WHO I AM
I'm Elizabeth: a rape survivor | writer | mother | sister | friend
I believe that
no matter what happened to us, we aren't broken;
kindness makes a difference;
we are born whole and we're always learning;
forgiveness is a racket;
normal is an invention;
abuse is a systemic issue and not an individual's problem to fix;
what's passed is never over.
In the Fall of 2022, I took my first writing class in decades. And I finally started taking seriously my love of turning letters into language into story. . .
My Story
I've been a coach, a crisis counselor, trauma educator and a support group leader.
I have also spent a lifetime in customer service from barista to shop girl to sales to catering. Lots of hats, loads of learning about people.
I have worked with inter-personal trauma survivors for 20 years, first as a volunteer on an overnight hotline, later as a counselor, educator and support group leader and
I also have a Masters of Arts degree in Women's Studies.
My complete resume and more is here on LinkedIn.
Today, I have a memoir-in-progress about the fantasy of healing from sexual abuse and the reality of learning something better. I also write the Substack,
Beginning Where You Are, which looks at how our past life affects our present.
What Others Say
"Knowing women like you, Elizabeth, who are gracious, and passionate and strong has helped me to not only feel less alone in the world but also see the variety of ways people do show up for others.”
-support group participant
“You are really good, Elizabeth, at distilling complex ideas down, making them practical, and engaging with people around those ideas."
-former colleague
"When I hear myself talking to kids, I find myself talking and listening like you showed me. Thanks for modeling that for me and making me a better person, specifically a better communicator, a person who sticks up for herself and demands that others do the same. Empowerment is your middle name."
-mentee
“Our obstetrics and gynecology department at Duke was very fortunate to invite Elizabeth to give a talk regarding trauma-informed care. As health care providers, having the knowledge of how to navigate these past experiences and give our patients the kindest care possible is so important. Elizabeth started this conversation and gave us practical tools and advice to improve the care we provide, knowing that everyone has experienced some degree of trauma. Her talks are engaging and insightful and she has unique training that will improve the patient experience. Our audience was grateful for her thoughtful talk and expertise.”