Home LizianEvents Community Member Introduction ~ Claire Chamberlain

Introduction ~ Claire Chamberlain

28/11/2020

We received a great email from Claire: No-one could fail to be impressed with Claire’s forthright explanation of her journey and work. Claire has graciously allowed us to publish her words. We are certain there will be people who will take solace and benefit from reading her introduction. Claire’s contact information is founded at the end of the article. Many thanks, Clarie.

Hi! I’m Claire. I am an inspirational speaker and live in Lincolnshire. I’ve only just heard about this! A wellness experience in Lincolnshire!! I would love the opportunity to be a guest speaker at the event. I’m a survivor of childhood and domestic abuse.

A few years ago, I escaped my final abuser. Hurray! Right?? Except that the hardest challenge was actually yet to come. Healing myself after years of conditioning, abuse, coercive control and believing narratives that abusers had created for and about me, while single-handedly taking care of my three young children seemed almost impossible. I experienced multiple, relentless, daily panic attacks and anxiety symptoms.

As I discovered new ways to help myself, a new set of obstacles was always standing in the way. I had to face being re-traumatised, broken all over again, analysed and judged. My children had been badly affected by the abuse too. How could I help them if I couldn’t even help myself? The healing content and advice online were full of beautifully put together women, meditating on mountain tops, at spa days and looking tranquil and serene. I didn’t relate at all. I was broken and raw. My house was a mess, I hadn’t showered in days and my children needed me constantly. I was literally on my knees and yet the imagery of how I was meant to be healing was telling me it should look different.

So I thought I was failing when I was succeeding. I thought I was lamenting when actually I was making great progress. I thought that my abusers had been right about me all along. When they could not have been more wrong. I can honestly say that being lost in that maze, unsure of which direction to take, was one of the most painful and terrifying experiences of my life.

Eventually, I found my way through the maze of pain, trauma and the mass of healing advice out there. It took me forever, but with hard work and determination, I reached the other side! I figure it shouldn’t be this hard, so I have cleared a path for other survivors. I offer practical, relatable self-care guidance and mindfulness resources, which don’t exclude anyone who is attempting to embark on their own healing journey.

My talks, poems and workshops provide a realistic and relatable account of the experience of abuse, escape and healing. I help women to; A. Feel like they are succeeding, not failing. B. Find the right resources for them without becoming overwhelmed. C. Learn how to turn concepts into actions and habits. I give victims and survivors step by step, practical guidance and examples of how to translate the vast amount of information being thrown at them and to make it work for them, in their own way. I have broken through the glass ceiling of healing to clear the path ahead so that more women can find their way forward, without the obstacles that so many of us find insurmountable. My mission.

The mission is to make as many of these techniques and resources, as relatable, practical and clear as possible, in order to remove the many obstacles which prevent victims and survivors from accessing and using them effectively.