We’re at a time of the year where all the holiday deals are being revealed, and everyone is looking to stock up on things. This holiday season, instead of filling your environment, fill your emotional cup. Take time to feed your Soul and do what feels good. It won’t require any capital and the payoff […]
Emotional Self-care Read More »
Thanksgiving is coming up in the U.S. next week. While this means different things to different people, the universally recognized experience is that it is a time of gathering. Gathering with family and friends can be a trying experience, especially if the people around you don’t feel like your tribe. You are the most important
The Gratitude Experience Read More »
What do the upcoming holidays mean for you? At this time of year, there is a special energy in the air around the holiday season that we can tap into. You either love this time of year, and look forward to it, or it can be a difficult, stressful, and traumatic time. Often, we fall
Finding peace in the craziness of our world is a learned skill. We are born knowing that all is well – as we grow, life experiences teach us to fear, worry, and forget altogether how to reclaim peace. With the current state of the world, it can be hard not to get lost in the
When we have been through trauma, especially when this trauma has impacted our physical bodies, we often become disconnected from our bodies. Whether it is from illness that ravaged our bodies, or extreme physical trauma, we almost disconnect from our physical being. Our bodies are part of the mind, body, spirit trifecta that balances our
Reclaiming and Loving your Body Read More »
Choose you first, and others will too. We teach others how to treat us. As a society, self-care and putting oneself first, is becoming more acceptable. Many of us grew up learning the belief that we need to sacrifice, compromise, and generally give up a piece of ourselves to others, in order to live a
Trusting self does not come easily when you have been through trauma or difficult experiences. We tend to question ourselves, doubt our perspectives, or even hand over our power to others. Personal power is built on the ability to trust self. When we doubt ourselves, we lose faith in life. Our experiences may erode this
We all limit ourselves in some way, and where and how is based on our life to date. The village that raised you, including the school you went to, parents and other adult influences, and the environment you grew up in, has shaped what you believe to be true about yourself. These beliefs get fine-tuned
The older we get, the more we feel the impact of the responsibilities we have as adults. For many, the responsibilities we hold overshadow our personal wishes and dreams. We have taught ourselves to either shelve our dreams in favor of meeting our obligations, or we dream smaller and simpler dreams, giving up those we
Permission to Dream Read More »
It’s never too late to fly – to do those things that call to you. Our world is focused on what is logical and what is appropriate do to at a certain age, but life has evolved so much, and we are no longer confined to our small part of the world. We live in
This debut memoir chronicles a woman’s spiritual exploration and growth as she overcame a disturbing childhood and helped others heal.
Brought to America from the Dominican Republic as a youngster, Molina-Marshall should have led a happy life. Her father was a diligent worker, and his large family wanted for nothing. But the author recounts that her dad had a drinking problem and was a serial philanderer. Molina-Marshall’s long-suffering mother left him for a woman. Then it was all downhill for the bright, 12-year-old girl, who was shuttled between foster care and relatives. According to the author, she was sexually abused by the husband of one of her siblings. This resulted in Molina-Marshall becoming alienated and moody. By 15, she simply tried to survive. In her favor were grit and a restless intelligence. She quit school, rented a room, and found a factory job. Time went by, and for a while she was happily married. Yet when her husband left her, her life truly began. She turned to religion for answers but decided that blaming God for her woes was a cop-out.
In this absorbing and moving memoir, Molina-Marshall’s vivid storytelling is fearless. She frankly discusses the truths she discovered and the indignities she suffered. These admissions are disclosed with a touch of resignation and plenty of bite. However painful, everything she experienced was a lesson, and she bravely realized that she was part of the problem: “The fear of being hurt, rejected, or abused often led to me feeling lonely and misunderstood. No one knew the agonizing pain I felt being trapped in my thoughts and anger. I was becoming my biggest threat.”
The author skillfully recounts her intricate spiritual journey. To deal with her psychic wounds, she searched for an inspirational system. Her open-mindedness led her to the interfaith concept—cherry-picking from various religions and spiritual movements, yoga, and Indigenous beliefs as a way of finding peace. Along with her female partner, she built a therapy practice, making use of every spiritual element that aided her and others. The road was bumpy, and she found that women of color in same-sex relationships were not welcomed everywhere. To do good works—and finally live on her own terms—she effectively overcame bigotry.
An engrossing, cathartic account of empathy and success through determination and confidence.
Pub Date: May 3, 2022 | ISBN: 978-0-578-38315-6 | Page Count: 264 | Publisher: From Trauma to Triumph | Review Posted Online: June 13, 2022
