ABOUT Dawnmarie Risley-Childs, D.O.
“You are the STRONGEST person I know.”
I’ve heard these words often, by my husband, by my best friends, and maybe even you. “You are a warrior,” says my healer.
Sometimes, I wish it weren’t true. I didn’t choose to be the strongest person people know, or a warrior, after having survived 24 years of domestic violence, physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse, and sexual assault from early childhood into adulthood. No child should share my upbringing. Unfortunately, these abuses are all too common.
“That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” people say.
Wrong!
That which harms you attempts to break you. This is what abusers use as an excuse to justify their actions. Even forged steel has a breaking point from being overworn. That fateful afternoon after dropping my mother off at the airport after a week of her repeatedly insulting me, my family, and even herself, it was a turning point in my life. It was time to heal. Time to walk away from who I would learn was the maestro in a symphony of abuse in my life.
Having exhausted most of the avenues of conventional medicine, I sought an alternative route, one that has supportive research indicating the effectiveness of these materials in improving the lives of those who have been affected by what life brought to them. I wanted posttraumatic growth, not disorder. And having grown tremendously at this stage in life, I now want to share it with you, encourage you, remind you that you are worthy of love, of a life of kindness and beauty and the encouraging words that you can heal.
My life after that microcosm of where I was raised has been a tapestry of a life lived fully and passionately. I’ve found beauty and meaning in the world, even in the face of adversity, and I want to use those experiences to inspire hope and healing in you. You can find strength in unexpected places: music, inspirational quotes, exploring ancient forests, walking among artistic masterpieces.
Ultimately, I hope to offer a message of forgiveness, perseverance, and the unwavering belief in the human capacity to overcome and to create a positive legacy.
Don’t let your trauma go to waste. Within your suffering, find your purpose. God hasn’t forgotten about you. You are love.
words to live by
EMBRACE your LIGHT, for you are LOVE, deserving of healing and the profound PEACE in KINDNESS.
FAMILY IS THE ONE YOU CREATE FOR YOURSELF
