Healing Childhood Sexual Abuse | Incest
I’m joined by Andrea Tolkeim and she shares where she started in her healing journey, the challenges, the milestones, and the twists and turns along the way. You’ll be inspired and encouraged and take away some very helpful insights for your own healing journey.
by Christina Enevoldsen Fourteen years ago this month, I left my abusive marriage. I didn’t have any vision for a life apart from David, but I also couldn’t imagine staying. I wasn’t looking for freedom from abuse. Abuse wasn’t even on my radar. I wasn’t “taking a stand.” I didn’t feel powerful or brave; I simply knew I wouldn’t have a lifeRead more
by Anne Lauren I’m an open-water swimmer: I prefer to dive into rivers, lakes, bays, and oceans instead of pools. I’m also a childhood incest survivor: I carry the weight of trauma and the work of recovery wherever I go. I swim because it makes me feel light, it makes me feel held, it reminds me that the beauty andRead more
by Carol Chandler The first thing I discovered about self care: It’s very difficult to begin caring for yourself after years of neglecting yourself. This seemed especially true after years of childhood trauma. Focusing on my needs as a child and asking for them to be met often led to some form of retaliation, usually dirty looks or the silentRead more
by Brittney Drames As a child, I thought my abuse occurred and continued both because I wasn’t enough of something and yet was too much of something else. Not good enough to be treated right but too pretty to be left alone. Attracting too much attention but not outspoken enough to tell. Too smart for my own good but notRead more
by Anne Lauren I felt shy, scared, nervous, and alone. The Newness was waiting for me, but I still afraid to receive it. Standing on the curb, carrying a pack with a variety of tools, I was waiting to be picked up by strange people for an even stranger adventure. Not just to go somewhere new, but also to beRead more
by Christina Enevoldsen The new year is supposed to be something to look forward to—a fresh start, new possibilities—but I found myself feeling stress and dread. “I’m not ready.” “It’s coming too soon!” The countdown to 2018 was getting closer and closer and I felt unprepared for the effort it would require. I couldn’t show up in a way thatRead more
by Christina Enevoldsen I’ve been divorced from my mom for over 9 years now. I’ve gotten used to my mother’s rejection and her not being in my life. It doesn’t always bother me, but that doesn’t mean the feelings of loss don’t come up from time to time. I have a close friend who’s been estranged from her mom forRead more
by Christina Enevoldsen I was talking with a friend who’s planning to set some boundaries with family. I’ve heard the things her parents have said and done to her for years so I’m celebrating this big step with her. But my friend also shared her plans with someone else. That person wasn’t so supportive. That person’s advice to my friendRead more
by Christina Enevoldsen Compliance to dysfunctional family rules was survival as a child but it was self-betrayal in adulthood. One of the most significant sources of pain and damage of my abuse comes from betrayal, especially from my parents. The man who was charged with the responsibility to protect and care for me violated my innocence and trust again andRead more