
Stepping on the Cracks
Learning to Live Again after Abuse, Addiction and Loss
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
A compelling and powerful mental health memoir of triumph in the face of adversity, set in the tropical islands of the West Indies.
How do you find love when all you've known as a child is violence and abuse?
How do you find your way back from the clutches of drug addiction and stop sinking deeper into a debilitating depression?
How do you carry on when you finally open your heart and then lose the one you love in the most tragic of circumstances?
From childhood abuse to drug addiction and bereavement, Dominique Dowdney's poignant memoir, Stepping on the Cracks, shows there is light to be found, even in the darkest of days.
Now a trained counsellor, Dominique's fascinating story shows that it's possible to make peace with the terrible traumas of your past. It's an encouragement to anyone who has struggled with their mental health, and a reminder that although life may feel hopeless, it can and will get better.
Dominique originally wrote her story under a pseudonym while she was still a practicing counsellor. Now she bravely shares her story using her real name.
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Information
Table of contents
- Front Cover
- Half-Title Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Prologue
- Introduction
- 1 Violent Beginnings: A childhood built on fear
- 2 Something Snaps Inside: Fighting back
- 3 A Taste of Life: Freedom at last
- 4 A Stifled Soul: Friendships bring an entirely new perspective
- 5 Lost Love: For me and my father
- 6 ‘You Little Bitch’: Our worst fight and a final escape
- 7 Growing Up Fast: Learning the hard way
- 8 Escaping the Mundane: Taking ecstasy and discovering an exciting new world
- 9 Feeling Restless: A need to make peace with my mother
- 10 Letting Go: Finding the courage to give in to my desires
- 11 Reality Dawns: Time to face the music
- 12 When One Door Closes: A fresh start
- 13 New Routines: Smoking cannabis unlocks the darkness within
- 14 Tying the Knot: Overcoming my demons
- 15 Accepting Addiction: Craving a normal Âfamily life
- 16 Motherhood: Attempting to rewrite my history
- 17 History Repeating Itself: Cannabis abuse takes its toll
- 18 An Ultimatum: Pushing for change with a fatal outcome
- 19 A Shocking New Reality: My new normal
- 20 Rebuilding My Life: Going back to school and finding the courage to face my past
- 21 The Final Exam: After several years of hard work, my fears return
- 22 A Proposal: Letting love in again
- 23 Showdown: Laying ghosts of the past to rest
- 24 The Perfect Day: Everything is exactly as it should be
- Epilogue
- Back Cover