Survivor Stories Series: Melissa Lombardo on Harnessing Disassociating as Her Superpower, Rediscovering Joy Through Writing, and Finding Her Geographical Soulmate

This month on Voice Lessons, I’m hosting a special series where every week we’ll have a new episode sharing the voices and stories of survivors who have experienced sexual trauma. 

In this week's episode, I had the pleasure of welcoming Melissa Lombardo, a bilingual sexual assault crisis advocate, trauma-sensitive author, intuitive speaker, and community connector. Melissa generously shared her rich background in psychology, sociology, and holistic healing practices, coupled with her experiences from years spent abroad, and how she uncovered and claimed her voice again through writing. 

Her voice journey initially began with ballroom dancing at a young age, and later in life, she rediscovered it through writing as a path to holistic healing and transformation after experiencing sexual trauma in early adulthood. Melissa emphasized the nonlinear nature of healing and how different experiences and activities can unlock one's true voice. 

She also touched on the process of writing her book, 'Hurt, Healing and Hope: Thriving Beyond Sexual Assault,' and how publishing it was both a personal and public declaration of reclaiming her voice. We also examined how she has used letter writing, journaling, writing workshops, and a growth mindset to continuously uncover and claim her unique creative expression throughout her life.

Join us in taking a deeper look into the power of writing, storytelling, and reflection for survivors, and the deep vulnerability that comes with reclaiming your voice after experiencing trauma.   

Key Topics:

• When Melissa first felt she lost her voice, and what she did next
• Deciding to “heal for real” nearly 20 years after her traumatic experience
• Melissa’s “geographical soulmate” that shaped a large part of her adulthood
• The inspiration and process behind writing ‘Hurt, Healing and Hope: Thriving Beyond Sexual Assault’
• Life experiences—the good, the bad, and the in-between—give our voice dimension
• Finding your voice is passive, but claiming it is risky
• Melissa’s experience with the AWA and their Survivors Writing Group
• How Melissa harnessed disassociating as a superpower to help her find and claim her voice again
• Sharing our stories and being heard is a part of healing
• Realizing that there is still joy to be found in life after trauma
• Uncovering and claiming your unique creative voice starts with curiosity and just getting out there and trying something
• What is a continuous growth mindset, and can it be taught?

Connect with Melissa online:

Website: https://melissablombardo.com/

Instagram: @melissablombardoauthor

Hurt, Healing and Hope: Thriving Beyond Sexual As

Find more from Jill:

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Website: https://www.thewritersrefuge.com/

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Sign up for my free 3x weekly writing session: write to [e-mail] for ZOOM info

Special thanks to LVDY for allowing us to use their song, Saltwater, in the intro and outro of the podcast!