I was sexually abused by my father from the time I was 5 years old until I was 18.

Shame about what was going on behind closed doors kept me secretive about my life for many years. It kept me withdrawn and isolated.

It came to a point where what I was most ashamed about was “letting it go on” for so long. It wasn’t “violent”. It was manipulative and confusing. I didn’t know how to begin to explain it, which only added to my shame.

At the age of 62, I published a book, Walking Out of Shame, about what I had learned and my healing journey.

The more we speak out, the more everyone heals.

The more we are vulnerable about what hurts, the safer we discover we are.

We thought we were alone, but we never were.

We thought we were victims, but we find that space in us that was always whole, complete and undamaged.

For me, I also discovered that what I once thought of as monsters are suffering humans.

Silence creates monsters.