried, it can hang onto anger and resentment, affect our coping choices, hurt our relationships, and prevent happiness. It is not until we move through and out of our pain, that we can then establish becoming our best selves and find fulfillment.

 *Six attributes anyone can use to initiate healing while reducing the occurrence of depression, anxiety, or PTSD.

 I made the choice to step into healing and becoming whole again. It was a choice and it took time. The compelling six attributes I applied in my healing pilgrimage were perspective, resilience, gratitude, self-compassion, faith, and forgiveness. In Broken to Beautifully Whole, I explain the science behind some of the attributes I applied and how they actually worked the neurotransmitters in my brain in a very positive manner. The positive influence on my brain reduced my chances for depression, anxiety, and PTSD. When the neurotransmitters in the brain are triggered in a favorable manner, finding joy and value in our life is much easier to obtain.

 *Practical actions to identify and eliminate sexual abuse tragedies.

 I believe every single person can do something to start reducing and eliminating the staggering sexual abuse statistics…starting today! This starts with the uncomfortable conversations. Sharing our own stories or discussing sexual abuse with our children is uncomfortable. However, if we embrace and engage in these conversations, we can then start to have appropriate responses and actions. If someone shares their story with you, be that safe place, BELIEVE, and respect the vulnerability of what they just shared with you. Sometimes as parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles we unintentionally make our children vulnerable to these abuses. It is not our intent; however it can be the byproduct of our actions and words. This absolutely has to change to start reducing our children’s vulnerabilities and start eliminating statistics.

 Nelson Mandela once said, “There is no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” Are we responding quickly enough to protect our children in this country? Can we do a better job? I believe we can do a much better job and I believe we have to! It impacts all of us!

 We matter, our stories matter. We CAN go from feeling damaged to feeling worthy. It is possible to heal from our traumas. It is possible to become whole again after brokenness. You can become Kintsugi. Kintsugi is a Japanese art form where they take broken pottery and put it back together with lacquered silver, platinum, or gold. It comes with the belief that once something has been broken, it can become stronger and more beautiful once repaired. The cracks are meant to be highlighted, not hidden. It is a means to become whole again and embrace our imperfections.

 It’s time to break the silence.

 It’s time for uncomfortable conversations.

 It’s time to start eliminating the statistics.

 It’s time to go from broken to beautifully whole.

 Broken to Beautifully Whole is available on Amazon now. A portion of every book purchased through Amazon Smile will benefit EndCAN’s mission to End Child Abuse and Neglect.

Click here to purchase.