Beth Fehlbaum, YA fiction author

Quote from Dr. Herman's book:

"Most survivors seek the resolution of their traumatic experience within the confines of their personal lives. But a significant minority, as a result of the trauma, feel called upon to engage in a wider world. These survivors recognize a political or religious dimension in their misfortune and discover that they can transform the meaning of their personal tragedy by making it the basis for social action. While there is no way to compensate for an atrocity, there is a way to transcend it, by making it a gift to others. The trauma is redeemed only when it becomes the source of a survivor mission."

I can definitely identify with feeling called to engage in a wider world; for me, it is spreading the message that recovery from childhood sexual abuse is VERY POSSIBLE. It is incredibly hard work; the thing that I believe allowed me to move from victim to survivor was realizing how very strong I was to have come through the hell of the recovery journey. Make no mistake: it is something to be undertaken with the guidance of a competent mental health professional and a support system, because it is scary as hell to step out of that shadow. It's also reassuring when one knows one is NOT ALONE and that others are here to say, "I understand, and you matter."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/11/1090657/-Books-That-Changed-My-Life-Trauma-Recovery-by-Judith-Herman-M-D-