Secrets from my past and forgotten traumas ruled my life for years. These secrets drove me into alcohol and drug abuse, as well as other self-destructive behaviors. I did not understand what was going on inside of me.In order to survive I had to uncover what I had so carefully buried. This is the true story of my recovery journey from both childhood sexual abuse and the dysfunctional family dynamics that aggravated it. My family blamed me for my difficulties, and sometimes the trauma threatened to overwhelm me, but I found something inside of me that refused to give up. I studied psychology and counseling and I eventually learned to talk about rather than suppress my feelings. This gave me relief from the crushing pain inside of me.Now, after thirty years of healing and recovery, I am sharing my story with the hope it might help and inspire others.Recovery is possible.