Hope Has the Last Word: A Survivor’s Guide to Healing, Hope, and Resilience

Carrying the Light: A Survivor's Guide to Healing, Hope, and Resilience is a deeply personal and empowering journey from trauma to transformation. Born in Stoughton and raised in Brockton, the author endured childhood sexual abuse that left scars invisible to the world but heavy on her heart. Through raw storytelling, reflections, and practical guidance, she shares her path from silence to strength, offering hope to adult survivors of abuse. This book blends memoir with self-help, taking readers through every stage of her life—from the playful, city-girl innocence of childhood to the heavy struggles of adolescence and early adulthood, to the breaking points that forced her to face her pain. With honesty and compassion, she reveals how therapy, support, inner child work, and self-compassion helped her reclaim her voice, find purpose, and transform her pain into service for others as a therapist and peer specialist. With reflection questions at the end of each chapter, practical tools for healing, and guidance for loved ones of survivors, Carrying the Light is both a roadmap and a companion. It is a testament to resilience, a call to action for healing, and a reminder that hope truly has the last word. Whether you are a survivor seeking understanding, a loved one hoping to provide support, or someone on the path to reclaiming your own story, this book will inspire courage, compassion, and the belief that thriving is possible—even after trauma.