Healing from child abuse

Welcome to this page on healing from child abuse. Here you will find a range of resources to help yourself or others to heal from painful beginnings to life. I will keep adding to this page regularly, so check back from time to time to see what’s new. I hope you find it helpful.

The healing journey

Jodi-Anne Smith – Healing from painful beginnings and child abuse: an overview (36:05 mins) Text version

Jodi-Anne Smith – How do we heal from child abuse? (12:39 mins) Text version

Jodi-Anne Smith – What does it mean to be free of the past? (10:02 mins) Text version

The impacts of child abuse

Gabor Mate – how childhood trauma leads to addiction (9:09 mins)

Lissa Rankin – Loneliness: The #1 public health issue doctors aren’t talking about (19:37 mins)

Nadine Burke Harris – How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime (15:50 mins)

Jodi-Anne Smith – What are the impacts of abuse on children and their lives as adults? (50:06 mins) Text Version

Overcoming depression

Depression is very common and nothing to be ashamed of. There is much you can do to support yourself as you rest, strengthen and heal. Below is some information to assist you with this.

Jodi-Anne Smith – How do you move through depression and find peace? (16:38 mins) Text version

Jodi-Anne Smith – What to do when you feel broken? (10:10 mins)Text version

Stephen Ildari – depression is a disease of civilisation (22:20 mins) Summary of recommendations

Overcoming fear and anxiety

Fear and anxiety are common if you have suffered from a painful beginning. Your body has all the buried emotions and trauma inside and this shows up as fear and anxiety. Your nervous system is locked in fight, flight or freeze, making it difficult for you to relax and enjoy life. To heal you need to transform the emotional pain, release the trauma and calm your nervous system. Thankfully I can show you how to do this.

Jodi-Anne Smith – How do you free yourself from fear? (23:12 mins) Text version

Jodi-Anne Smith – Why do we fear rejection so much? (5:07 mins) Text version

Dr David Berceli – shake and relieve anxiety (8:49 mins)

Overcoming emotional abuse

Jodi-Anne Smith – How do we heal from emotional abuse? (13:58 mins) Text version

Overcoming childhood sexual abuse

Jodi-Anne Smith – How do we heal from childhood sexual abuse? Part 1 (19:41 mins) Text version

Jodi-Anne Smith – How do we heal from childhood sexual abuse? Part 2 (20:10 mins) Text version

Jodi-Anne Smith – How do we heal from childhood sexual abuse? Part 3 (22:26 mins) Text version

overcoming financial abuse

Another type of abuse is financial abuse where a person is taken advantage of and controlled through limiting access to their finances. Here is a link to a useful website explaining what financial abuse is and ways to break free of it.

Overcoming domestic abuse

Sadly, many people who have been abused as a child end up in relationships where they continue to be abused. Addiction is often a factor fuelling the violence. Here is a link to a useful website explaining how to heal from domestic abuse and associated addiction issues. There is more information about understanding and healing from addiction available on my webpage dedicated to that topic.

Healing resources

Respond SA / Relationships Australia download – It’s Not Your Fault – men talk about living beyond the effects of child sexual abuse.

Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (ASCA) download – The Morris Centre’s Survivor to thriver – manual and workbook for adult survivors of child abuse who want to move on with life.

ASCA download – Joan Spears ‘Can I trust my memory: a handbook for survivors with partial or no memories of childhood sexual abuse’.

Healing Support Services

There are a wide range of government and non-government organisations that offer free support for those that have experienced child abuse. Please reach out and get the support you need. The below are links to services in Australia, but similar services will be available in many countries. Check with your Doctor/GP to find out details of what is available in your area or google ‘Help Lines’ and your country.

National Centre of Excellence for Complex Trauma (Blue Knot Foundation): Helpline 1300 657 380
National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence, Counselling Service (1800RESPECT): Helpline 1800 737 732
Beyond Blue: Helpline 1300 224 636
Headspace (12-25 yrs): Helpline 1800 650 890
Kids Help line: 1800 551 800

Jodi-Anne’s book on healing from child abuse

In 2011 Jodi-Anne published a book about her healing journey. She explained the process of healing from child abuse using examples from throughout her life. There are many stages to work through and much that has to be learned so that you can release conditioning, create effective boundaries, and have healthy relationships with yourself and others. It takes time and effort to change negative self-beliefs and release buried emotions and trauma. Doing this helps your body to transition from fight or flight into peace and harmony.

The book contains her story but also advice on self help techniques you can use to support yourself on your journey. It also contains appendices showing how she used art and dream analysis as healing tools. Jodi-Anne recommends these techniques to all as they are very powerful.

The book can be purchased online as an e-book or a paperback book. (Once the page opens click on the drop-down menu at the bottom of the page to show the price in your currency).

It is her hope that this book helps others to progress more quickly along their healing journey, that through her sharing they understand the process and feel inspired to take action. You truly can break free of the past. It is possible and it is so worth it!