Complex Childhood Trauma wrecked my formative years. If you don’t know, Complex Childhood Trauma is just a fancy way of saying that the most important developmental years of my childhood were riddled with traumatic events. One after another after another.
Witnessing drug-addiction. Mental Health Episodes. Domestic Violence. Divorce. Experiencing neglect. Sexual abuse. The death of my infant brother, and more.
All before I turned twelve.
My tiny body and young mind were in a constant state of unrest-never knowing what to expect and never having the opportunity to feel, to develop into a unique individual-never having my needs met or any sense of security.
That’s me. On the bike. The trailer behind me is where I learned that escape is always safer than being allowing myself to be seen.
My experiences having a mentally-unwell mother, who was also addicted to drugs, impacted how I viewed the world, and how I saw myself.
As a young adult, I buried the pain that I carried from witnessing domestic violence, enduring sexual abuse, losing a sibling, and physical/emotional neglect.
I was a young person set on making it out in the world on my own, my own way, without help and without allowing anyone to get close to me. I was ashamed of where I came from, and who I had become.
.
I am now an adult in the middle of healing from my childhood, as I thrive in the life that I have created, by God’s unique and incredible unmerited Grace.
I am 16 years sober, free from drugs, and have also chosen to steer clear of alcohol- just to be safe. I battle depression, and anxiety, and am learning shame resilience more and more every single day.
I went to college late, had a couple of incredible kids, married my best friend, wrote a couple of books, and have dedicated my life to breaking the patterns that I carry from my upbringing and the cycles that have literally plagued my family-destroying what it was, ripping it apart to nothing but dysfunction, distant connection, and empty, estranged relationships.
My name is Brittany L. Shelton. I am an encourager. I am not quiet. I am not a victim. And I am not sorry for telling my story.
There is still so much that I don’t know, and that’s alright with me. What I do know is that we have choices. We aren’t obligated to honor a sick, unhealthy, old way of living. We don’t have to ask permission to live, to change, or to start over. We don’t have to have everyone’s acceptance in order to say, “Ya know what, I am done living this way. It’s time for me to grow.”
So please, take a look around.
Read the blog, check out where my books are available.
Reach out to me personally if you’d like.
I am happy you are here, and I know that whatever you are fighting- you can defeat.
God said he came to give us abundant life- and He meant it.
