Meet Mary, Resilience Story #6, Filmmaker, Thriver, Resilience Unfolded
Mary was sex-trafficked by her family when she was little. Her parents were also involved in child pornography. “My parents were my pimps, “ she says. “I am an incest survivor and was abused in ritualistic ways, by men and women.” Because of the abuse, she experienced during her childhood, she outlines how she has chronic pain, fibromyalgia. She outlines how she’s also recovered and become healthy.
(Listen to Mary’s interview on Voices of Resilience Radio via RSS.com)
Despite this, Mary has ‘risen from the ashes’ and created a life for herself like no other.
She expresses her lived experiences that ‘should’ have suppressed her in the films she now creates. Indeed, she transforms her voice and memories and displays these as deep, vulnerable, brave narratives into films to be used as sources of inspiration, hope, and meaning for others along their healing journeys’.
How Mary views resilience.
“I see resilience as the set of skills that enable me to do two things; be happy and fulfill my life purpose (which is to help fellow survivors of child abuse).”
Thoughts and beliefs that helped Mary.
“Where was God when I was being abused? He/She was beside me, holding my hand.....and crying.”
Things that helped Mary along her healing journey.
“Yoga, physical therapy, psychotherapy, massage, relaxation tapes, Al-Anon and other support groups, reading books (self-help books at first, but now I read mostly novels), art therapy, dancing alone and with others, hikes, walks, baking, and so many other things!” I have a ‘How I Healed’ list on my website.”
Mary also used a number of resilience factors during her childhood, adolescence, and adulthood to support her to have a better outcome in her life than if she may not have used these forms of resilience. Some of these include engaging with her community, pursuing education, embracing religion, using creativity and music, experiencing pivotal moments, working with metaphors, being with nature, exploring sensuality, and embracing her sexuality. She outlines how she’s used these forms of resilience in more detail in this podcast.
“Think of your recovery as your part-time job. Give yourself credit for the important work you are doing, especially when you are doing something relaxing (like taking a nap) or fun (like finger-painting).”
If you’d like to contact Mary directly, or for a free phone or Zoom call, please click on the following links: