I was in my early 30s before I was able to admit that I had grown up in a home with addiction, abuse, and mental illness, which might seem surprising for someone with a PhD in Sociology, specializing in family studies!

 

That's how powerful childhood trauma, and the denial associated with it, can be. Breaking through that denial forced me to examine my life through an entirely different lens, which raised uncomfortable questions, such as:

 

How could I have ignored what happened to me for so long?

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Am I irreparably damaged? 

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What do I do with all the anger and fear I've been living with?

 

I also realized that the abuse in my childhood home had damaged my relationship with my Dear Sister, Jennie. It was in trying to rebuild that relationship that we started sharing memories, and recognized the truth about what had gone on in our home. Now, we are sharing our story together, to help individuals and their siblings find healing from childhood trauma.