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The Start of a Vision
I first learned the concept of victim - survivor - thriver while attending a camp for burn survivors. From there Survivor not Victim became a motto, a way of life, and would turn into the vision of a book involving sharing my trauma healing story and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.
From there my mission was formed:
"Survivor not Victim" is committed to raising awareness, educating, providing encouragement and empowerment, and equipping individuals, groups, and programs to support others in moving from victim to survivor to thriver.
A Glimpse into my Writing Journey
When I first started writing my book I had no idea what I was ‘signing up’ for. What I thought would be a simple ‘share my trauma story’ journey would turn into years of discovering my truth, finding meaning, and healing.
I knew when I first started writing I didn’t want my book to be written like a stereotypical memoir. Rather I wanted to be more of a bunch of short stories, sharing the complexity of everything I had been through, and also in a way to educate the reader.
Little did I know that embarking on a journey
(Photo of sorting through old legal and medical records with my dog Eli)
In fact, to write this book I…
Interviewed family members from the time of the fire
Sorted through old legal reports
Studied my old medical records
Studied trauma research to be able to educate people properly on the lasting impacts of trauma
Had my trauma memories resurface, acknowledged, and face the depths of everything I had been through
Attended years of trauma therapy to make peace of what had happened to me
Ultimately this book project turned into so much more than a memoir as it also educates the reader on how to be more trauma-informed, how they too can be a survivor and not a victim, and also serves as a documentation of a healing journey
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Featured Blog
Reframing What it Means to be Strong
“Reframing what it means to be strong meant unlearning this 'toughen up' mentality. Slowly, I would learn the things that made me 'strong' as a child and made me a survivor were now causing me to fall victim in my adult life. This meant I would now have to unlearn them and learn new, healthier ways to be a thriver as an adult.”
I will be reading a part of my manuscript at The Loft on June 11, 5pm. For more information look here.
Survivor Lesson
In each chapter of my book project I break down what I refer to as ‘Survivor Lessons’ I have learned. I wanted to share a glimpse into those lessons here.
Survivor Lesson: Set boundaries and say ‘no’ to what you won’t allow into your life.
