Violence Against Women in South Carolina
Violence against women is an international crisis. For me, "Think Globally; Act Locally" applies directly to this issue. When I first moved to Columbia, SC, my husband and I took a horse-drawn carriage tour of the old city. Our tour guide stopped in front of the State House and mused about an archaic law still on the books. “It’s completely legal to beat your wife on the steps of the State House on Sundays. You can look it up.” Believing our tour guide was just being sarcasti
Thanksgiving is for Healing and Gratitude...No Matter What
This time of year can be hard for those who are in the midst of their battles as they recover from emotional abuse, sexual abuse, or some other trauma or past hurt. The holidays bring an onslaught of cheerful Hallmark families leering at us from the ubiquitous commercial bullhorns and screens. These images highlight the imperfections in our own families which can leave us feeling a bit sorry for ourselves. Here is some tough love for when the holiday blues take hold—happine
Tell Your Survivor Story
The word “victim” is a heavy label that follows a person—shaping an internal narrative about psychologically damaging events. “Survivor” is much better. There's a reason Gloria Gaynor's song (“I Will Surive”) persists as a cultural staple: the anthemic message is uplifting and champions the downtrodden and encourages them to pick themselves up and persevere. From personal experience, I can tell you that storytelling is cheap therapy. Even more importantly, it’s empowering.
