Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 1155

Tonight's special guest is Elizabeth Sullivan from Stillwater, Minnesota, an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse who started a peer support group in her home town. She hopes to make it into a non profit, and says, "I am hoping to get more into advocating." Check out her web site at: www.EmpowerSurvivors.net. "In 2013 at the age of 42 I broke my silence," Elizabeth says. "Kind of a forced breaking of silence because it came out due to several triggers that ended up putting me in ICU for two days with a heart rate that couldn't be regulated, chest pain and dry heaves. After that two day event the flashbacks started in, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, hyper vigilance and all of the rest." Her PTSD basically out of control. "This begun the breaking of silence for me, the two day a week therapy sessions, group therapy and a lot of ups and downs and suicidal thoughts. It's been a hard process but I feel I've come a long way since all this came to a head several years ago." She knows her recovery will be a journey. "There's still healing to be had but I am healing, finding balance and becoming what I think is a better person - me. Me instead of what I felt I had to be for everyone else." Elizabeth goes on, "I have more growth ahead of me but my days are no longer filled with flashbacks after flashbacks. I haven't had to sit on a bathroom floor for a long time due to having a panic attack and I can sleep better. I still have work to do but I now see growth. Breaking my silence was the best thing I ever did, and the hardest thing I ever did, and now I want to empower other survivors to do the same and find healing."