We came alone, or with a friend, emptied our bank accounts to do so. We came for something that couldn't be explained but felt oddly familiar. No two stories were alike, and yet they all seemed connected.

Sexual abuse is a betrayal of a relationship that was once trustworthy. And real healing can only take place in the context of a relationship that is again safe, understanding, and trustworthy.

The good news is that services provided by organizations such as Crittenton can help people turn their lives around and interrupt the cycle of parents passing on their high ACE scores to their children.

Some alarming data from a recent pilot study of Crittenton clients show that, compared with a general population, teen and young mothers suffer up to seven times the levels of child abuse and other maltreatment. This explains why they become addicted, pregnant or drop out of school.

I began working with NET for the sole purpose of finding out why I had been unable to remove and keep off my excess body weight. Essentially, what I found was that the repression of emotions is a survival mechanism held in place through addiction.

The health of our youth, today and into their futures, can be protected. We can prevent the diseases and disabilities that result from childhood adversity and trauma.

Violence, control, fear and abuse thrive in silence. Merely aging doesn't make this pain diminish. In fact, it often gets stronger and louder.