Last week I was interviewed for the local evening news. Julie Kelly, the reporter wanted to do a story about how the Mending the Heart retreat helps people with their relationships.

She did a great job with the story. You can watch it below.

As I prepped for the interview, I was really excited to share my work with a broad audience of people. I was ready; I was jazzed. During the interview however, Julie put me on the spot asking me a very personal question that I wasn't expecting.

I shared with her a part of my own personal story of a deeply held hurt. It's a wound that I had kept hidden for a good ten years before I started healing it and talking about it; but it took another decade for me to completely heal all of the consequences of it.

My story is that I was the victim of sexual abuse in college. I am one of the millions of women who have unfortunately had the experience of being violated in this way. As a result, I know firsthand that the consequences of abuse can live within us for decades. They inevitably take a toll on us even while we are busy living our lives as best we can.

The completion of my healing and release happened when I created the Mending the Heart process and took myself through it. The enormous freedom and sense of empowerment I've experienced as a result of it has profoundly changed my life, and quite likely the direction of my work.

Over the past two years I've been sharing my story openly with my Mending the Heart clients. I knew the time would come to share this story openly because I'm in the process of writing a book about Mending the Heart. But Julie's question made me realize that the time to share this is now.  You can see the interview below.

My wish is that my story -and the fact that I have found healing not only for myself but assisted many others- may inspire those of you who carry wounds and perhaps know it's time to find a way to let go of the pain. The peace, freedom and sense of power that comes from this experience is extraordinary.

And if you happen to have been the victim of abuse at any point in your life, and you're needing someone who can understand and relate, please do reach out to me. You now know my heart knows what yours has been carrying.

Link to WXCA video: http://www.wcax.com/story/34010216/overcoming-past-trauma-to-help-others-heal