By Alisa Yardley WARNING: This blog series contains graphic accounts of things that some readers may find upsetting. It is intended for mature audiences, and contains depictions of domestic abuse, sexual violence, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Reader discretion is advised. Like a turtle I pulled inside myself. I locked myself away. I became afraid of my own shadow. I had faced my own demise, and lost many people that I loved along the way. Most of the time people experienc

By Alisa Yardley WARNING: This blog series contains graphic accounts of things that some readers may find upsetting. It is intended for mature audiences, and contains depictions of domestic abuse, sexual violence, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Reader discretion is advised. They say when three specific conditions occur at the same time, it creates a perfect storm, and that storm becomes bigger and more ferocious than it could ever have been without all three components comi

By Alisa Yardley WARNING: This blog series contains graphic accounts of things that some readers may find upsetting. It is intended for mature audiences, and contains depictions of domestic abuse, sexual violence, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Reader discretion is advised. My first day of university was a gruelling twelve hour day while I was actively going through the pain and emotional upheaval of a pregnancy loss. I was there because of the ultimatum, but I chose to ad

By, Alisa Yardley WARNING: This blog series contains graphic accounts of things that some readers may find upsetting. It is intended for mature audiences, and contains depictions of domestic abuse, sexual violence, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Reader discretion is advised. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words and deeds may break your brain, and that’s what happened to me. I met him in a self improvement program. He learned things about me before we even went

By, Alisa Yardley A Child Called "It" A Child Called "It" is the first in a three book series written by Dave Pelzer, a survivor of horrific child abuse, primarily at the hands of his mother. When I read this story, I was disgusted by the mother's treatment of her child, and the negligent attitude of his father. I found it hard to understand how the other adults in his life missed the blatant signs of abuse before anyone stepped in to help. Reader beware. This story is hard-

By, Alisa Yardley I started reading 3,096 Days at the beginning of the first Covid lockdown in 2020. Natascha Kampusch's courage through her ordeal from her kidnapping through subsequent years of imprisonment put into perspective the many freedoms I still enjoyed despite the frightening tales of COVID deaths, the unknown duration of the lockdown, and the perception of danger outside the home. I had my children with me. Kampusch was left alone and afraid, or with her captor be

By, Alisa Yardley I wrote this piece, approximately two years ago as part of my healing journey. I'm sharing it now because I'm learning to find my voice again, to unapologetically step back into the authenticity of who I am, and who I was before trauma altered my perceptions. The ocean ebbs and flows. The same thing happens when you are healing. Emotions ebb and flow. Some days are bright and full of hope. Some days aren't, and that's ok. It's all part of the process. When w

by, Alisa Yardley My life is in the shitter, and today, I am grateful. Crazy right? Not really. It's a matter of perspective. I have been living in deep isolation for almost a year now. I've been facing serious problems in every part of my life. My health is in jeopardy, my finances are a mess, the house I'm living in is falling apart around me, I ended an almost decade long relationship with someone I love, my oldest cat is very ill, and not likely to see many more moons...

By, Alisa Yardley The insecure man sees a woman who is everything he wishes for. She bears the glow of youth in her smiles, her laughter, and the way she practically floats when she walks, because there is always light in her. She is full of empathy. When he needs her to be soft and yielding, she is there waiting with her arms open for him. When he needs her to be strong she is like a centre post digging herself into place so he can lean on her. Never minding. Never seeing hi

By, Alisa Yardley I have heard it said that opinion is the weakest form of argument. If indeed opinion is weighed against fact, of course...

By, Alisa Yardley They say you should not pick a book based on the design of its cover, but in this case that's exactly what I did. I saw...

By, Alisa Yardley Saturday, January 14th was a densely foggy evening. Massive conglomerations of moisture hung in the air, ominously cloaking everything in mist. Driving in those conditions left me white-knuckled and nervous. We were on our way to the hospital’s palliative unit to see my dad. All I could do was focus on the little bit of road I could make out in the headlights and keep going. It was an ironic simile to the grief that followed. Like the fog, grief can impair o

By, Alisa Yardley Loss is hard. Grief can knock the wind out of the stoic, and draw tears from eyes that otherwise never cry. Ten days ago a dear friend, one of those who landed in the 'more family than friend' category, unexpectedly passed away. This lively, vivacious, endearing woman who had been in my life since I was barely out of my teens - before I was married, before I had become a mother, was suddenly, and irrevocably gone. When a mutual friend phoned to tell me the n

By, Alisa Yardley Secrets in the Cellar is a story that never should have taken place. Josef Fritzel had a history of sexual misconduct...

Using her expertise on women's history, Philippa Gregory brings her characters to life through a clever combination of fact and hypothesis.

The Vagina Monologues is a fantastically arranged set of stories and information regarding women and womanhood.

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