Invisible Witness Book Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Details: Elizabeth Nelson has written an autobiographical book about witnessing her father's abuse to her mother and other siblings on several occasions during her early childhood.  In this book the abuse is just a backdrop for the rest of her story, as she discusses the multiple devastating effects that seeing abuse, and being in a home where abuse was an every day dealing has had on her as she became an adult.  She talks about each issue, and then traces it back to its origin in order to understand and release it.  While this type of book may be hard to read, this book's sole design is to help others learn some proven ways that they too can come to cope with problems related to witnessing domestic violence as a child and eventually moving forwards in life with confidence and light instead of fear and darkness.  Ms. Nelson relays her story very straightforwards so that readers may feel like they are really just visiting with a new friend, someone who really does understand and can relate to their issues.

Quote: "Adults who witnessed violence between their parents when they were children often carry emotional scars that last a lifetime. The trauma to their developing brains can be so great that some psychologists have compared it to what soldiers experience in war. Like soldiers, children from violent homes are hyper-alert and expect to see danger at every turn. Since they don't possess the skills to process what they have witnessed, these children often suppress the memories well into adulthood. It often takes employment and relationship problems, a mental health diagnosis, addictions, and other serious life issues for them to make the connection between the events of their painful upbringing to what they are experiencing in the present."

Disclaimer:I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

My Review: I requested this book on behalf of me 1. being the spouse to someone who has been abused and seen abuse throughout childhood. 2. I am a youth counselor at our church and want to be prepared to help and support and comfort any of my youth who may be in unkind family situations.  3. because I am finding more and more that abuse is strong in the world and the world needs more people to over come and help others to do the same.
So when the Author sent me the ebook Kindle version of this book, I was thrilled.  I read it in 2 days.  I couldn't put it down.  It was well written, I wasn't grossed out, or emotionally torn to shreds from the horror that has happened to Ms. Nelson and her family.  Autobiographies are a genre of book that I haven't read much, but every one that I have read has been very interesting, and intriguing.  This book I really felt that it was an open close case, in the sense that for every issues she brought up, she had a solution that worked for her.  She told facts, and details that were important, she didn't just "woe is me, I was in a horrible situation, I can't help who I am now" attitude.  She found ways to make her life better.  This is actually a very inspiring story, and I hope that she and her family will continue to move forwards in forgiveness and love.  Ms. Nelson is an inspiration, and a very great author and writer.
My husband grew up in an abusive home, and to what extent I will never know, but as we continue to improve our marriage, and be better parents we have learned to over come the bad influences, and unpleasant father figures he's had in his life.  He is an amazing man, the best husband I could ever have.  When we parent we don't touch our children, because he's too worried that his past will become his future.  He can calmly sit down and talk to our kids about what choices they make, why they were a wrong choice, who Satan is, and why he tries so hard to make people be bad etc.  He's my best friend, and even though we have an amazing life together, I have had the unpleasant experience to have people, even extended family, accuse him of being a horrible influence, of being a bad husband and father, etc.  Ms. Nelson has taught me that you can over come negative influences.  You can be happy with who you are, despite what situations you have grown up in.  You can become positive, filled with love, light, and happiness.  For these things I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a good read, need a lift me up, wants to know more about abuse and its causes and how to over come its causes.

Pros: well written, amazing, inspiring

Cons: none

My Rating: Thumbs Up