The Garden of Roses: Stories of Abuse and Healing: Observing Domestic Month: Virginia’s Resources for Help and Healing From Abuse -- Domestic Violence Month

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Observing Domestic Month: Virginia’s Resources for Help and Healing From Abuse -- Domestic Violence Month

Please note that I deactivated links for organizations that I do not have specific permission for links, but you can still cut and paste addresses.

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Email: mainoffice@ncadv.org Hotlines:1.800.799.SAFE (7233) and 1.800.787.3224 (TTY) Website: http://www.ncadv.org

domesticshelters.org https://www.domesticshelters.org Find a shelter anywhere in the country and access dozens, hundreds of articles on survivors stories and all aspects of coping with domestic violence.

Some local Portland area resources for help for coping with domestic violence (all found on domesticshelters.org):

The Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services -- business phone: 503-988-6400 website: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/gatewaycenter/

Portland Women's Crisis Line -- hotline: 503-235-5333 website: http://pwcl.org

VOA Home Free -- hotline: 503-771-5503 website: http://www.voaor.org/children-and-family

Bradley Angle House -- hotline: 503-281-2442 website: http://bradleyangle.org

Raphael House of Portland -- hotline: 503-222-6222 website: http://raphaelhouse.com

Russian Oregon Social Services --hotline: 503-777-3437 website: http://www.emoregon.org/ross.php

Native American Youth and Family Center Healing Circle -- business phone: 503-288-8177

website: http://nayapdx.org/services/critical-services/domestic-violence-healing-circle/

Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center -- hotline: 866-879-6636 website: http://www.866uswomen.org

Immigrant & Refugee Community -- business phone: 503-234-1541 website: http://www.irco.org

Sexual Assault Resource Center -- hotline: 503-640-5311 website: http://sarcoregon.org

Los Ninos Cuentan -- hotline: 503-933-7840 website: http://losninoscuentan.org

South Asian Women's Empowerment & Resource Alliance -- hotline: 503-778-7386

website: http://www.dvrc-or.org/sawera-1/

Stories about survivors of abuse and their supporters:

The Story of a Supporter of a Survivor: Preston McMurry met and married, Donna Theresa, the love of his life and then puzzled over her struggles with intimacy and her tendency to leave him without explanation The their marriage counselor said only one thing could cause such issues -- severe child physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The problem was that Donna Theresa did not remember being abused. Donna and Pres made a trip to her home town in Italy to find the truth. They found it, but when they returned to the United States Donna was so profoundly disturbed by her past that she left Pres for a final time. Pres struggled with deep grief and founded Theresa’s Fund to provide financial support and fund raising advice to non-profits combatting family violence. Then, one day after a seven year silence from Donna Theresa, Pres received the phone call of his life....

Here is Pres’s story in his own words: https://vimeo.com/129269349

The rest of these stories are from my blog, the Garden of Roses: Stories of Abuse and Healing ( http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com ) or my You Tube Channel -- Healing is a Sacred Journey (https://www.youtube.com/user/StopAbuseHealWounds ). You can also check out my Facebook for stories on abuse and healing from a variety of sources -- Compassionate Gathering: https://www.facebook.com/Compassionate-Gathering-359700572676/timeline/?ref=hl

Preston McMurry also shared his story with me:

Part One: The Man Who Went to the Ends of the Earth To Help His Child Abuse Survivor Wife Heal http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2014/11/pres-and-donna-theresa-love-story-that.html

Part Two: Pres Works on Healing From the Loss of Donna Theresa http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2014/12/pres-and-donna-theresa-part-two-pres.html

Part Three: Donna Resurfaces http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2014/12/pre-and-donna-theresa-part-three-donna.html

The Story of a Domestic Violence Survivor: Princess, the Domestic Violence Survivor Who Was Abused by Her Husband and then by Her Church http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2014/04/princess-domestic-violence-survivor.html

The Story of a Clergy Abuse Survivor Who Became Homeless

Please Help Me Find Gary, the Homeless Clergy Abuse Survivor Who Disappeared http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2014/04/please-help-me-find-gary-homeless.html

Helping Danny or How to Heal the Wounds of Clergy Abuse (Danny and Gary are the same person but Helping Danny takes place in early 2008, and the story about finding Gary took place in early 2014.) http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2014/07/helping-danny-or-how-to-heal-wounds-of.html

Child Sex Abuse:

The homeless, alcoholic gay man I met in downtown Portland turned out to be a former prostitute...and child sex abuse survivor -- My Spirt, My Call http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html

Feet Running and Bare: How Lydia Survived Incest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2HhfbyOQqE

Virginia’s Story of Surviving and Healing From Child Sex Abuse. I was also raped on a date at age 22, but I am not able to share that story yet. In addition, I am a survivor of severe, ongoing, emotional domestic violence. I am not yet able to share more than bits and pieces of that story either.

Into the Abyss (http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2014/11/into-abyss.html) is my story of struggling with depression after the end of a relationship. Many survivors of child sex abuse struggle with feeling abandoned and unwanted, feelings that are magnified when relationships end. I wish I knew that 40 years ago. I would have understood better the deep depressions I suffered after the end of every significant romantic relationship I experienced.

Coming To Terms With Date Rape and Child Sex Abuse: I Was "The Sinful Woman" http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2015/06/i-am-sinful-woman-who-washed-jesus-feet.html

My Fifth Memory (Was Being Sexually Abused at Age Four) http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-fifth-memory.html

How I helped myself heal:

How to Journal to Heal from Abuse http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2014/06/how-to-journal-to-heal-from-abuse.html

How I Harmed Myself With My Anger and 9 Ways Gardening Calms Anger: http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-healing-power-of-gardening-or-how.html

How I Harmed Myself With My Anger and 8 Ways Housework Calms Anger:http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-healing-power-of-housework-or-how.html

As a child I had no support from my parents who were struggling with their own issues. I am old enough that society was much less aware of the harmed caused by abuse when I was a child than it is today. I struggled with depression and other issues. I found a measure of healing walking in nature Please note that to truly heal, I still needed insight and relationship and communication skills. To learn these I needed individual therapy, books on the subject of abuse, and classes in Non-Violent Communication and Compassionate Listening. However, walking in nature or in parks in the city both calmed my anxiety and anger and lifted me up when I was sad. Sometimes nature also helped me have better insight about my life.

Larch Mountain Meditation Walk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-GVKiQZLhw

Willamette Esplanade Evening Walk 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2geTM5Ez3E

Healing the Wounds of Abuse Through Nature Meditations: A Walk By Smith and Bybee Lakes http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2015/05/meditation-on-moving-from-victim-to.html

Cheesy Fun in Tillamook http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2014/02/cheesy-fun-in-tillamook.html . Fun is healing.

Lake Ewauna Morning Walk http://compassionategathering.blogspot.com/2014/01/lake-ewauna-morning-walk.html

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Finding Healing From Abuse through walking through fun events and walking in nature:

I am a survivor of child sex abuse and date rape. I struggled with depression, anxiety, and low self esteem for many years until I began working on healing. I found healing through sharing my story in an atmosphere of safety, through learning healthy problem solving and relationship skills, and through learning self calming techniques such as prayer and meditation. Before I learned to pray and meditate, I found peace through walking in nature. Walking is easier for many people than prayer and meditation. Walking moves the body forward, and where the body goes, the mind follows. Moreover, when we walk by a beautiful view such as a waterfall, a sunset or a beach, we provide ourselves with an opportunity for awe. Awe creates a natural feeling of the divine as do prayer and meditation. In addition to calming our anxiety, walking through a Farmer’s Market or similar community event can provide us an opportunity for healthy fun.

As June, the mother who walked across Oregon in 2008, to raise awareness about child abuse says, “When the hard times come, they are easier to take if we have been having fun.”

Compassionate Gathering/Healing is a Sacred Journey works to provide opportunities to share our stories in safety, opportunities to learn healthy relationship skills, opportunities to have healthy fun through walking in fun neighborhoods and community events, and opportunities for a meditative connection to the divine through walking in nature.