Hello to all here....what a benefit to so many to have a site like this.
I am a survivor of ritual abuse, sexual abuse, rape and medical neglect occurring between the ages of 3-17.
I have spent my adult life after that in recovery of some kind, therapy, meditation practice, EMDR and all kinds of other things over the years. The silver lining I have found is that I feel I can sit with others in their darkest hours as well as their greatest joys and this has given me so much deep connection to other human beings. I cherish this aspect more than anything as so many people are unable to be present for others in a deep way so it is
a gift that was unexpected but very welcome.
I don't think "recovery" has an end but just constantly changes and morphs we find new ways to heal as we go along depending on our changing needs and interests and exposure to different methods available. I began therapy as a teen when the "big deal" was Primal Scream by Janov. Boy was that a time! I screamed my lungs out with so many others.
I have also spend time in monasteries studying and practicing meditation and combining therapy with that and became a mindfulness meditation teacher during covid. I now work in hospice which is my greatest passion and although I have had a passion for writing and two publishers offering to publish my memoire I have changed by book during the editing process so much I had to break my original contracts as I decided I didn't want to published just what THEY
liked but what I Liked so back out of both deals. Still hope to express myself in book form at some point in the future so we will see. I love crafting, outdoors ( Live in Sedona AZ now), healthy cooking, gentle exercise and spending time with friends. I do not have contact with any family of origin people and both my parents have passed. This estrangement is intention on my part and very helpful and I have many wonderful friends who are healthy and great so I created family outside of nuclear family and am happy about that. I have three children who are great and yet due to family of origin dysfunction have had some challenges with one of my children that is still ongoing and makes me sad. I cannot change another person is what I have learned and I hope this present conflict eventually resolves but know it may not and I cannot allot that to ruin my happiness by dwelling on things that aren't working due to others choices... it takes two to work things out in any relationship.
Anyways, this is long enough but this is a bit about me and I look forward to engaging in conversation on this site.
May you be happy. May you be healthy. Maybe you feel safe and at peace. Francesca