37. Healing From an Act of Violence • Forgiving Your Perpetrator – Jackie Shea Healing Out Loud with Jackie Shea

Megan Boler, Wife, Mother, Teacher,

Megan's Story:

Twenty years ago, on a beautiful Monday afternoon in Portland, Oregon,  Megan was violently attacked and sexually assaulted by a stranger. It was luck that saved her life, but the emotional wounds carried on for years to follow. In this episode, Megan bravely shares her story and the tools she used to navigate this random act of violence. Today, in her big, full life, she is free from the power he had over her, and she has come to a place of total forgiveness.



Interested in forgiving your perpetrator? If you want to contact Megan please write to me first and I will put you in touch

Weekly Challenge:

This is straight from Megan’s toolbox: Write a fear list and then (plot-twist) write a gratitude list twice as long! I love this challenge. I always say that I don’t “gratitude-list my way out of feelings,” but I use them to get a more balanced view of reality. When our fears are raging, we often lose sight of what’s real—gratitude can help. Give it a try and tell me what you think.



Follow me @sheajackie for weekly challenge updates.

Discussed in this episode:



Acts of Violence

Sexual assault

Trusting your Instincts

Adrenaline/ shock

PTSD

fear

Therapy

Self-judgment / negative self-talk

Asking for help

How to identify your feelings

Writing

Grief

Forgiving your perpetrator

Walking through the pain

Acceptance

Anger and how to let it out

Expressing feelings in a productive way

Dating after sexual and physical trauma



Resources Mentioned:



Gratitude 

Hal Elrod



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Other episodes like this;

- Latisha Singletary Life After Parlysis victim of random act of violence.