“Writing has been a catalyst to health. As a child I didn’t have language for what was happening to me.” Kathryn Walczyk, 61, lives with a more…… Read more “Survivor Story: Kathryn Walczyk”
Author: Erin ODonnell
Courageous Conversation: Abuse Survivors Can Heal—and Thrive—in the Aftermath of Trauma
The more our communities understand about trauma, the more likely we are to help survivors of experiences such as clergy sexual abuse achieve healing and post-traumatic growth.…… Read more “Courageous Conversation: Abuse Survivors Can Heal—and Thrive—in the Aftermath of Trauma”
Awake Synod Sessions Will Ensure that Victim-Survivors and Advocates Are Heard
When Kathy Ann Coll learned about the 2021-2023 Synod on Synodality called by Pope Francis, she was eager to take part. The synod is designed to engage…… Read more “Awake Synod Sessions Will Ensure that Victim-Survivors and Advocates Are Heard”
3 Tools that Can Help Victim-Survivors Heal
Editor’s Note: This week we revisit a 2020 post describing treatment modalities that can be beneficial for trauma recovery. In the aftermath of sexual abuse, many victim-survivors…… Read more “3 Tools that Can Help Victim-Survivors Heal”
Survivor Story: Michael Koplinka-Loehr
“Talking about these things in a place where you’re profoundly understood is a gift in the healing process.” Editor’s note: This week we’re honored to share the…… Read more “Survivor Story: Michael Koplinka-Loehr”
Awake Welcomes Five New Members to Its Board of Directors
Awake Milwaukee is pleased to share terrific news: we recently doubled the size of our Board of Directors, welcoming five new directors this spring. “The Lord has…… Read more “Awake Welcomes Five New Members to Its Board of Directors”
Awake Observes Lent by Walking the Way of the Cross with Survivors
Last week Awake Milwaukee held a moving Way of the Cross that recalled Jesus’s final hours, marking the stations with heartfelt reflections written by victim-survivors of sexual…… Read more “Awake Observes Lent by Walking the Way of the Cross with Survivors”
Why Do Victim-Survivors Sometimes Forget Their Abuse?
This week we revisit a post we originally published in June 2020, which explores the experience of “dissociation” in the aftermath of trauma. When survivors of sexual…… Read more “Why Do Victim-Survivors Sometimes Forget Their Abuse?”
What Structural Factors Contribute to Abuse in the Catholic Church?
Some in the Catholic community believe that the sexual abuse crisis in the Church is solely the result of a few “bad apples,” or the acts of…… Read more “What Structural Factors Contribute to Abuse in the Catholic Church?”
Awake is Launching a New Blog Series on Survivor Stories. Here’s Why.
When Awake Milwaukee was established in 2019, we quickly realized how much we had to learn about the experiences of victim-survivors of abuse in the Catholic Church.…… Read more “Awake is Launching a New Blog Series on Survivor Stories. Here’s Why.”
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