PTSD is REAL Living Through & Beyond Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is real, but it is also treatable. From self-love and acceptance to constructing a post-trauma identity that is empowered while identifying and connecting with your new post-trauma family, childhood domestic violence/abuse and kidnapping/hostage survivor, Michelle Renee, shares her insights, challenges, tips, tools and successes with individuals and groups across the country.
Mental health issues such as depression and PTSD related to child abuse, community violence/violent crime, domestic violence, natural disasters and war have created a global mental health crisis. At least one in 10, or about 6 million people, in the US alone have a serious emotional disturbance. Left untreated mental health issues such as PTSD can worsen and become debilitating.
Running away at age 15 never receiving the help she needed to heal the wounds of her childhood, Michelle was faced with full blown PTSD after the violent home invasion kidnapping of her and her seven year-old daughter. At age 35 Michelle chose to heal her life as she and her daughter embarked on a 2.5 year journey in trauma therapy focusing on CBT techniques and alternative healing practices such as art, yoga, meditation, and what Michelle calls getting back to the basiscs.
Today she is an outspoken and respected family advocate for the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress Network and Children's Hospital Chadwick Center for Families. She speaks candidly about her struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder related issues due to childhood domestic violence and abuse, and the violent kidnapping of her daughter and her that forced her to confront it all.
Her debut memoir, Held Hostage was released as a Lifetime movie January 2, 2010; a project she served as Assoc. Producer and Creative Consulant on ensuring the depiction of mental health, PTSD and healing after enduring violent crime were raw and honest. Michelle and her daughter's story was also a CBS special in May 2009. Their story takes a sometimes harsh yet heart felt look into the realities of mental illness after surviving violence, child abuse and trauma and how healing and discovering your "better than ever" is possible.
Michelle's mental health presentations include several pieces of post trauma art that sheds light and hope and brings insight to the mental health crisis in our society today. Michelle's annual event, Rock To Stop Violence, is held during Mental Health Awareness Month to raise awareness about the realities of violence, abuse and trauma on youth and adults mental health and to raise funds for trauma centers making a positive difference in the lives of survivors.
Michelle Renee is available to speak at Mental Health and PTSD conferences. She is also available as a national spokesperson and for inclusion in public awareness PSA's .
Perfect for schools and Universities in crisis and the medical/mental health community.