In Shattered by the Darkness: Putting the Pieces Back Together after Child Abuse author Dr. Gregory Williams shares his dark and horrific childhood of sexual abuse and fifty-year journey of trying to put the pieces of his life back together.
The vital lessons learned in the process of finally stepping out of the emotional darkness and into the light will give you strength to ultimately open the deepest parts of your heart and find the courage to face your own personal darkness. Today is the day to take your life back!
Discover that no matter what abuse, hurt, pain, or betrayal you have experienced, you no longer have to live your life Shattered by the Darkness. This empowering book transforms the silence of shame into a rallying cry for hope and healing.
Learn more in this interview.
Q: Why did you title the book, "Shattered by the Darkness”?
A: Throughout the book I compare the individual characteristics of physical darkness to the emotional darkness that was caused by the abuse of my father. So my "darkness" is revealed in the book as my father.
Q: Why did you wait 35 years before telling the story?
A: Shame. Guilt. Fear, that no one would believe me or understand or accept me after I told them. Abuse creates an unbelievable mind -game inside the head of the victim. I honestly thought everyone would turn away from me and reject me.
Q: So what happened when the truth was revealed?
A: Just the opposite. I have had so many encouraging words of support from family, friends and co-workers. It is absolutely overwhelming the acceptance that I have discovered in telling my true 100% story.
Q: What are you hoping the impact of this book will have on people?
A: First of all, this book has been very therapeutic for me. Just letting other people know the truth and the details about my childhood has been just a life-changer. But the most important impact that I hope this book has is that each reader can relate to something that has been traumatic in their own personal life. Something that has hurt them: an abuse, heartbreak, betrayal, divorce or broken dream…we all have them and then through that realization of their hurt they can turn that negative experience into something positive in their life.
Q: How do you turn a pain, hurt or negative event into something positive in a person's life?
A: This is such an important key to discover. I had to NAME IT. I had to come to the realization that I was abused. When I finally said it and named it and admitted to myself that it DID happen to me. That was the start of healing. But for 35 years I denied it and refused to admit it. After that, healing can begin.
Q: Then after you "name it,” then what?
A: Lots of people just stop there and then let the world label them as damaged goods. But that's not enough. After you NAME IT, then you have to CLAIM IT and start working on a process to begin to believe that this hurt or heartbreak wasn't the victim's fault. I honestly thought for all these years it was MY FAULT that I was abused. That is the biggest misconception ever. But when we NAME IT and then realize that we had nothing to do with the cause of it in our lives…then you can enter into the third part of the process.
Q: What exactly is the third part of the process?
A: After we NAME IT, confront the fact that we have a traumatic, hurtful event in our life. Then we CLAIM IT; face it and understand that we didn't cause it to happen to use. We aren't the blame. Then the third step of the process is to HEAL IT. We have to get enough courage to find something to help us heal. For me, it was telling the story. Journaling, writing, or finding someone that you can really trust to start discussing it. When we start talking about it, healing immediately begins. That is why I named my daily radio program, "Breaking the Silence.” That makes all the difference in the healing process.
About the Author:
Dr. Gregory Williams is on the Administrative Leadership Team at Baylor College of Medicine's OB/GYN Department located in the Texas Children's Hospital at the heart of the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. He has a PhD in counseling and is a well-known speaker and teacher.
Book Signings:
Tuesday, February 19th – 6:00 pm
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
1029 W. Bay Area Blvd.
Webster, TX 77598
(281) 554-8224
Thursday, March 7 – 6:30 pm
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
3003 West Holcombe Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77025
(713) 349-0701
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