Going Forward: Survivors to Thrivers

You can support survivors by:
• Encouraging individuals to get one-on-one guidance,
• Sharing this website so they are aware of the various healing and growth options,
• Buying the Awakening the Light book for yourself to increase your understanding of what it’s like to be a survivor and the steps that survivors can take, so you can be an active supporter and even share this resource.

Part of my purpose with Survivors to Thrivers is to help you not feel alone.

If you are a survivor of sexual abuse, we at Survivors to Thrivers are here for you (and understand).
- Awareness-raising is our first effort. We seek to shine light on the topic for individuals who need to do healing work to become unstuck from limiting beliefs and unhealthy.
- Bi-monthly blogs speak truth into the hearts of survivors and give specific healing activities for the mind, body, and spirit.
- Individual guidance offers those who recognize they are stuck with limiting beliefs find a way out of unhealthy patterns and a path to claim their Going-Forward Story and embrace their whole selves.

Contact me if you would like to pursue individual guidance - [email protected]

Here is another example of "Why would you share that?!?!"

My hope is to emphasize that you are never too old or too young to start your healing journey. And it is important to celebrate every step of the way.

This new level of grieving was because she did not, could not, be there for me as I tried to make sense of what happened to me.
- This layer of healing included getting angry at my mother. I had explained away her absence, her lack of engagement, and her lack of connection.
- I needed to claim the repressed feelings in order to release them.
- Now I have a newly found sense of freedom.

"Why would you share your personal story with others?"

I have been asked this before, and it actually surprised me. Why would I not?

How could I find healing and freedom and not encourage others? Otherwise, I stay in the shaming and silencing culture.

I hope this encourages you to find your voice and truth!

Here's to thriving, Tambry

Have you experienced any of these impacts?
- Mentally – there were cruel mind games played, leaving me with many limiting beliefs. I suppressed many of the memories because they were too painful.
- Emotionally – I didn’t know what it looked like to be authentically loved. This led me to marry 2 different abusers. (Once I finally did my healing work, I married someone who loves me purely and completely.)
- Physically – I disowned my body for the most part, choosing to live in my head. And yet The Body Keeps the Score*, and the pain ultimately had to be released.

*The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma is a book by Bessel van der Kolk that describes van der Kolk's research and experiences on how people are affected by traumatic stress, including its effects on the mind and body.

Let me give you an example.

My twenty-year-old step-son was describing a movie that showed three different perspectives of a r**e scene:
• The perpetrator’s view – she/he wanted it.
• The victim’s view – she/he was violated.
• Finally, the victim’s partner’s view – he/she was betrayed by the sexual act.

My step-son’s anger over the example of r**e culture and blaming/shaming the victim showed enlightenment.

And yet, there was a lack of understanding that this was not just a moment in time.

The victim’s life was changed forever. If she sought to heal (and many do not), it would be a difficult journey.

If you are a survivor of sexual abuse, we at Survivors to Thrivers are here for you. We understand you and the complexity of the healing journey.

Do you believe the world’s culture is desensitized to the impact of sexual abuse? I do.

My mission is to increase understanding around this topic. (PLEASE FORWARD these posts to help raise awareness.)

This blog shares how the complexity of sexual abuse can be minimized and not fully understood.

If you are a survivor of sexual abuse, we at Survivors to Thrivers are here for you. We understand you. This organization is made up of survivors who are on various healing journeys and who want to encourage all survivors to move toward thriving. Go to this blog to learn more. survivorstothrivers.com/blog

If you seek to be a survivor supporter, read this blog. There are many resources available to you to support your loved one (s).

LET'S CHANGE THIS CULTURE TOGETHER!

This feels like a beautiful way to close this month's message of growth, expansion, and embracing your whole thriver self.

I would love to hear how you may have seen yourself budding or blooming over this past month!

GFS2T takes real, holistic action by meeting people where they are on their healing journey:
• Awareness-raising is our first effort,
• Daily encouragement, hope and healing are offered on social media,
• Bi-monthly blogs speak truth and give specific healing activities
• Individual guidance and healing retreats offer individuals who recognize they are stuck with limiting beliefs a way out of unhealthy patterns
• Awakening the Light: A Survivors to Thrivers Going-Forward Story book provides a first step in moving into their new going-forward story from the security of home
• The Group Growth Guide provides a safe, structured way for a small group to come together to do the healing work