Stories of Strength and Success Series

‘It began with fluttering excitement, joy and a world full of possibilities. There was a slow chiselling away of me. I felt disbelief and foggy confusion, before the ugly reality of abuse dawned on me.’  In Shattered to Shining, nine women and one male domestic violence survivor describe how they were shattered, as their home became a place where physical and sexual violence, emotional and psychological control dominated their lives. Through persistence and courage, they have risen above their situation and come out the other side shining with positivity, strength, commitment and empathy for others. The journey of surviving and thriving is chaotic, emotional, and unique to each person. Each chapter is filled with the shortcuts and tools needed to travel this road of recovery to stand in your new life, with your future brightly shining. Broken to Brilliant is an Australian not-for-profit charity where domestic violence survivors mentor other survivors to re-establish successful lives using the power of story. When we saw the impact on people’s lives of our first two books – the changes made, the hope in their hearts, the joy and gratitude for their new lives – we had to continue to share the brave, resilient and brilliant stories of hope and healing. There had to be a third book. We commend each of our authors for sharing their real, raw and inspiring stories. Our hope is that Shattered to Shining will provide you with the roadmap for the journey to a much brighter destination. Get started on your journey away from abuse – there is a world of happiness shining brightly for you to join.

‘I was so busy keeping him happy I didn’t notice how long it had been since I’d seen my friends. I seemed to apologise for everything. I was constantly tense, holding my breath, trying to predict his mood. Slowly my world became smaller, darker and lonelier.’ Coercive Control is an insidious fog. The first ‘red flags’ are so small you don’t notice them: a simple remark about how to do something ‘the right way’ or a suggestion about how you should dress. He cares about where you are and who you are with. We all want the perfect relationship, but for the courageous authors in Coerced to Courageous, their soulmate was more like checkmate.  The first ‘red flags’ of Coercive Control are so subtle you barely notice them. Eventually, he has driven away your friends and family, is making all the decisions and controlling the finances, and you are trapped. These brave, resilient, brilliant women share the tools that helped them escape and rebuild their lives. They want to encourage and empower you to break the chains of coercive control and create the life you deserve. Broken to Brilliant is an Australian not-for-profit charity where domestic violence survivors mentor other survivors to rebuild successful lives using the power of story.  When we saw the impact on people’s lives of our first three books, the changes made, the hope in their hearts, the joy and gratitude for their new lives, we had to continue to share stories of hope, healing & recovery. There had to be a fourth book. We applaud each of our authors for sharing their raw, vulnerable & courageous stories. Our hope is that these books will provide you with the tools to take back your power so you can rebuild your life the way you choose. Each step forward is a courageous move toward your new life filled with peace, happiness & achievement.