On this episode of Book Journeys Radio, Dr. Angela Lauria gives way for her Vice President, Jenn McRobbie, to take over the helm of the show. So instead of the old voice of Angela, we’re treated to Jenn’s on her first interview, as host of the show, with author Rachael Maddox, who wrote, Secret Bad Girl: A Trauma Resolution Memoir and Guide, which is essentially her very personal and public book at the same time.
Secret Bad Girl is about Rachael’s life living under what she calls a “trauma spell” and her eventual realization that she wasn’t really just “bad” because of the bad incident in her life, but the truth was that she had experienced trauma – sexual trauma to be specific. In her book, she narrates how she’d overcome it and embarked on a journey that took her on the path to being a trauma resolution practitioner. Her experience allowed her to walk her talk. Recounting her story in the book gave her the authority to be where she is today as an authority helping people who’ve endured similar events in their past.
At the start, Rachael had some hesitation about revealing her story because it had all been sacredly private. She felt a certain level of apprehension when the time came to send her drafts to the editor. Writing her story by itself wasn’t the problem. It was her fear of knowing that just about anyone will be able to read it, practically making her private life an open book. It was the knowing that being able to teach people about trauma and how it can be resolved physiologically as opposed to psychologically, that gave her the will to proceed. Her goal of reaching out to and teaching thousands of people became more important than her pain. “The call was bigger than the discomfort,” she said.
The publishing of her book had actually been a part of her healing journey. It came out in January 2016 and since then, she admitted that some of her imagined outcomes that came out as fears did actually become real, but she had come to accept them as part of the healing process and an opportunity for transformation into the next iteration of herself—someone who frees women and girls from exploitation, repression, and violation. “I can own that now,” The smiling woman on the cover of her book? That’s actually her.
In spite of all the emotion involved in the writing of her book, Rachael was able to finish the writing in just three days. It was the result of her commitment to Angela Lauria’s 3 Days to Done program, which she had discovered after a friend introduced her to Difference Press and she was able to chat with Angela herself. Undeterred by the investment and the daunting task ahead, she was able to crowdsource the amount she needed and succeed in the program.
It’s something amazing for Rachael to hear that her book was able to touch the lives of many people. She’s received so many emails from individuals saying they saw themselves in the book and that it helped changed their life. “That’s obviously amazing to hear,” said Rachael.
Listen to the Rachael Maddox Interview on Book Journeys Radio
Read the Transcript: Rachael Maddox – Book Journeys Author Interview – Sep 29, 2016
DOWNLOAD THE PDF: rachael-maddox-book-journeys-author-interview-sep-29-2016
Watch out for Angela’s interview with another exciting author.
