Author Denise Shellyann Clarke writes about her traumatic childhood in her latest book, My Protector Was My Molester 978-1-951630-57-7. Clarke, who was abused by her father, explains how the abuse escalated as she grew older and how she did everything in her power to avoid going back home in high school. Her life had become a living nightmare. The one person she thought would protect her was the monster in her nightmare. After suffering in silence for years, Clarke decided it was time to share her story and trauma with her readers, in hopes to help encourage other survivors to share their own stories.
Sharing your story can be the beginning of healing for many survivors. It can be extremely difficult, just as it was for Clarke, but can be beneficial for the recovery process. According to Marquita Herald, here are several benefits of sharing your story:
· Sharing is Healing for You and Others
Sharing our experiences can help us find meaning even in the most painful events and gain a greater sense of purpose and direction.
Many survivors of trauma or violence become active in movements focused on prevention and helping others who have had similar experiences and this is often a key part of their healing process.
· Sharing Helps You Find Your Voice
Finding your voice simply means learning how to communicate in a way that is authentically you. This process can help you impose organization and identify key events in a way that enables you to take your rightful place as the author of your own life story.
· It Helps to Re-affirm Your Values
Sometimes you learn things about yourself from the act of writing or storytelling that helps to clarify the things (and people) that matter most to you.
People who have found their voices shared their stories and reaffirmed their values often find a sense of peace and hopefulness that they did not have before.At the very least your willingness to be vulnerable serves to assure others that difficulties won’t break us.That it is not only possible to endure and survive this marvelous roller coaster ride we call life, but to grow stronger and thrive as a result of all of our experiences.
· You Have More to Offer Than You Realize
You may be thinking that none of this applies to you because you haven’t experienced any particularly difficult challenges and can’t think of any wisdom or knowledge you have to share with other people.
This is perfectly normal, but keep in mind that the way in which you live your life, your values, and experiences, all have the potential to provide insightful lessons.
“One of the most powerful things we can do is to help others when they are in need, and in order to do that we need to be willing to share our knowledge, experiences, and the lessons we’ve learned.”
- Author Unknown
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