Healing My Life

From Incest to Joy

By: Donna Jenson

Narrated by: Donna Jenson

In chronicling the physical and spiritual steps she took to reclaim her life and peel away the layers of damage done by incest, Jenson has written a powerful narrative of one person’s healing journey. And though the subject matter is deeply serious, Jenson writes with her sense of humor firmly intact, reminding us that joy is possible in the face of great pain.

Poignant, brave, and helpful, Healing My Life offers a much-needed testimony for anyone affected by or concerned about childhood sexual abuse.

©2017 Donna Jenson (P)2023 Donna Jenson

A beacon of strength, resilience, and hope

"Healing My Life" is a remarkable audiobook that stands as a beacon of strength, resilience, and hope. Jenson, the courageous author, opens her heart and shares her deeply personal healing journey, inviting listeners into a world of pain, recovery, and ultimately, triumph. The power of this narrative lies not only in its poignant recounting of surviving the horrors of incest but also in Jenson's unwavering determination to rise above and heal.

From the very first words, it becomes evident that Jenson possesses a rare storytelling gift. Her ability to convey the complexities of her healing process with unflinching honesty and vulnerability is simply awe-inspiring. What sets this audiobook apart is Jenson's remarkable capacity to infuse her narrative with humor. Even amidst the gravest of subject matter, she artfully reminds us that joy can persist in the face of immense pain.

What struck me most was Jenson's bravery in chronicling her experiences and the steps she took, both physically and spiritually, to reclaim her life. The raw emotion she pours into her narrative is palpable and deeply moving. Her willingness to share the depths of her suffering is a courageous act, offering solace and understanding to others who may be on similar paths of healing.

Jenson's journey from victim to survivor to thriver is a testament to the indomitable human spirit. Her unwavering determination to confront her past and rebuild her life serves as a beacon of hope for those who have experienced similar trauma. "Healing My Life" is not merely an account of personal struggle; it's an empowering guidebook for anyone navigating the treacherous terrain of healing from childhood sexual abuse.

Throughout this audiobook, Jenson's words provide solace, guidance, and a profound sense of validation for survivors and their supporters alike.

Transformative and Much Needed

Donna Jenson's poignant book blazes a path for what healing looks like - without ruffles and oversentimentality. I appreciated her honest, direct, and compassionate voice. She showed me that transformation is possible, even when it's hard. I recommend this book to any and all survivors, especially survivors of childhood sexual abuse. It is possible to transmute the terrible, the unfair, the not-your-fault into a guiding light for others to see their way out of shadowed tunnels. I also recommend this to anyone who knows and loves someone who is a survivor. Thank you, Donna, for this tremendous, powerful, and brave offering.

The Book Every Survivor Must Read

I first read Donna’s book Healing My Life From Incest to Joy about a year ago and found it inspiring. Listening to it brings a new dimension to it. Her voice is soothing and expressive bringing each and every story to life in a way reading it couldn’t. I can’t recommend this book enough. The stories are so real and well written yet not triggering. A book every incest survivor can gain knowledge from no matter where they are in their healing journey.

Healing Medicine Throughout!

This book has so many nuggets of wisdom and resources to grab ahold of and keep close! I found it insightful for me as a survivor and it was beautiful to see the power of community in action. I found so many concrete examples of hope that we can reclaim our life.

The narrator's voice is so endearing, as is the guitar music playing in between each chapter. The music felt very grounding to listen to and became a peaceful way to transition into the next part of the story. Bravo!!

An Amazing and Inspiring Story of Healing

I am a psychologist who specializes in the treatment of childhood sexual abuse. I recommend this book to clients who are on their healing paths.

So much of healing is about giving voice to the silenced parts of us. Survivors keep the secrets tucked deep inside, sometimes so deep that they don’t even know the truth about their abuse. As they heal, they can slowly begin to speak about what happened to them. They begin to put the pieces together so they can integrate the feelings and sensations they buried in order to survive. Donna Jenson has walked that path.

In an authentic and heartfelt voice, Donna describes the efforts she took to recover from the pain of the past. She describes many practices she used to feel and release old feelings that were trapped inside. She wrote out her grief and fury, learned how to pay loving attention to her body, defied the rules and roles she learned from her dysfunctional family, found ways to give creative expression to her experience and relied on the deep friendships she had created to be her family of choice. Although every survivor has her own path to walk, Donna describes many efforts and practices that survivors might want to explore.

In this audiobook, we hear a survivor in her full-throated voice telling us her amazing and inspiring story of healing. Give it a listen. There’s a lot to learn from Donna’s hard-earned wisdom.

Exceptionally Brave!

Donna Jenson’s book “Healing my Life for incest to Joy” is an exceptional display of bravery. Her book takes the reader on a journey from a very traumatic and difficult life experience to one of empowerment. It also gives the audience a wealth of valuable insights and information. I would highly recommend reading “Healing my Life”.

Thoughtful book, not triggering

This book, as opposed to other books on incest or sexual assault, is carefully written to focus on the emotions the author experienced. Many other books contain stories or details that can be triggering. I appreciated the insight into the healing process and how slow it is. Details on how the author healed through writing were inspiring.

Healing My Life From Incest to Joy

Donna Jenson has given many gifts to survivors of sexual abuse. Through her book, "Healing My Life from Incest to Joy;" her play, "What She Knows;" her audio book; her writing groups; etc., Donna not only helps survivors realize that they are not alone, but she also provides paths for them to heal, which they need and so richly deserve.

Judith L. Strzempko
former Director of College Relations
Smith College, Northampton, MA

Testament to self-led healing

Jenson shares her personal journey of healing from incest to joy, honestly and courageously. Her narrative serves as a window into the massive amount of effort, determination and perseverance it took to heal from incest and exemplifies the crucial part her intuition played in showing her the next step required on the journey. Jenson’s voice makes the book even more personable. The book serves as a testament to and guidepost for self-led healing and illustrates how valuable a close circle of support is. Using her voice was a poignant milestone in healing which lead her to create spaces for survivors to do the same. It is activism at its most meaningful. A realistic, tough, uplifting and inspiring read.

The Tittle Says it All

Reviewed by Reena Bernards, family therapist

Donna Jenson is a unique human being who not only courageously faces the impact of child sexual abuse, but heals from the trauma, and lives an exemplary life of friendship, artistic expression and a activism. Her story will inspire you and her voice will soothe you. She provides a blueprint for survivors on how to travel their own road to healing.