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Linda Litteral is a survivor of incest and rape who used art to heal from the destruction to the body and spirit which comes from physical and sexual abuse. In this courageous memoir, Litteral shares the story of her abuse, spanning eight years of incest perpetrated by her grandfather, a rape she experienced in high school, and physical and verbal violence she suffered at the hands of her first husband. She offers an in-depth psychological profile of the effects of abuse, including silence, shame, invisibility, powerlessness, guilt, and difficulties with trust and identity. She also illustrates how the body remembers abuse through symptomatology like dissociation, anxiety, chronic illness, and other post-traumatic stress responses.

Yet Litteral has done more than survive her past-she's found a way to thrive in the present. She generously catalogs all the healing modalities she has experienced in her decades of undoing the destruction of her past, including talk therapy, meditation, yoga, breathwork, Tai Chi, and somatic-based therapies like acupuncture, EMDR, sacral cranial therapy, and Thought Field Therapy. But it's when Litteral discovers the power of creating and sharing her art that her healing journey begins in earnest. Accompanied by rich full-color images of her art in every chapter, Litteral shares stories about the creation of her pieces, their stunning symbology, and how they aided in her healing journey. Litteral is both an artist and an activist, a fierce champion for survivors, and an unabashed advocate for the healing power of art.
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"Blues musicians describe how you need to have lived the blues to embody them, how music transforms suffering, and raises up freedom for yourself and your community. Linda Litteral does just that in this astonishing compendium of art and writing devoted to healing from incest and abuse."

Helen Redman, Artist

"A clear-eyed examination of life and personal trauma, this book accompanies an artist creating a healing path that cuts directly through pain to build a fulfilling life of generosity and truth. Using her intuition and creativity in navigating and challenging the forces that often pull one towards suffering or despair, Litteral chooses a journey that eventually leads to developing a new language and a new creative purpose. With a spirit of openness and exploration, she manages to speak to and nurture the artist she has always been.

There are many important lessons for all of us in Litteral's self-revelatory journey. One of which is the power of listening to and accepting your own story and the transformative power that comes with pursuing and using your own voice."

Lynn Sucholtz, Artist, Gallery Owner: Art Produce

"Litteral's understanding that the source of violence was not only her grandfather but generations of her family and a broad culture of patriarchal misogyny is uniquely valuable. I recommend this book to all activists engaged in ending violence. That activism includes surviving and making change. A way of using art to teach and inform the journey of one survivor or for us all is shown in this book."

Robert L Bray, PhD, LCSW, CTS, TFT-VT