Trigger Points: Childhood Abuse Survivors Experiences of Parenting

Trigger Points Anthology is a collection of writing by parents who are survivors of childhood abuse. Editors Joyelle Brandt and Dawn Daum are survivors of childhood abuse working to break the cycle for their own families. Raising children as an abuse survivor is often a lonely and isolating experience, as the triggers and flashbacks of abuse can be hard for non-survivors to understand. When they were looking for stories of how other survivors coped, and couldn't find any, they decided that something needed to change. So together they started an online community specifically for parent survivors, and started collecting essays to create the Trigger Points Anthology. A book where survivors of all forms of childhood abuse could talk about what it is like to be a parent when your own childhood was so traumatic. Parenting when you experienced childhood abuse often feels like walking back into a war zone as a soldier with PTSD. There are flashbacks and triggers everywhere, and most parents are completely blindsided by them because no one tells us that this can happen. Our Mission 1. To let survivor parents know that they are not alone, and that what they are experiencing is a perfectly normal reaction for those with a history of childhood trauma. 2. To educate health care and social service providers who work with parents about common triggers are that arise for survivor parents. 3. To help partners and families of abuse survivors understand what we are going through.

About the Author :
Joyelle Brandt is an artsy mama who loves all things creative. She is the author/illustrator of Princess Monsters from A to Z, and an accomplished singer/songwriter and speaker. Joyelle believes that her purpose in life is to be a beacon of light, and that the three most important things are love, kindness and gratitude. When she is not busy raising two rambunctious boys, she is most often found playing her guitar or covered in paint at her art desk. Joyelle is currently creating Love Your Body events, retreats and workshops to help women reclaim ownership of their bodies and learn to love their whole selves. Website: www.joyellebrandt.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/joyelle.brandt Twitter: www.twitter.com/joyellebrandt Email: triggerpointsanthology@gmail.com Dawn Daum is a thirty-something wife, Momma to two, survivor and student of life. She spends her work week as a mental health care manager, helping others put and keep pieces of their lives together. Dawn is hopeful that someday she will be able to bring to life the stories and characters in her big beautiful brain. She is the co-editor of the Trigger Points Anthology and her work has been featured on Huff Post Parents, Huff Post Comedy, The Indie Chicks, Elephant Journal and Scary Mommy. Website: http: //tdawneightyone.wordpress.com Facebook: https: //www.facebook.com/wordsthoughtsfeelings Twitter: https: //twitter.com/TDawn81 Email: triggerpointsanthology@gmail.com