Many Minds, One Body: A Healing Devotional for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

How does a person who lives by Christian faith cope when faced with compelling memories of sexual abuse which occurred during childhood? How would it be possible to maintain belief in a compassionate and providing God if ones own father or brother was a perpetrator? Many Minds, One Body is a devotional which compassionately addresses the significant doubts and struggles of a Christian who may have experienced childhood trauma, particularly sexual abuse. It addresses issues such as coping with intense feelings of betrayal when the betrayer is a family member; finding inner peace when there is no outward justice; trust in God and in others; believing in a loving and compassionate God when one feels to have been abandoned; forgiveness and reconciliation. The book was written over a period of several years and takes the reader through the authors gradual healing. Later chapters were written after the author became aware that she suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder. Dissociative Identity Disorder, known previously as Multiple Personality Disorder, occurs when the trauma of abuse is so extreme that a child may emotionally survive only by becoming as if someone else. The personalities which are created during episodes of abuse become separated from consciousness. An alternate personality or alter may hold specific memories and emotions that a child cannot bear to remember or own. There are no glib answers to be found in this book. Its essence is the gradual healing which began to occur when each struggle was experienced in the safe presence of God. Many Minds, One Body is suitable reading for survivors of any type of trauma who may be struggling with questions of faith.