Christy Monson - Finding Peace in Times of Tragedy

Praise for Finding Peace in Times of Tragedy

An insightful and beautiful book that is truly about hope. This book is a practical and powerful guide to inner healing from traumatic crises in ones life.

Carol-Ann Swatling , abuse and rape survivor, BS in Business Administration, faculty Research and Education Division of the UNLV Libraries.

Thirty-three long years ago, my husband was killed in an accident, leaving me with four small children to raise alone. I went to see a counselor once, and that was the extent of healing help we had.

Recently, I read Christys book and was thunder struck! Over and over again I thought Yes! That is exactly how I felt. and Yes! Im sure my children felt something like this. I wish I had known some of these healing techniques 33 years ago. It was eye-opening, for me, to see how our brain reacts to trauma and tragedy, and to see how other people feel, helps me to feel freerlike Im not weird or alone in how I felt and still feel sometimes.

The healing processes in the book are extremely helpful, and simple to follow. I fully intend to utilize and work through these. This book will become a well-used workbook for me, and hopefully my children.

Michele McKinnon , widow for over 30 years, an accountant, writer, and author, Tales from Two-Bits Street and Beyond, Tales from the Wasatch and Beyond, and Tales from Ogden Canyon and Beyond.

As a brain tumor survivor, this book is my go-to guide for dealing with the on-going effects of trauma. Finding Peace in Times of Tragedy masterfully equips the reader with tools to emerge from tragedy and embrace a lifetime of peace. I employ these strategies in my personal life, my writing, and my business.

Jodi Orgill Brown , brain tumor survivor, MS in Organizational Communication, professional speaker, trainer, and author of The Sun Still Shines.

Christy Monson has created an invaluable resource in her book, Finding Peace in Times of Tragedy. Full of easy-to-understand steps for healing and peace, along with true stories and examples, this book can help each of us as we navigate through the troubled waters of our time. I highly recommend it.

Margot Hovley , cancer survivor, musician, staff writer for Ensign Magazine, and author of The End Begins series.

Christy Monsons skills as a therapist are unmatched. Her talent of deep understanding and sincere love of people qualify her as top in her field.

Emma Lu Draper , English teacher, Writer As An Advocate for Hope, and blogger at thisandthat3165.blogspot.com.

Not only is this book a powerful tool for those trying to discover and heal some of the deeply rooted causes of an eating disorder, but it can help prevent some individuals from falling victim to using disordered eating and other addictions as coping mechanisms because they will find true healing within this book instead.

Haley Hatch Freeman , professional speaker and author of A Future for Tomorrow and From Head to Tummy.

Finding Peace in Times of Tragedy is enlightening, comforting, and answered many questions I had about recovering from trauma. A lot of great techniques and examples of healing are found in this book. Those who read it will find answers to their lifes questions and they will know they are not alone in their grief.

K Taylor , young adult, university student.

Copyright 2019 by Christy Monson

All rights reserved.

Published by Familius LLC, www.familius.com

Familius books are available at special discounts for bulk purchases, whether for sales promotions or for family or corporate use. For more information, contact Familius Sales at 559-876-2170 or email .

Reproduction of this book in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

This book is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for services from a licensed mental health professional. Should you have personal issues or problems for which you are seeking help, please consult a licensed mental health professional.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

LCCN 2018956995

Print ISBN 9781641701228

Ebook ISBN 9781641701341

Printed in the United States of America

Edited by Lindsay Sandberg and Nichole Kraft

Cover design by David Miles

Book design by Amanda Clark

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First Edition

To all those who suffer from tragedy and loss.

Contents

PART 1

TragedyWhat
It Does to Us

The Working World, 9/11 Survivor

Marissa

The Sunday before 9/11, I took my husbands family to look around the towers. I showed them the area. I have a picture of my son there. Of course, hes too little to know what happened, but I have that recordthat memory.

I went to work earlier than usual, at 5:30 a.m., on September 11, 2001, because my daughterwho was in high schoolhad a dental appointment later that day. Im so happy I did, because I would have been severely affected if I had come to work at 8:30 a.m. as usual.

While I was at work, the building began to shake. At first, I thought it was a helicopter. Then, the windows began shaking. I looked out the windows with a coworker and could see a plane. It was a big Boeing 767. I could see the people through the windows of the airplane just before it flew into the first tower.

I stood frozen, shocked. Its funny how your brain works: I saw the people in the plane. They looked at me, and I looked at them. I saw themI was the last thing they saw. The plane flew into the building and everything was on fire and smoking, and all I could think about were the people in the plane.

Everyone began looking out the windows. I went back to work at my desk and started typing. It was like it just didnt happen. I couldnt believe it.

Others were asking me questions about the plane. Was it a little plane?

No, I said. It was a 767! I couldnt believe what just happened.

At that very moment, the phone rang. I answered it. It was a coworker from London.

What just happened? he asked.

(I work in commodities on Wall Street, so we have minute-by-minute world news available to us.)

What the was that? he asked again.

I stood unbelievingfrozenbefore I told him.

Everyone was at the windows now.

It was like I had been in a fog. I snapped out of it and called home and told my in-laws, who were taking care of my baby, to put on the news. I hung up.

People all around me were crying. Some men were just staring. We watched people from the first tower holding hands and jumping out of the building to get away from being burned up. I wished there was someone to catch them at the bottom, but there wasnt. People were falling.

My husband called me. Get out of there, he said. I started to tell him what was happening. He yelled at me to get away from the window and quit watching.

I stood, paralyzed, before I turned away and snapped out of it again. I began to pray and grabbed my bag. Ive got a baby and a teenager, I announced to no one in particular. I have to go. Im leaving.

Everyone just stood around in shock. They were not moving.

I have to go, I said to my coworker.

I opened the door and stoodagain frozentrying to decide whether to take the stairs. I knew that the stairs would be safer. Just at that moment, the elevator door in front of me opened with some of my friends from the floor above.