Educate4Change
Link to Svava
  • Home
  • For Parents & Caregivers
  • Adult Survivors Support Groups
  • Testimonies
  • Services
    • TRE® Iceland
    • TRE®
    • Products
    • Journey to the Heart Summit
    • Summit
  • Blog

Do You Know How Courageous You Are?!

4/23/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Abuse and trauma survivors are incredibly strong people.  We know our strength is what helped us survive, and it’s what keeps us going now.  Yet we know something is missing.

This missing link is courage.  We know we’re strong.  But we’ve never allowed ourselves to realize that we’re also courageous people.  And we always have been.  

That’s because courage is risky.  The only thing we’ve ever wanted is what we never had as abused children: safety.  Risk makes you vulnerable.  No thanks, right?

Hey, I can relate.  I knew I was a strong person to have survived over a decade of child sexual abuse.  But courageous?  Me?  Nah, no way.  I was willing to work hard on my healing journey, but courage felt too risky and vulnerable.  Nope, that’s not me.

Somehow we can’t see courage in ourselves.  But it’s easy to see it in others.  And that’s where you need to start.  Think of someone you believe is not only strong but also courageous.  Adopt this person as your role model.

Next, think about what makes this person courageous?  It might be her fearless personal authenticity or her honesty.  Maybe he’s taken a stand against injustice by his actions or words.  Maybe she’s simply chosen the road less travelled.  What is it about this person that touches your heart and earns your admiration?

Guess what?  Whatever it is that makes this person courageous is a quality you also possess.  It’s true.  When you choose to heal from abuse and trauma, reach out for support, open yourself to others in an online group for survivors, talk about your past, or receive comfort from other survivors, that’s an act of courage.  

Allow the revelation of your courageousness to sink in.  When you do, you’ll discover courage is actually a source of safety.  Now it’s okay to let your guard down a little, ask for more support, love more, have more fun, and feel more gratitude for everything you’ve accomplished.  Why?  Because now you know you’re safe.    

                                                          ********

Is it impossible for you to believe you’re a courageous person?  Is courage a difficult concept for you to comprehend?  If so, I can help.  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY!

Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

0 Comments

What If I Don’t Know What I Want?

4/17/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
If 2017 has been an unusually busy year for you, I can totally relate!  But for survivors of abuse, a hectic schedule isn’t something out of the ordinary.  Too often it’s the norm.

An important milestone on your healing journey will be the realization that you’re ready to step off this hectic hamster wheel.  If you’re tired of living in reaction mode, dashing from sunrise to sunset each day, trying to catch up but never achieving that goal, good for you!  The desire to end your frantic pace is a major accomplishment.  

But how do you stop this toxic merry-go-round?  You simply change direction.  Instead of trying to satisfy the wants and needs of everyone else in your life, you concentrate on satisfying your own.

Easier said than done for abuse survivors like us, right?  We’re pros at knowing what we don’t want.  But we’re clueless about what we do want.  In fact, most of us have never considered asking ourselves important questions like:

  • What do I want?
  • What do I need?
  • What do I want my life to be about?

The abuse we suffered battered us with the false belief that we aren’t as valuable as everyone else.  At our core, we feel we don’t deserve to relax, to do what brings us joy, or to make our needs a top priority.

Of course, none of this is true.  Abuse is built on lies, and this is a big one.  Every human being on the planet is valuable, regardless of what they’ve survived.  And that includes YOU!

To determine what you want and need in life, the first step is gratitude.  Think about everything you’re grateful for.  When we appreciate all the good things in life, we appreciate the good things about ourselves.    

Begin every morning with gratitude.  This practice will help you gain more clarity about what you truly want and need.  Then create a list of those things.    

Here’s my challenge to you.  Now that you have a list of your wants and needs, schedule at least one thing from this list every day.  

When you’re ready to accept my challenge, you’ve reached another major milestone on your healing journey.  Congratulations!
                                                               ********
Does your mind go blank every time someone asks you what YOU want in life?  That’s not uncommon for survivors of abuse.  But don’t worry.  I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY!

Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

0 Comments

What Does a Children’s Advocacy Center Do?

4/10/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
As you know, April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.  On April 6, I was a keynote speaker at a fundraiser for a Children’s Advocacy Center in Oregon.  

This was the second time I‘d been asked to speak at a fundraiser for a Children’s Advocacy Center, and I was truly honored to help in this way.  They expected 400 people, and I talked about my sexually abusive childhood and the evolution of my healing journey.  

I never appreciated the role of a Children’s Advocacy Center, until I worked as an advocate in Iceland years ago.  That’s when I learned about the important services it provides to children in need and their families.

This is crucial for children, who have been sexually abused.  When someone suspects child sexual abuse and files a report, the child is brought to a Children’s Advocacy Center for child-friendly interviewing by a specialist.  Afterwards, a copy of the child’s recorded interview is given to every professional who needs to hear it.  

This greatly minimizes the stressful impact an investigation has on the child.  Before Children’s Advocacy Centers, the child had to testify over and over again to every person involved in the investigation.  It was a very traumatic experience.

When I was a child, there were no Children’s Advocacy Centers to go to for help.  Now they’re in almost every community.  The last time I checked, there were 822 of these centers across the country.  You can find your local Children’s Advocacy Center at the national website: http://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org

A Children’s Advocacy Center is important for you, too.  Here’s the reason:

  • If you suspect child abuse, your first step should be to contact your local Children’s Advocacy Center.
  • These professionals will help you determine if your suspicion is correct or just normal childhood behavior.
  • If it is abuse, the center will assist you in taking the next step, which will be to call the police or protective services.

The work of your local Children’s Advocacy Center is invaluable.  They not only educate your community about child abuse prevention but also offer services to help children and their families recover from abuse.  

If what I’ve said in this blog post inspires you to join the prevention movement, consider donating or volunteering at your local center.  They need all the help they can get, and they need it now!
                                                          ********
Are you a survivor of child abuse?  Are you struggling with the effects of this kind of trauma?  I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY!

Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

0 Comments

Why It’s So Hard to Talk About Child Abuse

4/3/2017

4 Comments

 
Picture
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Every year at this time I’m reminded of when I began educating people about how to prevent child sexual abuse.  

Adults have a hard time talking about child abuse, especially child sexual abuse.  That’s because not only is CSA a horrific violation of an innocent child’s trust but it’s also about sex.  In our society, sex is not a topic most adults feel comfortable talking about in public.  

When I decided to educate adults about CSA twelve years ago, I had no idea how I was going to accomplish this task.  I just knew I would not have suffered in silence for so long as a child if the adults in my life had known how to talk openly about CSA.

Eventually, I became involved with Darkness to Light, which gave me the tools I needed to pursue my goal.  I received permission to translate the D2L information booklet into Icelandic, and I distributed a copy to every home in Iceland.  This is why I cofounded NGO in Iceland and how my public speaking career began.  That booklet generated lots of opportunities to speak about CSA to concerned adults.

Yet, like I said, CSA is an uncomfortable topic for most adults.  So how do I teach them to overcome their discomfort?  Here’s what I do:

  • I never present the grim statistics about CSA without giving them the tools they need to cope with this horrifying information.
  • I offer plenty of hope, because we can make a difference one person at a time.
  • I show them how to talk about CSA and give them age-appropriate language.
  • I stress the benefits of CSA education: 1.) the other parents in your community will know you’re watching out for their kids too; 2.) abused children will feel safe talking to you about it; 3.) adult survivors will be encouraged to seek healing.

If you’d like to offer this kind of hope to the adults and children in your community, please visit www.d2l.org for more information about a Darkness to Light Stewards of Children training session near you.  Or you can take this evidence-based training online at the D2L website.

You’ll never regret becoming educated about CSA.  It gives you the tools you’ll need to save a child from years of pain, isolation, and shame.  And that alone is priceless!  

                                                             ********
Are you a survivor of child abuse?  Are you struggling with the effects of this kind of trauma?  I can help!  Just follow (this link) or call 619-889-6366 to reserve a one-hour coaching session with me ($100 per hour).  Let me help you heal your life.  Reserve your spot TODAY!

Have you read my bestselling book, “Journey to the Heart”?  If you’re ready to heal from the effects of abuse or trauma (depression, anxiety, PTSD, allergies, chronic pain, etc.), this book is for YOU!!  You’ll find it at Amazon in paperback (link) or Kindle (link).  Enjoy and happy reading!

Are you on my email list?  If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletter and an email with a link to my weekly blog post, click here: http://www.educate4change.com/

4 Comments

    Archives

    June 2019
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    365 Day Guide To Thriving
    365-Day Guide To Thriving
    60 Minutes
    Abuse Survivor
    Abuse Survivor Coach
    ACE Study
    Anxiety
    Attachment
    Believe
    Betrayal Trauma
    Body Healing
    Boundaries
    Change
    Child Abuse
    Child Abuse Prevention Month
    Child Sexual Abuse
    Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
    Child Sexual Abuse Survivor
    Coaching
    Compassion
    Coping
    Courage
    Creativity
    Darkness To Light
    Depression
    Domestic Violence
    Doubt
    Eduction
    Emotional Abuse
    Emotional Healing
    Emotional Wellness
    Emotions
    Empowerment
    Evidence Based Prevention Programs
    Fear
    Feelings
    Goals
    God
    Gratitude
    Happy
    Healing
    Healing Guide
    Healthy Habits
    Healthy Lifestyle
    Hope
    Inner Child
    Inner Critic
    JourneytotheHeart
    Journey To The Heart
    Keynote Speaker
    Kindness
    Love
    Marriage Support
    Meditation
    #MeToo
    Mindfulness
    Narcissists
    Online Group
    Online Summit
    Oprah
    Overwhelm
    Parenting
    Peace
    Peer Support
    Perfectionism
    Personal Power
    Prevention Programs
    Programs For Adults
    PTSD
    Relationships
    Releasing Your Authentic Self
    Sabotage
    Safety
    Self Acceptance
    Self-acceptance
    Self Care
    Self Compassion
    Self-Compassion
    Self Help
    Self Love
    Self-love
    Self Regulation
    Self-regulation
    Sexual Assault
    Shame
    Social Activism
    Spirituality
    Stages Of Change
    Stress
    Superpower
    Support
    Support Group
    Survivor
    Tension Patterns
    Thriving
    Trauma
    Trauma Informed
    Trauma Informed Care
    Trauma Survivors
    TRE® (Trauma Release Exercises)
    Triggers
    Trust

    RSS Feed

Svava Brooks
Educate4Change
Dedicated to Ending the Cycle of Child Sexual Abuse
Ph: 619-889-6366  
email: svava@educate4change.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/educate4change
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/svavas
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/svavabrooks