Healing Shame

<div>This episode takes a deep dive into healing the shame of childhood sexual abuse.</div> <div> </div> <div>National expert Beverly Engel is Melanie’s guest as the two of them explore some of the many unhealthy consequences of shame. An acclaimed advocate for victims of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, Beverly’s a psychologist and best-selling author who’s published 22 books, including four bestsellers on emotional abuse.</div> <div> </div> <div>Her most recent book is <em>Freedom at Last: Healing the Shame of Childhood Sexual Abuse</em>.</div> <div> </div> <div>Even though the subject matter may feel dark and heavy, the reality is that millions of people, both men and women, suffer deeply from the shame of having been sexually abused as children.</div> <div> </div> <div>And that shame can become an insidious self-saboteur, holding you hostage, never allowing you to live a full, rich life.</div> <div> </div> <div>There are many, often hidden, negative health consequences of having experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA). As Beverly writes:</div> <div> </div> <div>“<em>CSA survivors have a significantly higher risk of medical, psychological, behavioral, interpersonal, and social difficulties. Systemic reviews have also specifically established that CSA is a risk factor for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociative patterns, sexual problems, relationship problems, sexual exploitation, intimate partner violence, suicidality, substance abuse, eating disorders, and educational difficulties. But all those effects and risk factors pale in comparison to one particular consequence of child sexual abuse—shame.”</em></div> <div> </div> <div>The very good news is that there is so much hope and healing possible, which is what the focus of the show is really all about.</div> <div> </div> <div>Bad things happen to very good people. When you understand how much can be done to heal the shame of those early childhood wounds, your life will change for the better, in ways you may not even be a