Lynn C. Tolson's Blog: Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story by Lynn C. Tolson, blog, page 11
July 15, 2013
Tolson 4 TEARS Reviews "Deaf, Dumb, Blind and Stupid"
Deaf, Dumb, Blind, and Stupid: Michael Anderson’s Fight for Life by Tremayne Moore @Mahntre is a story about a boy suffering from child abuse. Although fictionalized, the author states that it is based on a true story. There are too few books about abuse and its life-long effects on males.
What makes this book unique is in the format: A pastor explains to the congregation the tragic history of young Michael and educates the parishioners on the topic of child abuse. Woven throughout the pastor’s speech are snippets from the boy’s personal diary, read aloud to the attendees; the journals indicate the emotional devastation of abuse and the deep despair of the victim. Thus, there is a cautionary tale within the pastor’s eulogy, one that urges readers to become aware of abuse and its ramifications.
This could be considered a coming-of-age story because it takes the reader from the main character’s childhood through adolescence. During this time, Michael explains through the journals his observations of society, such as the hypocrisy of religions, the injustice in society, and the betrayals of love. He is a sensitive boy, thinking and feeling on a mature, meaningful level; he is wise beyond his years.
Through this novel, Tremayne Moore offers to open lines of communication of social problems such as abuse and suicide. He even developed a question guide for use by an individual reader or a book club. Deaf, Dumb, Blind and Stupid provides the necessary awareness of child abuse and how it may evolve into a tragic loss of human potential.
[image error]
Review completed by Lynn C. Tolson, author of Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story
July 9, 2013
Tolson 4 TEARS Reviews "My Justice"
The Project4TEARS: Telling Everyone About Rape & Suicide
to comfort victims, break the silence, challenge society, so no shed tear is wasted
Review of My Justice by Patricia A. McKnight
My Justice , a memoir by Patricia A. McKnight, is a harrowing story of unrelenting child abuse and life-threatening domestic violence. The author says that she initially hoped her book would open lines of communication between her and her adult children, a generation affected by the ramifications of trauma. Then, Patricia realized that abuse is an unaddressed epidemic, and her family was a microcosm of the problems that plague our society. She chose to offer a solution by making her personal story a publication that serves to educate and empower.
Even a seasoned reader of memoirs about trauma will feel the suffering of the narrator, an innocent child who experienced emotional cruelty, medical/dental neglect, and sexual abuse. Her father abandoned her, her step-father abused her, and her mother neglected her. Imagine wondering if this is the night your step-father is going to kill you, then trying to concentrate in school the next morning, then being the house-maid and nurse-maid and sex-slave when it’s time to be doing your own homework, then being chastised the next day for not having her assignments done on time. No child can be expected to carry-on like this for 12 years! Yet, no one seemed to notice the bruises, skin rashes, and tooth decay, obvious outer wounds that reflected the inner pain of a lost and alone child. Teachers ignored her and classmates harassed her. Trecia felt condemnation based on fear instead of compassion full of love. She also carried the burden of guilt and shame as well as the responsibility to keep the secrets of the disturbed and dysfunctional “family” she so desperately needed to survive because no one intervened!
McKnight uses details, descriptions, and a direct writing model to convey the terror of her childhood and young adulthood. The style seemed stream-of-consciousness, as if telling a story all in one breath. While reading, I held my breath, waiting to exhale. Sometimes the tense changed suddenly from past to present, indicating that emotions are not orderly concepts like chronological time. Sometimes a paragraph was written in 1st person with a sudden shift to “you” statements, as if the narrative was too hard for the author to relive in “I” statements. (First you live through it, then you experience it again when writing, and at different levels of consciousness.) Yet the readers’ final exhalation may be a sigh of relief; despite the torture and toxicity Trecia survived.
My Justice is not only a memoir; it is a call to action. In her own words Patricia A. McKnight implores people to “be the extended arm of help to anyone suffering from the impact of family violence or abuse.” She lives by shining example, offering words of encouragement and opportunities for enlightenment on the subjects of child abuse, rape, incest, and domestic violence. To tell a story about good versus evil, it takes courage to face fears, compassion for oneself and others, and a conviction to tell the truth. Bravo!
[image error]
[image error]
Tricia McKnight @triciagirl62
to comfort victims, break the silence, challenge society, so no shed tear is wasted
Review of My Justice by Patricia A. McKnight
My Justice , a memoir by Patricia A. McKnight, is a harrowing story of unrelenting child abuse and life-threatening domestic violence. The author says that she initially hoped her book would open lines of communication between her and her adult children, a generation affected by the ramifications of trauma. Then, Patricia realized that abuse is an unaddressed epidemic, and her family was a microcosm of the problems that plague our society. She chose to offer a solution by making her personal story a publication that serves to educate and empower.
Even a seasoned reader of memoirs about trauma will feel the suffering of the narrator, an innocent child who experienced emotional cruelty, medical/dental neglect, and sexual abuse. Her father abandoned her, her step-father abused her, and her mother neglected her. Imagine wondering if this is the night your step-father is going to kill you, then trying to concentrate in school the next morning, then being the house-maid and nurse-maid and sex-slave when it’s time to be doing your own homework, then being chastised the next day for not having her assignments done on time. No child can be expected to carry-on like this for 12 years! Yet, no one seemed to notice the bruises, skin rashes, and tooth decay, obvious outer wounds that reflected the inner pain of a lost and alone child. Teachers ignored her and classmates harassed her. Trecia felt condemnation based on fear instead of compassion full of love. She also carried the burden of guilt and shame as well as the responsibility to keep the secrets of the disturbed and dysfunctional “family” she so desperately needed to survive because no one intervened!
McKnight uses details, descriptions, and a direct writing model to convey the terror of her childhood and young adulthood. The style seemed stream-of-consciousness, as if telling a story all in one breath. While reading, I held my breath, waiting to exhale. Sometimes the tense changed suddenly from past to present, indicating that emotions are not orderly concepts like chronological time. Sometimes a paragraph was written in 1st person with a sudden shift to “you” statements, as if the narrative was too hard for the author to relive in “I” statements. (First you live through it, then you experience it again when writing, and at different levels of consciousness.) Yet the readers’ final exhalation may be a sigh of relief; despite the torture and toxicity Trecia survived.
My Justice is not only a memoir; it is a call to action. In her own words Patricia A. McKnight implores people to “be the extended arm of help to anyone suffering from the impact of family violence or abuse.” She lives by shining example, offering words of encouragement and opportunities for enlightenment on the subjects of child abuse, rape, incest, and domestic violence. To tell a story about good versus evil, it takes courage to face fears, compassion for oneself and others, and a conviction to tell the truth. Bravo!
[image error]
[image error]
Tricia McKnight @triciagirl62
July 8, 2013
Tolson 4 TEARS on Domestic Violence, Children Witnessing
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month, yet domestic violence occurs globally 24/7 365 days a year. What is considered violence? What do parents teach their children? John Bradshaw, author of "Homecoming" and "Creating Love " says: "I consider anything that violates a person's sense of self to be violence. Such action may not be directly physical or sexual, although it quite often is. Violence occurs when a more powerful and knowledgeable person destroys the freedom of a less powerful person for whom he or she is significant." Bradshaw also writes that "Anyone who witnesses violence is a victim of violence." Do you think children under 5 are not traumatized by seeing violence? Can a 4 year old girl really erase this scene as if it never happened? Here is an excerpt from "Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story."
***My father opened a kitchen drawer and pulled out a knife. That’s the knife my mother used to cut bones from chicken. He was holding the knife over his head with the sharp blade aimed at my mother. She looked so small compared to his large body, and his rage was larger than life. My father noticed me long enough to stop killing my mother.***
Be aware that when you fight in front of your children, you are degrading their sense of self, developing their perspective of an unsafe world, and diminishing their respect for you. It takes decades of affirmations, meditations, medications, and celebrations to dry the tears of children whose parents fought while swearing to one another "one day you'll be the death of me." Whose fault is it when one of the parents commits suicide the night after a fight? Who takes on the responsiblity as surely as if it was a homicide? Children typically take on the blame for what is broken, for what they cannot fix. It takes forever and a day to undo the damage done to a child who witnesses the violence of parents who verbally, physically, mentally, and emotionally abuse each other. Be careful of what you allow children to witness, because all the time in the world does not heal all wounds.
Jerome Elam @JeromeElam is an advocate for children's rights, and writes for the Washington Times Communities. You can read his article titled Children of Domestic Violence: A black and blue fairy tale , which combines his personal experience with professional knowledge. He writes poignantly: "My father’s violent behavior seemed so unpredictable at first, a random explosion of anger that would fill the room with a fear that would suck all the oxygen from a room as I struggled to breathe." Sometimes children are waiting to exhale their entire lives.
***My father opened a kitchen drawer and pulled out a knife. That’s the knife my mother used to cut bones from chicken. He was holding the knife over his head with the sharp blade aimed at my mother. She looked so small compared to his large body, and his rage was larger than life. My father noticed me long enough to stop killing my mother.***
Be aware that when you fight in front of your children, you are degrading their sense of self, developing their perspective of an unsafe world, and diminishing their respect for you. It takes decades of affirmations, meditations, medications, and celebrations to dry the tears of children whose parents fought while swearing to one another "one day you'll be the death of me." Whose fault is it when one of the parents commits suicide the night after a fight? Who takes on the responsiblity as surely as if it was a homicide? Children typically take on the blame for what is broken, for what they cannot fix. It takes forever and a day to undo the damage done to a child who witnesses the violence of parents who verbally, physically, mentally, and emotionally abuse each other. Be careful of what you allow children to witness, because all the time in the world does not heal all wounds.
Jerome Elam @JeromeElam is an advocate for children's rights, and writes for the Washington Times Communities. You can read his article titled Children of Domestic Violence: A black and blue fairy tale , which combines his personal experience with professional knowledge. He writes poignantly: "My father’s violent behavior seemed so unpredictable at first, a random explosion of anger that would fill the room with a fear that would suck all the oxygen from a room as I struggled to breathe." Sometimes children are waiting to exhale their entire lives.
June 4, 2013
Tolson 4 TEARS Cheers Advocate Patricia McKnight
The Project 4 TEARS: Telling Everyone About Rape & Suicide
to comfort victims, break the silence, challenge society
so no shed tear is wasted
Advocate for victims of child abuse and domestic violence, Patricia McKnight @triciagirl62 is a force of nature! She has the energy and drive to bring awareness to the topics too often ignored in our society. Tricia says "I now share my voice to help others understand they too can break free and claim their own happiness in life, feel safe, and finally feel true freedom."
As the author of My Justice she shares "the true details of the abuse that controlled 32 years of my life. The abandonment of my entire family; the neglect and sacrifice of me to keep peace within the home; the severe damage of the child abuse that set what was acceptable and trained as a pattern of life; the scars, physical damage and emotional trauma that I still carry; to the regained spirit, freedom, Safety!"
[image error]
Patricia has taken her advocacy for victims and battle for justice to a higher calling: by using a variety of internet sites and public speaking venues, she is able to provide hope, healing, education and empowerment. She is an activist who expends energy and enthusiasm to offer information via her personal experience and professional knowledge from, victim advocate training to public speaking engagements.
Patricia McKnight is the host of the Butterfly Dreams Abuse Recovery Blog Talk Radio Show, where she features guests on topics of domestic violence, child abuse, trauma, and recovery. I [Lynn C. Tolson] was a live on-air guest and the discussion evolved to include the concept of THRIVES. What does it mean to THRIVE? We used a word-game to develop the many ways survivors can THRIVE without even realizing it! For example, the T in THRIVES can stand for Truth, because it is in telling our Truth that we begin to heal. In addition to the on-air show, Tricia has developed the Butterfly Dreams Abuse Recovery group on Facebook as well as the comprehensive site for survivor stories and victim resources. Tricia says: "information shared here is to help you regain some sense of positive belief in your life after abuse." Thank you to Patricia McKnight for the passion to help others, the courage to make a difference, and the mission to bring awareness.
Listen to internet radio with Butterfly Dreams Abuse Recovery on BlogTalkRadio
to comfort victims, break the silence, challenge society
so no shed tear is wasted
Advocate for victims of child abuse and domestic violence, Patricia McKnight @triciagirl62 is a force of nature! She has the energy and drive to bring awareness to the topics too often ignored in our society. Tricia says "I now share my voice to help others understand they too can break free and claim their own happiness in life, feel safe, and finally feel true freedom."
As the author of My Justice she shares "the true details of the abuse that controlled 32 years of my life. The abandonment of my entire family; the neglect and sacrifice of me to keep peace within the home; the severe damage of the child abuse that set what was acceptable and trained as a pattern of life; the scars, physical damage and emotional trauma that I still carry; to the regained spirit, freedom, Safety!"
[image error]
Patricia has taken her advocacy for victims and battle for justice to a higher calling: by using a variety of internet sites and public speaking venues, she is able to provide hope, healing, education and empowerment. She is an activist who expends energy and enthusiasm to offer information via her personal experience and professional knowledge from, victim advocate training to public speaking engagements.
Patricia McKnight is the host of the Butterfly Dreams Abuse Recovery Blog Talk Radio Show, where she features guests on topics of domestic violence, child abuse, trauma, and recovery. I [Lynn C. Tolson] was a live on-air guest and the discussion evolved to include the concept of THRIVES. What does it mean to THRIVE? We used a word-game to develop the many ways survivors can THRIVE without even realizing it! For example, the T in THRIVES can stand for Truth, because it is in telling our Truth that we begin to heal. In addition to the on-air show, Tricia has developed the Butterfly Dreams Abuse Recovery group on Facebook as well as the comprehensive site for survivor stories and victim resources. Tricia says: "information shared here is to help you regain some sense of positive belief in your life after abuse." Thank you to Patricia McKnight for the passion to help others, the courage to make a difference, and the mission to bring awareness.
Listen to internet radio with Butterfly Dreams Abuse Recovery on BlogTalkRadio
May 20, 2013
Tolson 4 TEARS Talks 2 SCAN: Stop Child Abuse Now
The Project 4 TEARS: Telling Everyone About Rape & Suicide to comfort victims, break the silence, and challenge society.
So no shed tear is wasted.
[image error]
SCAN: Stop Child Abuse Now, blog talk radio show, coordinations with the National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse. The primary mission at NAASCA is to help abused people get into recovery. Secondly, we actively advocate for a better understanding of the many issues that surround the problem of child abuse in America. Bill Murray, founder, says, "Very few adults have escaped severe child abuse, trafficking, child pornography and kidnapping. But I have. More importantly, I've been in recovery from its devastating effects for over 25 years." Visit Facebook cause "Stop Child Abuse Now" (SCAN):
I was a guest on SCAN, hosted by Bill Murray, Carl Hart, Jessica Stevens, and we talked about my memoir Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story. I've accustomed to telling my story publicly, and even gave personal testimony to state legislatures, but this interview was particularly open and transparent. I did not answer questions in vague terms or politically correct phrases; I used the real words that represent the horrible experiences of rape and incest, and its devastating effects that may last a lifetime, like drug abuse and suicide attempts. Listen as the host(s) and I talk about moving from pain and suffering to hope and healing.
Thanks to Bill Murray and the members of SCAN/ NAASCA for providing attention and advocacy to the millions of men and women who need a hand to hold on their journey.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
discussion October 2011:
Listen to internet radio with Bill Murray on Blog Talk Radio
Child Abuse Awareness Month discussion April 2013
Listen to internet radio with Bill Murray on BlogTalkRadio
So no shed tear is wasted.
[image error]
SCAN: Stop Child Abuse Now, blog talk radio show, coordinations with the National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse. The primary mission at NAASCA is to help abused people get into recovery. Secondly, we actively advocate for a better understanding of the many issues that surround the problem of child abuse in America. Bill Murray, founder, says, "Very few adults have escaped severe child abuse, trafficking, child pornography and kidnapping. But I have. More importantly, I've been in recovery from its devastating effects for over 25 years." Visit Facebook cause "Stop Child Abuse Now" (SCAN):
I was a guest on SCAN, hosted by Bill Murray, Carl Hart, Jessica Stevens, and we talked about my memoir Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story. I've accustomed to telling my story publicly, and even gave personal testimony to state legislatures, but this interview was particularly open and transparent. I did not answer questions in vague terms or politically correct phrases; I used the real words that represent the horrible experiences of rape and incest, and its devastating effects that may last a lifetime, like drug abuse and suicide attempts. Listen as the host(s) and I talk about moving from pain and suffering to hope and healing.
Thanks to Bill Murray and the members of SCAN/ NAASCA for providing attention and advocacy to the millions of men and women who need a hand to hold on their journey.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
discussion October 2011:
Listen to internet radio with Bill Murray on Blog Talk Radio
Child Abuse Awareness Month discussion April 2013
Listen to internet radio with Bill Murray on BlogTalkRadio
April 4, 2013
Beyond the Tears Receives 5 Star Review
A Journey of Healing, Told with Heart
This book [ Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story ] is a journey through healing from sexual abuse and all the pain that goes with it. Sexual abuse isn't just a one time thing that can be survived and gotten over. It takes tears, talking, relearning, stumbling and getting up again to move through all the shadows abuse leaves behind. Lynn C. Tolson [@lynntolson] has done a magnificent job of telling her story; one that is unique to her, but shared by far too many. It touched my heart, and reminds me every day to get up and keep healing. Thank you for having the courage to write it and share your story with the world.
Jackie L. Lawrence @jackiesministry "A resource for survivors of abuse and those who minister to them" You can read Jackie's story (and others) in this extensive well-written article by Jan Goodwin in O, The Oprah Magazine, titled "Please Daddy No" published November 2006.
"Peace of Mind" by Lynn C. Tolson
March 18, 2013
Tolson 4 TEARS Claims "I AM"
Tolson 4 TEARS means Telling Everyone About Rape & Suicide: to break the silence, comfort other victims, and challenge our society. It's important to note that statistics reveal that an estimated 14 percent of those who experienced sexual assault may attempt suicide. This accounts for only those who made the connection obvious. I wonder about the empty percentage of those who make no association between rape and suicide.
How could I know that my deep despair, overwhelming despondency, and desire to end my life was related to rape? After all, I trained my brain to "remember...nothing" as I had been instructed by the perpetrators.
The following is a paragraph in Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story . I was 23 and had admitted myself to a psychiatric unit because I could no longer bear to live with the suicidal thoughts/activities. Something somewhere somehow was trying to help me save myself. I had taken it upon myself to finish the job rape started, obliterating my soul with lies of worthlessness.
As I sat on the bed in the psych ward a Neil Diamond song played on the tape recorder. “I am . . . I said, to no one there, and no one heard at all not even the chair.” My interpretation of the lyrics evolved into: I am a chair! I am an object! A memory formed as corporeal as that contained under the influence of truth serum: Could that really have been my big brother using me as an inanimate sex object? I am a chair! I am an object! I shoved the ambiguous memory down just as quickly as it had floated up."
However, it would take another 20 years before I could admit to my SELF that my brother had sexually assaulted me, threatened me with my life, and tried to eliminate my spirit with dead silence. To hear my voice, nourish my spirit, and claim my identity, I wrote the truth.
I AM
March 7, 2013
Tolson 4 TEARS Cheers Michal Madison ART
Michal Madison is an artist on a mission to bring awareness to child abuse and domestic violence. Her soulful images have an effect on feelings such that words cannot describe. As I gaze upon any one of her paintings, whether it be a portrait, a collage, or an abstract, I am often moved to emotional places that my logical intellect barred me from exploring. Her paintings inform on an intuitive level! As Michal says, "art captures emotions that could never be expressed in words!" She often incorporates her own prose or collaborates with others to provide poems that reflect the image.
I "met" Michal Madison on the internet when we discussed healing journeys on air via blog talk radio for the O.A.B.I. Voices United Network. (Organization for Abused and Battered Individuals). We candidly shared our stories of survival to bring hope to victims.
Michal Madison says, "i've been deeply impacted by sexual abuse as a child. the cycle continued with domestic violence as an adult. i've had to work through feelings of helplessness & shame, betrayal & confusion. art keeps me grounded. it gives me a voice when i can't find my own words. art has helped me to keep breathing, & keep trusting in Creator. I believe that Creator is really using art to help me reach down deep inside & find joy, strength & courage to rise above the past! healing is a lifelong journey."
Yes, healing may be a lifelong journey for survivors of abuse. Yet, as Michal Madison generously shares her abundant gifts, may we all benefit from the images she produces from her heart to ours.
Have a look and see for yourself:
[image error]
Art by Michal Madison
[image error]
[image error]
I "met" Michal Madison on the internet when we discussed healing journeys on air via blog talk radio for the O.A.B.I. Voices United Network. (Organization for Abused and Battered Individuals). We candidly shared our stories of survival to bring hope to victims.
Michal Madison says, "i've been deeply impacted by sexual abuse as a child. the cycle continued with domestic violence as an adult. i've had to work through feelings of helplessness & shame, betrayal & confusion. art keeps me grounded. it gives me a voice when i can't find my own words. art has helped me to keep breathing, & keep trusting in Creator. I believe that Creator is really using art to help me reach down deep inside & find joy, strength & courage to rise above the past! healing is a lifelong journey."
Yes, healing may be a lifelong journey for survivors of abuse. Yet, as Michal Madison generously shares her abundant gifts, may we all benefit from the images she produces from her heart to ours.
Have a look and see for yourself:
[image error]
Art by Michal Madison
[image error]
[image error]
February 16, 2013
Beyond the Tears Receives 5 Star Review
Surviving and Healing From Abuse
Lord, give me the right words to let Lynn Tolson know how much I appreciate her courage in sharing her story about incest, domestic violence, mental illness, addiction and then the sharing of her healing from all of those. Because of the brutal honesty that Lynn uses to share her story, Beyond the Tears is not an easy read. If you are a survivor, the book needs a Trigger Warning. The compassion that I feel for the child that Lynn was and the adult that she is now are beyond measure. As her title says, Lynn is a true survivor. Lynn Tolson has my admiration for what she has survived and my gratitude for writing and sharing her story of abuse, both physical and emotional.
Lynn Tolson is a survivor that I met on Twitter [@lynntolson] sometime in the past 4 years. I have wanted to read her book for awhile. I want to do justice to Lynn and her book. I have been having trouble writing this review and I have been working on getting my words and feelings about this book down on paper for several weeks now. Why? Because I am afraid that I won't do her book justice with my review. Reading Lynn's book was intense and caused me to numb my feelings several times while I was reading it because I am just beginning to look at my own Domestic Violence issues from my childhood. Suicide is something else that I struggle to understand. My emotions were all over the place when I was reading Lynn Tolson's book.
Beyond the Tears begins the first chapter with Lynn attempting suicide and ending up in a mental ward of a nearby hospital when she survives the attempt. Lynn's father who incested her when she was a child died from his own suicide attempt so Lynn says she was following in her father's footsteps with her own suicide attempt. I am very glad that she did not succeed, like her father did. The hospital counselor didn't do much to help Lynn but she didn't give up. With the help of a therapist trained in helping trauma victims, Lynn was able to start her healing journey which she shares in her book.
Lynn's journey to healing will inspire other survivors who are just starting out on their own journey to healing. Ms Tolson is a true survivor who has been through the Hell of anxiety, depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to become a survivor. I am amazed at the amount of abuse that some children and adults survive. Lynn Tolson nearly didn't. Beyond the Tears, A True Survivor's Story is Lynn's story of that survival and healing from childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence. Thank you Lynn Tolson for sharing your story of courage and survival and for reaching out and helping other survivors to heal.
Review by Patricia Singleton @patriciasinglet
[image error]
"Storm Warning, Trigger Warning" by Lynn C. Tolson
Lord, give me the right words to let Lynn Tolson know how much I appreciate her courage in sharing her story about incest, domestic violence, mental illness, addiction and then the sharing of her healing from all of those. Because of the brutal honesty that Lynn uses to share her story, Beyond the Tears is not an easy read. If you are a survivor, the book needs a Trigger Warning. The compassion that I feel for the child that Lynn was and the adult that she is now are beyond measure. As her title says, Lynn is a true survivor. Lynn Tolson has my admiration for what she has survived and my gratitude for writing and sharing her story of abuse, both physical and emotional.
Lynn Tolson is a survivor that I met on Twitter [@lynntolson] sometime in the past 4 years. I have wanted to read her book for awhile. I want to do justice to Lynn and her book. I have been having trouble writing this review and I have been working on getting my words and feelings about this book down on paper for several weeks now. Why? Because I am afraid that I won't do her book justice with my review. Reading Lynn's book was intense and caused me to numb my feelings several times while I was reading it because I am just beginning to look at my own Domestic Violence issues from my childhood. Suicide is something else that I struggle to understand. My emotions were all over the place when I was reading Lynn Tolson's book.
Beyond the Tears begins the first chapter with Lynn attempting suicide and ending up in a mental ward of a nearby hospital when she survives the attempt. Lynn's father who incested her when she was a child died from his own suicide attempt so Lynn says she was following in her father's footsteps with her own suicide attempt. I am very glad that she did not succeed, like her father did. The hospital counselor didn't do much to help Lynn but she didn't give up. With the help of a therapist trained in helping trauma victims, Lynn was able to start her healing journey which she shares in her book.
Lynn's journey to healing will inspire other survivors who are just starting out on their own journey to healing. Ms Tolson is a true survivor who has been through the Hell of anxiety, depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to become a survivor. I am amazed at the amount of abuse that some children and adults survive. Lynn Tolson nearly didn't. Beyond the Tears, A True Survivor's Story is Lynn's story of that survival and healing from childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence. Thank you Lynn Tolson for sharing your story of courage and survival and for reaching out and helping other survivors to heal.
Review by Patricia Singleton @patriciasinglet
[image error]
"Storm Warning, Trigger Warning" by Lynn C. Tolson
February 9, 2013
Beyond the Tears Receives 5 Star Review
A Journey of Healing, Told with Heart
This book [ Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story ] is a journey through healing from sexual abuse and all the pain that goes with it. Sexual abuse isn't just a one time thing that can be survived and gotten over. It takes tears, talking, relearning, stumbling and getting up again to move through all the shadows abuse leaves behind. Lynn C. Tolson [@lynntolson] has done a magnificent job of telling her story; one that is unique to her, but shared by far too many. It touched my heart, and reminds me every day to get up and keep healing. Thank you for having the courage to write it and share your story with the world.
Jackie L. Lawrence @jackiesministry "A resource for survivors of abuse and those who minister to them"
"Peace of Mind" by Lynn C. Tolson
Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story by Lynn C. Tolson, blog
This is the blog at goodreads for the author Lynn C. Tolson. The blog will keep readers up-to-date on her memoir Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story. The blog has links to interviews, videos, po
...more
- Lynn C. Tolson's profile
- 33 followers
Lynn C. Tolson isn't a Goodreads Author
(yet),
but they
do have a blog,
so here are some recent posts imported from
their feed.
![[image error]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oly2QPEtRvI/UeQ9B4NnPxI/AAAAAAAAA-E/IBbIermfV_8/s1600/51fHpvHhuoL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WzTQo9gsbTM/UdxW3p4hiQI/AAAAAAAAA94/62Z_KQ0S9Sk/s1600/bookcvr1_thumb.gif){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H6E9fx68sUE/UdxV85JRRQI/AAAAAAAAA9g/fcfa6_7DZAw/s1600/14ee5490f79a0ad8956e92.L._V394068820_SX200_.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_FtzWt9btw/UafOZ2MIifI/AAAAAAAAA88/nbw3TT-ieDE/s1600/bookcvr1_thumb.gif){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L5pi4UQ9Suk/TqHbXf5Iw8I/AAAAAAAAAgk/H5mZhOUD6vA/s1600/images-1.jpeg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hz4y1vbqDss/UTjkc_hSVlI/AAAAAAAAA5E/2H3eYPLeGI8/s1600/543438_438940492829982_1655120306_n.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-le-UkQqFMPw/UTjrH9XAzDI/AAAAAAAAA5U/M8F6X4VZvXA/s1600/304443_445547708835927_269358833_s.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hOjg79qCVa0/UTjrZ8iB4wI/AAAAAAAAA5c/n-409BzH5HI/s1600/29578_454563851267646_510040939_s.jpg){kind=link}
![[image error]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YlutXtI5QIo/UR_NtS_f57I/AAAAAAAAA4g/QUjR4Mm4RjM/s1600/IMG_0448.JPG){kind=link}