This is the time of year that we focus on celebrating the holidays. We focus on creating the perfect experience for our loved ones, and look outward to meet the expectations of and provide happiness for others. For those of us who have faced trauma, the holidays can bring up a lot of unresolved feelings. […]
Celebrating Self and Life Read More »
As the year closes, many of us tend to take stock of what we accomplished. At the start of the year, we set goals and targets that we may or may not have met yet. Where you are right now is okay. What you accomplished, or what you have to show from the start of
Taking Stock – You Are Okay Read More »
As the year draws to a close, we tend to get introspective, looking at what we have accomplished, what we hope to get done and what we will do differently in the coming year. Many of us may experience feelings of regret or find ourselves stressed, anxious or frustrated about where we are now. Since
Design your December – What Feeds Your Soul? Read More »
At this moment in our world, no matter which part of the world we are in, we are all dealing with external struggles that weigh us down, and there are many things we have no control over. This impacts the way we feel inside too. If we allow the external to impact us within, life
Creating Love and Laughter in Every Day Read More »
As we heal from trauma, we often feel emotionally unbalanced. It may even feel like we are being led by our circumstances instead of having the power to create our day. We often hear about the power of gratitude, but when one is going through tough times, it can be hard, and may even feel
Gratitude in Healing Read More »
We have been shaped by the people who raised us, the adults we interacted with while growing up, the schools we attended and all our past experiences and interactions. We created ways of doing things, habits of thought, and automatic responses and reactions based on these external influences. When last did you check in with
Knowing and Connecting with Self Read More »
As we move into the holiday season, for many of us, it brings up emotions and frantic energy. We may find ourselves accepting the expectations of others about what this time of year should be, and this puts additional pressure on us. Most of us already have a list of tasks that need completing, events
Does the future scare you? Almost everyone would say yes. We live in an uncertain world and over the last few years, our definitions of normal, and the idea of where life was going and what it meant, has shifted. Previously, we may have feared being stuck where we were at that moment. Now, however,
Fear of the Future Read More »
Our fears can show us the best path forward, or they can define who we will be. Even though our life experiences are different, and thus we all view the world differently, the one commonality that binds us as humans is our natural inclination to be guided by our fears. Fears are powerful whether they
Fear within the Present Read More »
As we move through life, our experiences shape us. We create patterns of behaviors based on those experiences, including unconsciously learning to fear things, especially the unknown. Our past experiences play a large part in how we live in the present and create our future. While this is true, they can also keep us stuck
Fear from the Past Read More »
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
