I have always found writing to be a comfort and a way of figuring out things about the world and myself. I’ve formerly written in academic journals on topics of recreation, leisure, and youth identity development. Recently, I am moved to share my personal story of recovery from 14 years of constant pervasive abuse by multiple perpetrators and my subsequent use of substances as a way of coping. The thing I most want to share about that is how everyday people can help a child survive and ultimately heal from those experiences through simple everyday acts. These can be thought of as protective factors and literature on Adverse Childhood Experiences shows they can change a person’s life trajectory.
