Incest AWARE

 

August Newsletter

 

Learn about it. Talk about it.
End it.

In This Issue:

  • Incest AWARE Board Member Spotlight

  • OutSPOKEN Discussion Series (next event is August 11 - register now!)

  • Incest AWARE YouTube Channel

  • Summer Hiatus

  • Healing Through Reading

Incest AWARE Board Member Spotlight

This month we’d like to introduce board member Jane Epstein, creator of the website Complicatedcourage.com. As a survivor of sibling sexual abuse, Jane’s journey has her focused on sharing her story via podcast interviews and a memoir and children’s book that are forthcoming. Her mission is to remove the shame for SSA survivors and let them know they are not alone — someone in the world is waiting to hear their story.

What brought you to Incest AWARE?

Suzanne Isaza. She is persuasive, she believes in me, and I am so grateful she did. We need a prevention village, and I have no desire to save the world alone. I have made lifelong friendships with this organization, and I believe we can make a difference.

What do you envision and hope for survivors of incest abuse?

When I first began sharing my story, I googled “sibling sexual abuse,” only to find one or two outdated sites, leading me to believe I was alone. Ever since that day, I have been searching for others. My passion, work, and life mission are to bring awareness of the staggering statistics of SSA, a largely ignored segment of sexual abuse, and make body safety conversations between parents and children an everyday conversation. I also hope to find other survivors of sibling sexual abuse and let them know they are not alone, creating a platform for them.

What is your go-to self-nourishing activity or routine?

I have always been an avid exerciser.  I began as a runner, and I tried to outrun my trauma and my grief. It does not work, by the way. But then I accidentally walked into a studio with these strange carriages and asked, “What is this?” It was a Lagree Fitness Studio. It’s an intense workout that is low intensity, where you move slowly to activate the slow-twitch muscles. I absolutely love it. But Lagree snuck up on me. Because of the slow movements and the mind/body connection, I found healing. I loved it so much I became an instructor to get used to being seen and heard. When COVID hit, our studio closed, but I called Sebastien Lagree and ordered a carriage for home use. I use it every single day. I also walk my dog twice a day, which is when I catch up on my audiobooks and mental processing.

 

Do you have a favorite hobby?

A favorite hobby of mine is reading books. I love reading to learn, memoirs, and fiction. I am known to be reading two or three books at once—one on audio, one for leisure, and one before bed. 


(Keep scrolling through this newsletter for more about reading as bibliotherapy!)

COMPLICATED COURAGE

OutSPOKEN Discussion Series

Each month, through our OutSPOKEN Discussion Series, we feature advocates, survivors, therapists, professionals, and others who are speaking up about incest. Mark your calendars and be sure to pre-register for these upcoming talks. Recordings of past OutSPOKEN events can be accessed here or on our new YouTube Channel (more about that in this newsletter).

August 11, 2021

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

via Zoom

Register here (or button below)

 

This month we’ll discuss one of the most hidden and misunderstood forms of incest: Sibling Sexual Abuse 

 

Brad Watts, LPC

A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (CSOTP), Brad specializes in working with families where sibling sexual abuse has occured. He conducts trainings with communities and groups about how to recognize and respond to incidents of sibling sexual abuse. His book, “Sibling Sexual Abuse: A Guide for Confronting America’s Silent Epidemic” addresses why it’s important for everyone in all communities to get involved and participate in an open conversation about the dangers of sibling sexual abuse and what can be done to encourage hope and healing for families impacted by it.

 

September OutSPOKEN Talk

Thursday, September 30, 2021

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

Registration and details to come 

 

Dr. Andrea Duwel, #IamRemarkable facilitator will be our guest speaker in September. #IamRemarkable is a global initiative empowering everyone to celebrate their achievements. For details and to pre-register, check next month’s newsletter, our website, or email us at incestaware@gmail.com.  

REGISTER HERE

Incest AWARE YouTube Channel

We’ve just put together a YouTube Channel! Currently we are posting recordings of past OutSPOKEN talks. Bookmark our channel as we hope to add more content.

Also, don’t forget to join our Facebook Group! We’ve created a private group where incest survivors and advocates have an opportunity to not only stay informed of the latest and relevant news and events, but to also have a safe space in which to connect with others. 

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Summertime Hiatus

You may have noticed that our Facebook group was a little quieter than usual last month. Our board members and group facilitators were on hiatus, doing some very important work in stillness and self-care. In fact, we have decided that Incest AWARE will take a retreat in July and December each year to rest, rejuvenate, and restore our purpose and pleasure in our work to create and sustain safe spaces, especially for children.

We know as survivors and supporters how much we must prioritize self-care to honor the rhythms of our nervous systems and remain attuned to our best and truest selves within a collective of care. If you are in need of community and help during these times, please refer to the For Survivors section of our website.

Healing Through Reading

There is no doubt in the power of a good book. Literature can transform us and reading can play a powerful and meaningful role in the healing process. There’s even a word for it -- bibliotherapy! Whether it’s a thriller, biography, fantasy or self-improvement book that we’re engaged in, reading can help by: 

  • Developing an enhanced level of self-awareness and/or problem-solving skills

  • Improving our ability to communicate

  • Encouraging and helping us to feel connected, uplifted, hopeful, and contented

  • Learning more about how to tackle a challenge on our own

  • Or simply by allowing us to transport our brain away from the worries and stressors that have been occupying our minds, and experience a world outside of our own!

 

So, we post this question to our Incest AWARE community: Are there any book(s) that were/are meaningful in your healing process and/or advocacy work?

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