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A Memoir for ACE Sufferers, Educators, Healers

 

I was elated to hear about Donna's Childhood Disrupted last summer, since I had been writing a memoir on healing from loss and unexplained illness (MCS) via the mind-body connection and working with the inner child. I was really sick with the chronic symptoms of nausea, lightheaded-ness, and brainfog. I had a young child and a part-time job I barely held on. I found integrative medicine, which helped me cope, but even that wasn't enough. One day after a holistic method failed, Dr. Gordin asked me how well I sleep.

"I don't sleep well," I said, "I wake up with a knot in my stomach." He asked how often, and I replied, since I can remember. I told him that my parents used to bicker at night and my mother ended up hurt. He referred me to a hypnotherapist to learned to relax. It sounded ridiculous to me at the time. Wouldn't jogging be like relaxation? Why does one need to purposely relax?

Dr. Gordin explained the stress hormones from the brain and nerves affected the body, that PTSD makes my body hyper-vigilant. I had other experiences from childhood which made me a type-A, grinding the teeth at night kind of person. On the exterior, I got jobs I wanted, drove a nice car, and had a family in a nice suburb. I had survived childhood with perfectionism.

I ended up in the Black Recliner, as in my book: MESSAGES from the Black Recliner: A Memoir of Healing Body and Spirit. I connected with my inner child and healed the chemical sensitivity. Now I am thriving as an energy healer—I give relaxation sessions and healing guidance. I wrote this book to share how I healed from traumas, many stemmed from a harsh childhood, and show the mind-body connection. I want to share it with those who are interested in healing ACEs, parents, therapists, and healthcare providers. I hope to  give a meaningful story and inspire others to look within to heal. 

Here's a review: 

“This compelling and readable cross-cultural memoir articulates the unconscious impact that childhood trauma can have upon our psycho-spiritual and physical lives as adults, and the way broken-heartedness can translate into devastating physical symptoms. The writing illuminates how the stress of chronic illness can take a toll upon our intimate relationships. May this narrative of Sue Wang’s journey to wholeness of body, mind, heart, and spirit be a blessing and inspiration to the many who suffer from inexplicable debilitating illnesses.”

—Judy Tsafrir, MD, Holistic Adult & Child Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst, Harvard Medical School

Please check it out and I'd love to hear from you. 

Warmly, Sue

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Mem Lang posted:

Congratulations Sue!  It would've been very challenging to overcome strong cultural barriers, but the urge to speak one's truth can be stronger.

Did you know about ACEs?  Do ACEs etc find a match in your story?

Thank you, Mem! I did overcome my 'keep quiet' upbringing to tell this story. Here's a post on that. It was healing to distill the lessons in my experience and share how ACEs can contribute to illnesses, in my case chemical sensitivity. After writing the memoir, I realize that I had essentially 'reverse-engineered' the whole trauma to illness process to heal the root causes and get well—an important message for all.

I had wanted to show the connection between trauma and illness, the mind-body connection, but didn't know the term ACEs until seeing Donna Jackson Nakazawa's Childhood Disrupted. It spoke exactly to my story. It was affirming. 

Congratulations Sue!  It would've been very challenging to overcome strong cultural barriers, but the urge to speak one's truth can be stronger.

Did you know about ACEs?  Do ACEs etc find a match in your story?

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