54 min
"Prayed Upon" with AMY NORDHUES Speak LOUD
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- Personal Journals
Today's amazing guest is Amy Nordhues. Amy is an author, passionate Christ follower, and a married mother of 3 who became an expert on the healing God provides after suffering sexual abuse at the hands fo a mental health professional. Her book, “Prayed Upon” tells the true story of her escape from the abuse of a respected, Church-going psychiatrist. Amy strives to help other victims understand themselves and know that they're not alone.
Amy first met her psychiatrist 7 years before the abuse started. She had sensed something amiss immediately and had not gone back. Upon finding and falling in love with a church community, where he was one of the elders, Amy found herself sucked in again. Other Church-goers praised the doctor’s work, and when a friend gave Amy her session for free, the grooming had begun.
Amy says that part of her recognized the malpractice right away, but she struggled with an internal monologue that explained away any of the red flags she noticed. Her desire to be polite in front of an authority figure, as well as her history of being abused as a child, had removed the word ‘No’ from her vocabulary.
Amy had confided in a friend from Church about what was happening in her sessions multiple times, but it wasn’t until she decided to speak with her pastor that change began to happen.
The moment that Amy was able to get out of her abusive situation was by having her friend sit with her through the scheduled timeof her therapy, which was now three hours long. The doctor called nine times while her friend manned the phone. When the three hours were over, Amy knew that by not going once she would never go again.
Connecting with others allowed for Amy to see the harsh reality she had been in. Not only was she not alone in her trauma, she was not defective or at fault because of it. Throughout her recovery, Amy re-learned how to be vulnerable and how to connect with her husband and family, a journey that has transformed her married life.
Writing her book, “Prayed Upon” allowed Amy to understand herself. The book took about 7 years, but by putting it on paper, she let herself understand what had happened and forgive herself for not leaving earlier. The book cover, of a bird sitting in a cage with the door open, symbolizes her internal struggle of why she didn’t leave earlier. The book has helped Amy and other women know that, “It’s not just me.”
Listen in to hear Amy’s account of how her experience affected her marriage, what modalities of healing she sought out in recovery, and how her relationship with God facilitated her recovery.
Resources Mentioned
Join Me on Speak Loud Platform
Speak Loud Podcast on the web
Find Amy’s book on her website
Spread the message of Speak Loudly Podcast andshare this episode with a friend!
***Disclaimer: All content found on Speak Loud Podcast, including text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Material contained on Speak Loud Podcast website, podcast, and social media postings are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice. Information on this podcast and guest comments, opinions, and content
Today's amazing guest is Amy Nordhues. Amy is an author, passionate Christ follower, and a married mother of 3 who became an expert on the healing God provides after suffering sexual abuse at the hands fo a mental health professional. Her book, “Prayed Upon” tells the true story of her escape from the abuse of a respected, Church-going psychiatrist. Amy strives to help other victims understand themselves and know that they're not alone.
Amy first met her psychiatrist 7 years before the abuse started. She had sensed something amiss immediately and had not gone back. Upon finding and falling in love with a church community, where he was one of the elders, Amy found herself sucked in again. Other Church-goers praised the doctor’s work, and when a friend gave Amy her session for free, the grooming had begun.
Amy says that part of her recognized the malpractice right away, but she struggled with an internal monologue that explained away any of the red flags she noticed. Her desire to be polite in front of an authority figure, as well as her history of being abused as a child, had removed the word ‘No’ from her vocabulary.
Amy had confided in a friend from Church about what was happening in her sessions multiple times, but it wasn’t until she decided to speak with her pastor that change began to happen.
The moment that Amy was able to get out of her abusive situation was by having her friend sit with her through the scheduled timeof her therapy, which was now three hours long. The doctor called nine times while her friend manned the phone. When the three hours were over, Amy knew that by not going once she would never go again.
Connecting with others allowed for Amy to see the harsh reality she had been in. Not only was she not alone in her trauma, she was not defective or at fault because of it. Throughout her recovery, Amy re-learned how to be vulnerable and how to connect with her husband and family, a journey that has transformed her married life.
Writing her book, “Prayed Upon” allowed Amy to understand herself. The book took about 7 years, but by putting it on paper, she let herself understand what had happened and forgive herself for not leaving earlier. The book cover, of a bird sitting in a cage with the door open, symbolizes her internal struggle of why she didn’t leave earlier. The book has helped Amy and other women know that, “It’s not just me.”
Listen in to hear Amy’s account of how her experience affected her marriage, what modalities of healing she sought out in recovery, and how her relationship with God facilitated her recovery.
Resources Mentioned
Join Me on Speak Loud Platform
Speak Loud Podcast on the web
Find Amy’s book on her website
Spread the message of Speak Loudly Podcast andshare this episode with a friend!
***Disclaimer: All content found on Speak Loud Podcast, including text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Material contained on Speak Loud Podcast website, podcast, and social media postings are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice. Information on this podcast and guest comments, opinions, and content
54 min