My first experience with sharing my story of childhood sexual abuse was the moment that I disclosed to my family what my father had done. I was 17 years old.

From that point, my story spread to extended family members and friends. I was no longer in charge of who told my story or what they said. Each of these people had their own opinions about me and the abuse I had suffered.

In short, they did not believe me. They were not shy about letting me know that, either.

This Early Lesson Did Not Stop Me

This was a tough lesson that took me a decade and a half to fully come to terms with.

In my work with fellow survivors of abuse and assault, this is all too common an occurrence. In the United States, we typically automatically blame the victims of these types of crimes.

What I notice now as I look back is that I did not stop talking about my experiences.

And I have not shut up about it ever since.

Four Ways People May Respond in Negative Ways to Truth

When I was 17, I received many shocked facial expressions, some blank stares, and even a flinch or two when I said something like, “I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.”

As I’ve grown and our culture has changed, I’ve noticed more and more that people are more accepting and sympathetic when I tell my story. Many times, I hear, “I’m sorry that happened to you.” This is a welcome change.

However, the likelihood is that the closer people are to you, the more likely they are to respond negatively to you when you talk about your experiences with trauma, ptsd, mental health, grief, and more.

This is not about you. This is not your fault or responsibility. This is about them. And abuse happens in communities that hide it with shame. Sometimes these communities can be families.

In the video above, I talk about the four ways that people can respond in negative ways to your story.

Tell Your Story in Safety

Sharing your story saves lives. Full stop.

I fully acknowledge that many of us do not feel safe telling our stories in public ways. This is completely understandable, and I commend survivors for putting their own safety first.

Privately, though, I encourage everyone to share their stories with people they trust. This can be with a therapist, coach, peer, confidential writing group – any safe and confidential person or group where you and your experiences can be witnessed.

You are not the story they made of you. Step into your power 💪🏼💖

My Paris Storytelling Workshop is Coming Up!

Between Venmo, GoFundMe, and straight up cash, I’ve received a total of $3370!!!!!

This is out of a total $5400 goal!

ICYMI, here is the collection of Youtube videos about the Moth-Inspired Paris Storytelling Workshop in a convenient playlist:

I would love your support as I embark on this new adventure! Here’s how you can participate (and receive a thank you “card” as I travel) –

• Gofundme – Donate here any amount helps!
• Venmo
• Info about the workshop

With much gratitude, thank you for being part of this community!

Ready to Tell Your Story? Let’s Chat ~