Lynnie Vessels
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“My Father Shot My Mom” Five Words That Launched a Healing Revolution
BOOK RELEASE – To Soften the Blow Offers Healing for Posttraumatic Stress Sufferers
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Thirteen million Americans suffer from Posttraumatic Stress. Veterans, soldiers, victims of domestic violence and terrorism all know its effects. To Soften the Blow can help. Over 135 5-Star Amazon reviews show readers agree! “It is a must read for anyone with post-traumatic stress disorder… great resource for educators and counselors. This powerful book will… change the way you view your world.”
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When Lynnie Vessels was seven years old, her father shot her mother at a three-foot range across their dining room table. Violence continued in the home and Ms. Vessels, who had not received counseling, became a delinquent teen. Seven years after the shooting, her high school principal set her on the path to healing with two magic words in the form of a question, “What’s wrong?” Her answer is above. Today, Ms. Vessels is not merely a survivor; she thrives! To Soften the Blow shows how the reader can thrive, too.
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The Oprah Winfrey Show featured Ms. Vessels in 1994, and inspired the writing of this book. After the taping, executive producer Ellen Rakieten stated, “We could do ten shows from your one letter. I want you to pester me and pester me and pester me until we have you back on.”
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The burgeoning Self Help industry has never seen a book like this. Many have chronicled their pain and documented their recovery; no one has demonstrated so clearly and so completely the nitty-gritty “How To” of healing. Ms. Vessels spares herself nothing to lay bare the recovery process in a way not previously seen in print. Her candid stories captivate like a novel and inspire readers to bravely begin their own healing. To Soften the Blow takes you step by step, through the courageous, often messy, sometimes harrowing journey of recovery. She shows the reader the level of persistent dedication required to coax oneself from the darkness to light. To Soften the Blow is a roadmap through PTSD.
Amazon Reviewers RAVE: “…I could not put the book down”; “…I believe you may have saved my mind…”; “As an educator, psychologist, administrator, and parent… [I] immediately began using it in the university classes I teach in Adolescent Psychology”; “This book is AMAZING and life changing – in a surprisingly uplifting and enlightening way!”; “I learned so much. I can’t wait to try out the techniques”; “I am now a teacher and have requested my district adapt this book for their required reading list”; “I laughed, cried, got angry and was very saddened… Lynnie is right up there with Pat Conroy with a little Dean Koontz thrown in”; “I am reading To Soften the Blow for the third time as it is extraordinary.”
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“The most honest book I have ever read. Lynnie’s words will capture your heart and stay with you forever.”
—Laurie R., Librarian
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“This book is for everyone. I learned something on every page.”
—Mark M., Veteran / Security Professional
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To Soften the Blow is a roadmap to healing for suffering of all kinds – alcoholism, mental illness, physical abuse… 100% relevant for our time… this book will give you multiple light bulb moments.
To Soften the Blow will begin changing your life before you even put it down.
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