Catherine is a victim of child sex abuse, and as it often happens with children, she grew up believing it was her fault. There were times when she tried to warn her parents about her contact with pornography but they often dismissed her claims. Later, as an adolescent, her internalized shame and distorted self-image - one that shouted ‘you are ugly, dirty, and chronically bad,’ - pushed her towards self-harming behavior. 

Being a pastor’s daughter, she felt that her family had to serve as an example of what it means to be Christian, which often meant keeping a façade of perfection and righteousness even in the face of pain. Her mother struggled with depression although this was never discussed at home. 

In this episode, Catherine shares her story publicly for the first time - including her suicide attempts. She talks about how she went from wanting to end it all, including a recent attempt after being sexually assaulted in 2018, to becoming a counselor who helps others process their traumas and find healing. What helped her? This is one of the questions I asked during the interview. 

Watch this interview on my YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/kOpnzau7tt0 

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Find my book "Understanding suicide: living with loss, paths to prevention"

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