I don't have all the answers, but I do know the work that I have done to get where I am today. I am no billionaire, I don't have some executive mucky-muck job, but I am a mom, I have a decent job, and I have created some spaces for victims and survivors to move to the next level, and I am thriving in small daily ways.
It wasn't always easy and there are days and moments that are definitely not easy even today, 26 years later. It is too easy, in our society, to be re-victimized and to experience victim blaming. I wish it were as easy as pulling up your boot straps and moving on. For some, I think it is possible, but for many, it's a journey.
I love reading other survivors memoirs and self-help books. You never know what you will learn. Everyone's journey is so different, I am constantly learning something new that helps me get to the next level. One consistent way to begin and continue healing (I have experienced as well as read in many self-help books), in many forms of trauma, is to write. Write, write, write and write again. For me, the act or writing, being able to get the thoughts out of my head on paper, really began the healing process. This isn't for everyone. But there is something cathartic about writing.
If you are looking for a first step in your healing, no matter what the trauma is - addiction, grief, loss, abuse, childhood trauma - try writing. Here are some links to help you with some prompts to get your started.
Writing Prompts
"Being quiet and hidden is no longer an option." -p. saum
pennie