braveandrecklessblog

Voices of Survival

When I started Brave and Reckless in October of 2016, one of my first decisions was to write bravely and recklessly about my history of trauma, my ongoing struggles with PTSD and depression, and my journey to a stronger, more integrated self.  In essence, to value my truths over other people’s comfort, which I spent far too long doing earlier in my life.

Over the months I hosted and reblogged many inspiring and powerful pieces from other “voices of survival” as I have come to think of them and have done my best to promote those voices when I find them.  As time went by, and Brave and Reckless grews, I started wondering if was time to create space on WordPress to house and put a spotlight on some of the amazing voices I have encountered here, the voices of women and men who are survivors of sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and other types of trauma, or who are living with mental illness.

My dear friend Stephen Fuller of The Rilke Project and I had originally considered making this part of the Go Dog Go Café, but the more I thought about it, the more it became clear to me that there are enough warrior voices to warrant a unique site operating under the same values of support, respect and inclusion as the Go Dog Go community.  Kindra Austin, Aurora Phoenix and 1 Wise-Woman embraced this vision and on June 12, 2017 we launched Blood Into Ink  with writers Dom The Blogger, Rachel Finch and Jessica Boyles. Over the months, Blood Into Ink’s founding members have welcomed Allie Nelson, John W. Leys, and Nathan McCool to the Collective as well and have had the honor of posting pieces from an amazing roster of guest writers.  The Collective has also welcomed Sarah Doughty, who quickly become a valued member of the editorial team.

As 2017 comes to a close, I am filled with gratitude for my fierce, brave, loving and generous Blood Into Ink family. They affirm every day that there is space on WordPress for powerful and empowering. deeply human and deeply moving trauma writing.  We are survival warriors fighting our daily demons and Blood Into Ink  provides a space where we all can rest our heads when the battles are bloody, laugh and cry with friends and share our successes, which are many.

Peace and Light,

Christine

 

Posted in Blood Into InkTagged , , , , , , , , 31 Comments

31 thoughts on “Voices of Survival”

  2. Thank goodness for your foresight, your courage and your dream to build a ‘family’ which is growing at an impressive speed. I follow Blood to Ink already and have been moved by the writings there. x

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          3. Sometimes I have a tendency to cross that invisible line sometimes it’s not so pretty sometimes it is,but thats how my blog and my writing is,if I stepped on your toes I apologize but you see this is also life,there’s always a risk,I just figured if your hanging out with Kindra there got to be some great chemistry going on,As Sheldon Always

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          4. Sheldon, I accept the risk when I choose to put myself out here publicly. I am also deeply aware that miscommunication can happen when we can’t hear tone of voice or read facial expressions. I do hang out with Kindra and she and I have great chemistry. However, I don’t know you at all and the comment you left on a post about a site for trauma survivors was at best was baffling, whatever you intended. This isn’t a matter of you stepping on my toes– this is a matter of you appearing to trivialize trauma and survival and then rationalize it when I called you on it, making it seem like I was being touchy and over-sensitive. Not cool.

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