Raising Awareness and Helping Shine the Light ~ END Childhood Sexual Abuse (Revised Book Tour)

Join me tonight!
Every child deserves a childhood. Don’t let it be taken away. We have a moral responsibility to stand up for children. Childhood sexual abuse is preventable through awareness and education.

You are not alone

Bell Let’s Talk Day raises more than $7.2M

31 Thursday Jan 2019

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#mentalhealth, Author - Debbie Ehrstien, Bell Let's Talk Day, book, Childhood Sexual Abuse, End Childhood Sexual Abuse, Life, overcoming shame, pain, suicide, suicide note, Supporters, Survivors, The Dissociate: A memoir of secrets and survival of childhood sexual abuse, therapy, treatment, You are not alone

Did you know:

The economic burden of mental illness in Canada is estimated at $51 billion per year. This includes health care costs, lost productivity, and reductions in health-related quality of life.

By the time Canadians reach 40 years of age, 1 in 2 have—or have had—a mental illness

Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada

The disease burden of mental illness is 1.5 times higher than all cancers put together

About 4,000 Canadians per year die by suicide—an average of almost 11 suicides a day

The Dissociate ~ A Memoir of Secrets and Survival of Childhood Sexual Abuse I discuss in Chapter Four my mental illness journey. I share the types of treatment, therapies and doctors that were involved in my road to wellness. I also share an excerpt from a suicide note I wrote on a very dark and painful day I was preparing to take my life. I’m so glad I’m not another statistic and I’m here today to be an advocate for other survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Please remember, you are not alone.

For help, please call

Canada Suicide Prevention Services 1-833-456-4566 Available 24/7

United States Suicide Prevention 1-800-784-2433 Available 24/7

Worldwide contacts: https://thelifelinecanada.ca/help/crisis-centres/worldwide-emergency-numbers/

Every child deserves a childhood ~ Don’t let it be taken away

25 Friday Jan 2019

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#mentalhealth, #stand up for children, #strong, Author - Debbie Ehrstien, Book Signing, Childhood Sexual Abuse, courageous warriors, End Childhood Sexual Abuse, Indigo/Chapters Stores, Supporters, Survivors, The Dissociate: A memoir of secrets and survival of childhood sexual abuse, You are not alone

Every child deserves a childhood. Don’t let it be taken away.
We have a moral responsibility to stand up for children.
Childhood sexual abuse is preventable through awareness and education.

Join me tonight at Chapters, Crowfoot Calgary 6 – 8pm

We have a chance to provide help to our children and stop the hurting

You are not alone

Breaking the Silence

14 Friday Dec 2018

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#mentalhealth, #strong, Author - Debbie Ehrstien, book, Book Signing, break the silence, Childhood Sexual Abuse, courageous warriors, End Childhood Sexual Abuse, gratitude, overcoming shame, Supporters, Survivors, The Dissociate: A memoir of secrets and survival of childhood sexual abuse, truth, You are not alone

Over the past year I received countless messages from men & women (survivors and supporters) from all over the world. I made it a goal to respond to each of you. Thank-you for all the messages and keep up the difficult work of healing. You can do it!

Recently, I received yet another note that touched my heart.

“Debbie Ehrstien’s authentic and unabashed honesty when talking about a topic very close to my heart was inspiring and loving company for me through a period of struggling and healing, and continues to be to this day. Her connection to dance and movement discussed in the book struck me in particular, and I am endlessly thankful that she was brave enough to share her story!” ~ anonymous

Break the silence and start your healing journey today. You’ll soon realize how strong, courageous and spectacular you really are.

You are not alone.

Yoga and the Benefits of Calming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms

19 Friday Oct 2018

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#mentalhealth, Author - Debbie Ehrstien, Brain, Childhood Sexual Abuse, End Childhood Sexual Abuse, Life, Never give up, overcoming shame, PTSD, Survivors, The Dissociate: A memoir of secrets and survival of childhood sexual abuse, You are not alone

Yoga consists of breath (pranayama), postures (asanas) and meditation.

Yoga has been a big part of my continued healing journey. My determination to reconnect my mind and body.

In chapter seven of my book, The Dissociate: A Memoir of Secrets and Survival of Childhood Sexual Abuse I talk about how self-care has helped bring me back into my body.

Yoga Class today was a reminder of my continued work in healing my mind, body and spirit.

I was asked to reach behind and grab my right foot with my right hand. Sounds simple right? I was unable to do this posture. Not because of flexibility but because I didn’t know where my foot was. I began to feel panic. Stress began to surge through my body. I looked behind to ensure I still had a right foot. I know that sounds odd but I had to reassure my mind I was still whole. I then began judging myself. Why is this happening again? Why am I disconnecting my mind and body?

It only lasted a few minutes thanks to some deep cleansing breaths. I began to quiet my mind and quickly I realized that I’m very much a work in progress and that’s okay.

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is the result of great suffering. PTSD can disrupt your whole life ― your job, your relationships, your health and your everyday enjoyment.

But there’s hope.

Do the hard work and don’t give up.

You are not alone.

Namaste