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If I had a magic wand, I would wave away the very natural and usual resistance we have about healing from our childhood sexual abuse. I know how it can hold us down while trying to make us feel steady, but I also know the gifts that come with each step we take. When we quit avoiding so we can update the information trapped in our experience, we are empowered.

I wish I was a fairy godmother equal to Cinderella’s, waving my wand so every survivor could ride their own pumpkin carriage to the other side of healing, feeling confident they would be going to the glitter and joy of their authentic selves.

Cinderella’s reward for daring to imagine there was more came with the perfect fit of a glass slipper. It took her to love and a future of promise. We also have glass slippers waiting for us. Each one will be a perfect fit when we are on the other side of healing.

During our abuse, we accepted any shoes that helped us survive the journey. They got us out of that time, but they took us to destinations that very often don’t feel like a good fit. It can be the way we eat, days that are too busy, circumstances that overwhelm, jobs that diminish, and love that hurts. These ill-fitting shoes often took us to beliefs about trust, self-esteem, and happiness that twist our choices.

Healing asks us to take those shoes off and walk barefoot on paths that reveal our experience so we are empowered by information and understanding. Only then can we slip on the glass slipper that feels like a perfect fit so we can dance with life without blisters.

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