Comment by Autumn on 24 Sep 2010 at 12:32 pm

Hello Karen,

I have read Switching Time twice and find it hard to comprehend the pain you have overcome. I was molested as a child and am only 16 right now. Do you have any ideas for how I can try to look past my….past?

Dear Autumn,

I’m sorry to hear that you were molested and are suffering from your past at sixteen. Have you talked to someone? Are you in therapy?  Have you reported your abuse? I don’t know all that you have been through, but I feel your pain.  Please seek help as soon as possible.

I know it’s hard to understand the pain I have overcome. I couldn’t heal on my own, but it was possible to begin the healing process with support and counseling. I thought I could help myself but my pain was far greater than I could manage by myself. I learned to build trust, and once trust was established, I started my journey towards healing. I admit, it’s not easy to get over the pain of an abusive past, but you can lessen the impact your past holds on you.

I am not a therapist and can’t give advice, but in my experience, I found that releasing what happened to me in a safe setting with my therapist lifted a ton of weight off my shoulders. Once I was able to share without shame what happened to me, my fear of living slowly subsided. It takes time to heal, and though my road was bumpy, I was determined not to allow my past abuse to keep me a prisoner in my present and future. I won’t lie to you. Sharing pain opens a door that cannot be closed. But I truly believe that once you open the door that holds your dark secret past, you will find those secrets exposed and defused. Those secrets will lose their power and have nowhere to go but away.

Please take care and know that what happened to you was not your fault. You were a child. Please know that there is no shame in being a victim.

Wishing you a safe journey of your own.

Karen