Empowered to Heal: Redefining Your Story Beyond Trauma

Trauma touches everyone, and can impact us at any age and at any time. It can wound us and leave us feeling damaged or broken, not good enough, anxious, depressed, afraid, angry, and stuck or frozen. And we develop ways to survive: survival skills.

This was true for me. When I was a child, I was sexually abused by an older step-brother, witnessed my mother being beaten by her then husband (whom I refer to as "the man"), and witnessed the man physically abusing my older sister and his sons. I heard my sister's cries and knew he was hurting her. I later learned that he was raping her.

The man never physically or sexually abused me in any way. I think that was because my dad was very much involved in my life.

For 20 years I never told anyone, not even a stuffed animal, about being sexually abused or the violence I had witnessed. I don't remember ever being told not to tell. But I knew not to tell. Over the years I've thought a lot about not telling, and have some theories on that.

My sister's story was different. When she was 14 or 15, she told her boyfriend about her sexual trauma. He told his father, who was in law enforcement, and her trauma was investigated. No one ever talked to me. Yet, I still remember the name of the woman investigator.

The man went to jail for a weekend. (Yes, that's true--only a weekend. This was the mid to late 1950's) And the man and my mother divorced. I felt free, as if I was freed from a cage.

How did I survive? What were my coping strategies? I wore a mask: I smiled, so no one would ever think any thing was going on with me. I excelled at school; I felt safe there. I had friends. As I got older, I was active in sports, 4-H, and other activities. These were all healing for me. And, I was an over-achiever, another form of a mask.

But, there's a price to be paid for all of that cover-up. For me, it was anxiety, fears, health challenges, trust issues, and overwhelm.

I got myself into counseling, and was seeing various counselors for about 10 years. I also got my Master's Degree in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling, which I always say was the best, and by far the most expensive, counseling I've ever had.

Throughout my life I have continued my healing journey toward wholeness. I made a commitment to myself, initially out of necessity, and then later out of caring about children and women who have experienced trauma, that I, with God's help, would rise up and be a light bearer. And that is what I am continuing to do.

I have worked with thousands of women either individually or in groups, or trainings, or at conferences to Move Beyond Survival, recognize their courage, reclaim their power, embrace healing, and to redefine who they are beyond trauma.

If you are a woman who has experienced trauma during your life, it is true that you cannot change the past, and you cannot change the trauma. But you can begin to reclaim your power, embrace healing, and transform the impact of the trauma.

I invite you to make 2025 a year of healing and transformation, by investing in yourself and joining me in this 12-week training, Empowered to Heal: Redefining Your Story Beyond Trauma beginning Tuesday January 28th at 12:00 noon Pacific Time.

(To enroll/register, go to my website ediesavageweeks.com, then click on the Trainings tab, then click on this training. If you have questions, please email me or call me.)

I look forward to meeting you.

To Your Courageous Self!

Edie Savage-Weeks

Transformational Coach