My guest, Vennie Kocsis, joins me on this episode of the podcast to discuss this particular aspect of how trauma manifests itself in our lives.
Vennie is an author, artist, poetry writer, and survivor survivor of Sam Fife’s Move of God cult. My creativity is the therapy by which I have survived the memories of my childhood abuse. There are many caves where memories hide out, and I intend to travel them all in this lifetime. I am raw. I am flawed. I am open and here without shame, to tell the true story of my own childhood. I write to survive, and I write for those who cannot find the words to tell their own story. Most of all, I write for those who cannot express it. For you, I give my heart and all of my tender parts.
I first met Vennie several years ago, through Twitter, and almost immediately we hit it off as friends and fellow survivors. Our mutual respect for each other as survivors and being willing to share so openly about our struggles, helped form a lasting bond of friendship that I value so much.
Her insight into the world of surviving some of the most horrific abuse imaginable has helped her in using her voice and talents to reach a huge audience with a message of hope and resilience. A message of finding ways to tell your story, and not be ashamed in asking for help. To that end, not being ashamed to admit that she is still a work in progress, as we all are on our own journeys. She uses her book, Cult Child, her art and poetry to convey what's in her heart both now and when she was experiencing the trauma first hand.
It's real, it's raw, it's vulnerable, and it's all about not being ashamed of who she is and the message that she has for the world.
In this podcast we cover topics related to food and survivors:
Self Shame with how, when, and what we eat.
Why dieting doesn't work for us
Reparenting ourselves when it comes to food
Moderation
Lifestyle Changes
and more!
As you listen to the show, we hope that you'll feel validated and encouraged with the realization that you are not alone. The struggles of looking at ourselves in the mirror each day can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be that way for the rest of your life. Making small changes in our lifestyle and a conscious effort to give ourselves a break for a change, can be just the ticket towards finding that self-love and acceptance that's been absent in our lives for so long.
This is the first in a series of how trauma manifests itself in adulthood, so be sure and watch for future episodes on other topics of being a survivor.
You can learn more about Vennie, her book "Cult Child", check out her poetry and artwork, on VennieKocsis.com. Be sure and follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as well, @VennieKocsis.