Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 3106

Tonight's special guest is Julie-Anne Grace from the UK, a child abuse survivor and musician. Born into a violent, abusive and religious cult-like environment, Julie-Anne suffered the pain and trauma of physical, sexual and emotional abuse as a child. Singing became an escape and she would often climb into her room closet and sing. Leaving home at just sixteen, she had always felt unloved and unvalued which left her trying to 'get' love from intimate relationships which in turn left her susceptible to abuse as an adult. It wasn't too long before Julie-Anne found herself leaving a narcissistically abusive marriage. She lost everything – her home, work and family - and was brought to her knees. Interested in personal development and healing from a young age, it was then that Julie-Anne realized that this time she needed to heal from the inside out. She became willing to take radical responsibility to heal herself, feeling all of her feelings, releasing her trauma and loving herself back to health .. indeed giving herself the love she had never had. The more she did this, the more her life began to transform as she developed boundaries, supportive friendships, bought her own home and met the love of her life. Julie-Anne began writing songs about her experiences and healing journey to inspire others. She has now written and recorded two albums (visit her site: www.julie-annegrace.com). The first, 'Met by Grace', takes the listener on a journey from the darkness of abuse to the joy of loving yourself and being free. 'She Sings, She Soars' was written as a celebration of the human spirit and how we can not only survive abuse, but can really live our dreams and create the lives with the love we truly deserve. Her message is that there is love after pain and hope after despair.