Ever Wonder About Hope?

Ever wonder about HOPE? What is it? How do we get it? How do we revive it, if it is lost? On April 3, 2011, I was the speaker at the Georgia Mountains Unitarian Universalist Church in Dahlonega, GA. Before leading the meditation and giving my presentation on my book, ALL TOGETHER NOW, A MULTIPLE'S STORY OF HOPE & HEALING, I read a quote sent to me by a friend who is a gardener: "April is about getting out of the house and on to the land. It is about sewing seeds of new dreams, hopes and promises of seasons yet to come. April is for Hope!"

My experiences during childhood caused me to lose hope many times. I hoped for a better family; I hoped that the God of my understanding would realize he'd made a mistake and come to get me and put me in the right family. It was a child's plea. But it symbolizes the vast level of hope with which I was born. It is innate in me to survive and ultimately thrive.

But I had to make a commitment to myself. I promised I would do whatever it took - go wherever I had to go - to find sanity and serenity out of the madness I experienced within my family's walls. I promised my inner children that I would protect them from harm, love them and help them grow in healthy ways.

Many times during my recovery, I have doubted my progress, but I followed the encouragement of support people, therapists and that deep sense of hope that things would be better. Sometimes life seemed bleak. Sometimes painful. But hope lead me out of the darkness.

Please post your responses about hope. Thanks.

New Speaking Date

On June 8th I will be presenting at the 12th annual Justice Studies Association conference in Knoxville, TN. Another survivor, Kathleen Sullivan, will be co-hosting a session on that morning. We will be talking about surviving extreme abuse, the recovery process and other topics related to our individual experiences. I will have copies of my new book, ALL TOGETHER NOW, A MULTIPLE'S STORY OF HOPE AND HEALING (2009) for sale. I will also have art and journals to show to participants. I hope you will all be able to make it.

Speaking at Ritual Abuse Conference in August

I will be speaking at the following conference in Windsor Locks, CT (near Hartford, CT). Hope to see you there. Please let me know if you accessed my site to find this information.

deJoly LaBrier has been doing recovery work for 20 yrs. She has spoken publicly about her experiences in a military sex ring, Satanic cult and government experimentation; and is grateful for the serenity and sanity she now experiences. Her topic is: Life as a Onesie: Making a Diffference.

I will be bringing copies of my first and second books for sale. Please let me know that you saw this information on my website.

A conference to help survivors of severe child abuse (ritual abuse) and torture will be held on August 14 - 16, 2009, between 8 - 5 PM Saturday and Sunday at the DoubleTree Hotel near Bradley International Airport, 16 Ella Grasso Turnpike, Windsor Locks, CT 06096 (between Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA). This conference will help educate survivors of this abuse and their helpers. Pre-registration is preferred. For information write S.M.A.R.T., P. O Box 1295, Easthampton, MA 01027-1295 E-mail: smartnews@aol.com, conference information is at: http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference