Esme

Invisibilized Esme

Feeling guilty for her participation in incest since the age of five, Esme grows up believing she was complicit and therefore responsible for what happened to her. Throughout her life, she attempts to gain absolution for her sins and resolution for her inner struggles, but her profound sense of shame prevents her from seeking the help she needs. Now, as a middle-aged woman escaping from a marriage to a narcissist, Esme falls into a dark hole of depression and self loathing. She desperately tries to sew the severed pieces of her life together. But first, she must respond to the unanswered cries of the wounded child within her. A written letter to a counsellor provides the sense of safety and becomes the avenue for her healing. Through the full disclosure of her sordid activities of self-destruction, Esme gains understanding and compassion for herself. She gains insights into the faulty thinking that led to her tormented self-identity. This true story of self-discovery is a must read for those who seek to understand the seeds of self-harm and the importance of acceptance in the healing process. Esme's letter tells a story of perseverance and gives hope to those who seek peace after fractured childhoods.