It’s book launch day! If you see this today, Wednesday, Sept 10th or you see it Thursday, Friday or later, you can still help out by buying a copy of the eBook for just $0.99.
Today is the day to please support me and the other 7 authors in the compilation book, Written in Her Own Words: Wise Woman Wisdom Volume 2, get to Int'l Best Seller!
3 Ways to help us today:
1) You can buy the book today for $0.99 on Amazon (no matter where you live – all the links are in this email).
2) You can leave a *review* on Amazon once you buy it - really helpful
3) Finally, you can *share* this email or the contents of it in a social post on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or X today - huge appreciation for those of you who do that!!
You are all amazing and please reach out when you need support and I'm happy to reciprocate!! 😍
Copy and paste this blurb and all the links into a new post or email: 👇👇👇👇
My friend's book launch is happening today and they need our support to hit best seller! It's called Written in Her Own Words: Wise Woman Wisdom, with 8 inspiring authors who share their own stories of resilience in the face of adversity. With moving and motivating tales, this book is perfect for anyone who wants to move beyond their own challenges and get inspired to live a more fulfilling life. You can pick up your copy for .99 today on Amazon! Thank you!
LINKS FOR ALL COUNTRIES:
United States (US) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
United Kingdom (UK) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
Canada (CA) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
India (IN) https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
Australia (AU) https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
Germany (DE) https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
France (FR) https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
Spain (ES) https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
Italy (IT) https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
Japan (JP) https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
Netherlands (NL) https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
Brazil (BR) https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
Mexico (MX) https://www.amazon.com.mx/dp/B0FPNJ6WDN
More about the book:
This multi-author collection is more than a book—it is a circle of voices, a sanctuary of wisdom, and a testament to the strength that rises when truth is spoken. Each story is a reminder that empowerment is born from authenticity, and that even in life’s darkest moments, light can be found.
Our authors and their stories:
Rooted in Legacy, Growing Forward with Purpose By Angela Dee
A Life Worth Living: Fighting for Mason’s Life By Christi Cossette
YOU are NOT What Happened to You By Connie Ruth
Facing My Fear of Public Speaking By Gina Coviello
Life is Fab After 50 By Ingrid Elise
Decades of Wisdom By Mary E. Knippel
Step Into the Knowing By Sally Knornschild
A Richer Life By Thelma Putzel
Let these stories inspire you, comfort you, and call you to honor your own journey. Please help me and these other amazing women get to #1 Int’l Best Seller next week by buying a copy of the ebook when I share the links.
Thanks so much! I’ll be in touch with how we did next week.
Connie Ruth
It’s here. My first book.
YOU are NOT what happened to you is more than pages and ink—it’s a declaration. A reclamation. A love letter to every survivor who’s ever felt defined by their pain.
This book was born from silence, shaped by truth, and written with the intention to heal. It’s for the ones who carry invisible scars. The ones who’ve been told to shrink, to forget, to move on.
But we don’t move on—we move through. And in that movement, we find power.
Thank you to every soul who held space for me, believed in this message, and reminded me that healing is possible.
💬 I’d love to hear what it stirs in you.
🔁 Share this with someone who needs to be reminded: you are not what happened to you.
#BookLaunch #YouAreNotWhatHappenedToYou #SurvivorVoices #MendYourBrokenPieces #HealingIsRadical #TraumaInformedTruth #LegacyOfMySoul
I’m celebrating a milestone in my book journey—a journey that has reminded me that every experience, accomplishment, and moment of growth is part of a path, not a destination.
Initially, I aimed to write a book quickly and move forward as a published author. But something unexpected happened: I felt a deep inner completeness when I became a co-author of Written in Her Own Words. In that book, I used my voice to share my story of child sexual abuse. (It will launch in September 2025).
It is within our pain that strength, resilience, and empowerment reside.
Child sexual abuse is a debilitating public health crisis. As a child who was sexually abused, I didn’t have the words to explain what happened to me. I know a little girl whose demeanor changed when she was in the third grade. She loved school and her friends. Every day, she looked forward to playing on the playground, hugging her friends before climbing onto the merry-go-round.
But one day, everything changed.
She didn’t go to the playground. She forgot her lunch. She walked slowly to class, dragging her feet, and went straight to her desk. Her teacher, confused by the shift in her behavior, gently asked, “What’s the matter?” But the little girl couldn’t speak. She didn’t have the language to describe what had happened to her at nine years old.
It is never the child’s fault when abuse occurs.
The perpetrator is often someone who holds power—someone who should have protected her. That person was given the responsibility to safeguard her innocence, not manipulate her pure mind. But no one helped that little girl. She endured years of sexual and emotional abuse.
Later in life, that little girl—now an adult—sought healing. She began to advocate for child sexual abuse prevention and help survivors find resources for healing. Her pain became a source of strength and resilience. Helping others gave meaning to the suffering. It became less about her and more about ending the silence and the suffering of child sexual abuse.
So how do we end the silence?
We speak—loud and clear—about the dynamics of pain. We fight for survivors’ voices to be heard. We change laws to ensure perpetrators are prosecuted. Pain becomes a catalyst for change.
That little girl was me.
I am grateful for my pain journey. It has opened my eyes to the truth: I was never damaged. The sweet nature I was born with never left me. It was my strength all along.
Kindness and compassion are essential in the healing process. When we’ve suffered pain, we can look into the eyes of other survivors and physically feel their pain. In that moment, we are forever connected—committed to making a difference in our own lives and in the lives of others.
“Memo to Your Soul” will launch in early 2026
Often in life, we reflect on the paths we’ve taken and how we’ve defined success. Looking back helps us understand where we’ve come from—and where we’re heading. Along the way, we hit bumps in the road. These moments can either spark growth or leave us stuck in the past.
There are many ways a person can feel stuck. I’ve felt stuck in the pain of my childhood as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). That trauma left a deep mark, and I carried it with me into adulthood. One source of grief was the reality that, because of my experience, I was unable to bear biological children. That made me angry. It felt unfair.
But life had other blessings in store. I married a man with two precious little girls, just 7 and 3 years old when we met. Becoming their “Momma C” was a role I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. Still, my journey was shaped by heartache. My relationships with men were marked by sorrow and failure. I didn’t know how to fully love or engage in a healthy relationship, and that struggle led to four marriages. Each one left scars on my heart, and I often wondered what was wrong with me.
Yet through all this pain, I learned something powerful: our pain can become our strength. We don’t have to stay rooted in past hurts—failed relationships, lost careers, broken friendships, and fractured family dynamics. Failure might knock us down, might plunge us into sadness, but it can also be the turning point.
Failures can be powerful teachers—if we’re willing to listen. Mistakes are an essential part of growing as a person. The challenge is that we often fixate on the mistake itself, rather than on what it’s trying to teach us.
But what if we shifted our focus?
What if we viewed mistakes as stepping stones instead of setbacks? By embracing the lessons hidden within our missteps, we not only learn—we also gain the wisdom to help others navigate their own journeys.
My heart had to break to open,
At a young age, maybe in my mid-twenties, I had a little voice telling me I needed to write a book about my heartbreaking childhood. Over the years, I made many excuses for not embarking on a book-writing journey. My lack of intention to write for many years haunts me. My personal life was fraught with failed relationships, lost love, being a stepmother, and searching for personal growth. I let life get in the way of telling my story. My self-esteem had hit rock bottom. My self-sabotaging behaviors continued for decades; I gained massive amounts of weight and sometimes drank too much, and I had no belief in my ability to write and tell my story. My life was a continued sad story with no comprehension that my strength was in the hurt I endured. Even though my third husband loved me unconditionally, I ignored what happened to me and did not know the trauma had been pushed into the deep recesses of my subconscious brain. It was many years later I learned the negative impact of childhood trauma on the brain. My life of self-sabotage would have never changed if I had not sought healing resources to understand what happened to my brain.
WHAT IS
ART THERAPY?
Therapeutic art offers another healing strategy. Some studies indicate that art encourages creative thinking and critical thinking skills and helps to relieve stress and anxiety. According to Everyday Health, the Benefits
of Art Therapy can be significant.
Because art has been proven to positively impact people’s lives, an
entire professional discipline has developed to help people use art as therapy.
BENEFITS
OF ART THERAPY
There are so
many benefits of art therapy. First, it provides a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals to express themselves freely through
various artistic mediums. It allows them to channel their emotions, thoughts,
and experiences in ways that words alone may not capture.
Engaging in
the creative artmaking process has been found to promote emotional healing.
Art therapy helps individuals explore and process difficult emotions such as
grief, trauma, anxiety, or depression. By externalizing these emotions through
art, individuals can gain distance that enables them to examine and work
through their feelings more effectively.
Art therapy, with its focus on mindfulness and relaxation, inspires people to be present in
the moment and focus their attention on the creative process. It helps reduce
stress and promote relaxation in a way that is grounding and fosters a sense of
calmness and tranquility.
Holistic
healing and wellness involve integrating mind, body, and spirit; art therapy recognizes this interconnectedness. Through the creative process during
art therapy, individuals engage in a holistic approach to their healing to find balance within themselves. By unlocking self-expression,
promoting emotional healing, cultivating mindfulness, and integrating mind,
body, and spirit, art therapy provides a powerful tool for achieving holistic
wellness. Whether you're an artist or a novice, the creative process in art
therapy can open doors to new possibilities and a deeper connection with
oneself.
RESOURCE: American Art Therapy Association
CSA can leave deep scars, affecting survivors’ ability to trust themselves and others. Healing from such trauma is a complex journey, but rebuilding trust is a crucial step towards recovery. Here, we explore the process of regaining trust and offer practical strategies for survivors. Help Guide
Understanding the Impact of CSA on Trust
CSA shatters a child’s sense of safety and trust. Survivors often struggle with trusting others, fearing betrayal or harm. This mistrust can extend to relationships, authority figures, and even oneself. Recognizing this impact is the first step in the healing process.
Healing from CSA is a challenging but achievable goal. By taking deliberate steps to rebuild trust, survivors can reclaim their sense of safety and well-being. Remember, healing is not linear, and seeking help and taking your time is okay.
If you or someone you know is struggling with the aftermath of CSA, reach out to a professional or a support group. You deserve to heal and live a life filled with trust and peace.
CSA leaves profound emotional and psychological wounds. While traditional therapy and support groups are essential for healing, nature offers a unique and powerful avenue for recovery. Here, we explore how connecting with nature can be a transformative part of the healing journey for CSA survivors.
Nature has an innate ability to soothe and heal. The natural world's sights, sounds, and smells can provide peace and tranquility that is often hard to find elsewhere. For CSA survivors, nature can be a sanctuary—a place to reconnect with oneself and find solace.
Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Spending time in nature has lowered cortisol levels, the hormone associated with stress. The calming effect of natural environments can help reduce anxiety and promote well-being.
Enhances Mood: Exposure to sunlight and fresh air can boost serotonin levels, improving mood and combating depression. The beauty of nature can inspire feelings of joy and hope, which are crucial for healing.
Promotes Mindfulness: Nature encourages mindfulness, the practice of being present in the moment. Mindfulness can help CSA survivors manage intrusive thoughts and emotions, fostering a sense of control and peace.
Encourages Physical Activity: Activities like hiking, gardening, or simply walking in a park can improve physical health, which is closely linked to mental health. Physical activity releases endorphins, which can alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Provides a Sense of Connection: Nature can help survivors connect to something larger than themselves. This connection can be grounded and provide a sense of purpose and belonging.
Nature Walks: Regular walks in a park, forest, or along a beach can be incredibly therapeutic. Pay attention to the sights, sounds, and smells around you to fully immerse yourself in the experience.
Gardening: Tending to plants can be a meditative and rewarding activity. Gardening allows you to nurture life and witness growth and renewal, which can be symbolic of your own healing journey.
Outdoor Meditation: Find a quiet,
Nature Journaling: Bring a journal on nature outings and write about your experiences. Reflecting on your time in nature can deepen your connection and reinforce its healing benefits.
Join Outdoor Groups: Consider joining a hiking club, bird-watching group, or other outdoor community. These groups can provide social support and opportunities to share your experiences with others who appreciate nature.
Nature offers a powerful and accessible way to support healing from child sexual abuse. By incorporating time in natural environments into your healing journey, you can benefit from reduced stress, improved mood, and a greater sense of connection and mindfulness. Remember, healing is a personal and unique process, and finding what works best for you is key.
If you or someone you know is a survivor of CSA, consider exploring the healing power of nature as part of your recovery. Embrace the tranquility and beauty of the natural world, and let it guide you towards peace and healing.
You Are Not Alone: Raising Awareness About Child Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse is a deeply distressing and pervasive issue that affects countless children worldwide. It is a topic that many find difficult to discuss, but it is crucial to bring it into the light to protect and support those who have been affected. This blog aims to raise awareness, provide information, and offer hope to survivors and their families.
Understanding Child Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse involves any sexual activity with a child, including touching, non-touching acts, and exploitation. It can occur in various settings, including homes, schools, and online environments. Perpetrators can be anyone, including family members, friends, or strangers.
Signs and Symptoms
Recognizing the signs of child sexual abuse is essential for early intervention. Some common indicators include:
Sudden changes in behavior or mood
Withdrawal from friends and activities
Unexplained injuries or physical symptoms
Age-inappropriate sexual knowledge or behavior
Fear of certain people or places
The Impact on Survivors
The effects of child sexual abuse can be long-lasting and profound. Survivors may experience a range of emotional, psychological, and physical challenges, including:
Anxiety and depression
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Difficulty forming healthy relationships
Low self-esteem and self-worth
Physical health issues
How to Support Survivors
Supporting survivors of child sexual abuse requires empathy, understanding, and action. Here are some ways to help:
Listen and Believe: When a child discloses abuse, it is crucial to listen without judgment and believe their account.
Provide a Safe Environment: Ensure the child feels safe and protected from further harm.
Seek Professional Help: Encourage the child and their family to seek therapy and counseling from professionals experienced in dealing with trauma.
Educate and Advocate: Raise awareness about child sexual abuse in your community and advocate for policies that protect children.
Prevention and Education
Preventing child sexual abuse involves educating children, parents, and communities about the risks and protective measures. Some key strategies include:
Teach Children About Boundaries: Educate children about their right to say no to unwanted touch and to report any uncomfortable situations.
Monitor Online Activity: Be vigilant about children's online interactions and educate them about internet safety.
Create Safe Spaces: Ensure that schools, childcare centers, and community organizations have policies and practices in place to protect children from abuse.
Support Legislation: Advocate for laws and policies that strengthen child protection and hold perpetrators accountable.
You Are Not Alone
If you or someone you know has been affected by child sexual abuse, remember that you are not alone. There are resources and support systems available to help survivors heal and reclaim their lives. Reach out to local organizations, hotlines, and support groups for assistance.
Together, we can break the silence, raise awareness, and create a safer world for our children. By standing united, we send a powerful message: You are not alone.
If you need immediate assistance or support, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit RAINN (https://www.rainn.org/).
Feel free to share this blog to spread awareness and support those in need. Let's make a difference together.
