Sunday, November 11, 2012

Beyond The Tears, A True Survivor's Story Book Review

Lord, give me the right words to let Lynn Tolson know how much I appreciate her courage in sharing her story of incest, domestic violence, mental illness, addiction and then the sharing of her healing from all of those. Lynn C. Tolson is the author of the book Beyond the Tears, A True Survivor's Story. Because of the brutal honesty that Lynn uses to share her story, Beyond the Tears is not an easy read. If you are a survivor, I am putting a Trigger Warning on this book. The compassion that I feel for the child that Lynn was and the adult that she is now are beyond measure. As her title says, Lynn is a true survivor. Lynn Tolson has my admiration for what she has survived and my gratitude for writing and sharing her story of abuse, both physical and emotional.

Lynn Tolson is a survivor that I met on Twitter sometime over the past four years. I have wanted to read her book for sometime. I want to do justice to Lynn and her book. I have been having trouble writing this review and I have been working on getting my words and feelings about this book down on paper for several weeks now. Why? Because I am afraid that I won't do her book justice with my review. Reading Lynn's book was intense and caused me to numb my feelings several times while I was reading it because I am just beginning to look at my own Domestic Violence issues from my childhood. Suicide is something else that I struggle to understand. My emotions were all over the place when I was reading Lynn Tolson's book.

Beyond the Tears begins the first chapter with Lynn attempting suicide and ending up in a mental ward of a nearby hospital when she survives the attempt. Lynn's father who incested her when she was a child died from his own sucide attempt so Lynn says she was following in her father's footsteps with her own suicide attempt. I am very glad that she did not succeed, like her father did. The hospital counselor didn't do much to help Lynn but she didn't give up. With the help of a therapist trained in helping trauma victims, Lynn was able to start her healing journey which she shares in her book.

Lynn's journey to healing will inspire other survivors who are just starting out on their own journey to healing. Ms Tolson is a true survivor who has been through the Hell of anxiety, depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to become a survivor. I am amazed at the  amount of abuse that some children and adults survive. Lynn Tolson nearly didn't. Beyond the Tears, A True Survivor's Story is Lynn's story of that survival and healing from childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence. Again, thank you Lynn Tolson for sharing your book.

Here is the link to Lynn Tolson's book and blog:

http://beyondthetears.blogspot.com

Thank you Lynn Tolson for sharing your story of courage and survival and for reaching out and helping other survivors to heal.
Patricia

6 comments:

Beyond the tears said...

Thank you Patricia for reading and reviewing Beyond the Tears. Reading about these topics is not easy, but then you get to the hope and healing. Love and Light, Lynn

Patricia Singleton said...

Lynn, you are very welcome. Incest, domestic violence, addiction, mental illness and suicide should not be easy topics to read about or to talk about. We all need awareness in order to send love and light to the children and adults that these abuses have happened to so that they can begin to heal. As more survivors, like you and I, start to talk about their abuse, we will stop child abuse from happening with future generations of children. No one protected us. We will change that.

Jeremy Norton said...

Hi, I am looking forward to reading this book. Although what happened was a tragedy, she still did not give up and will serve as an inspiration for woman and men alike. I know I will learn a lot from reading this.

Patricia Singleton said...

Jeremy, Lynn Tolson's book is about true courage in healing from child abuse and domestic violence. I do recommend reading it.

Melvin Wells said...

I don't know how I came on your site, but after I have read your article "Beyond The Tears, A True Survivor's Story Book Review" well it is true most people go around the subject when it handle about child abuse and domestic violence, but the hard reality is that it exist and more that we all think. I think if there is something about child abuse and domestic violence, we must have the courage to talk about it, and only that will help to stop or lower this kind of crime inn our human society,

Patricia Singleton said...

Melvin, I believe there are no accidents. For whatever brought you here, I thank you for your presence and your comment. Awareness is the only way we can realize that change is needed and has to happen. Thanks for stopping by. You are welcome any time.