Pages

Pages

Monday, April 20, 2020

Wow! Women on Writing Tour ~ Seduced into Darkness by Carrie T. Ishee


Carrie T. Ishee’s

WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING TOUR

OF

Seduced Into Darkness

Tour Begins March 23rd


Book Summary
Seduced Into Darkness: Transcending My Psychiatrist’s Sexual Abuse is a vivid and captivating story of hope for survivors of abuse as well as a case study in a skilled manipulator’s tragic exploitation of his professional power.

This poignant memoir chronicles the traumatic psychological abduction and sexual exploitation of depressed college student Carrie Tansey at the hands of her psychiatrist, Dr. Anthony Romano―thirty-one years her senior. For three years, their secret “affair” was carefully calculated and controlled by Romano, as Carrie’s mental and emotional health continued to deteriorate, bringing her closer and closer to the edge.

Their dual-relationship―clinical and clandestine―finally came to light when Carrie’s suicide attempts landed her in a world-renowned psychiatric hospital. Gradually, she began to reclaim her power, reported Romano to the state licensing board, successfully sued him for malpractice, and testified before the state legislature to help pass a law aimed at curbing such abuses.

As Carrie tells her tale, it is a journey paralleling that of the mythical archetype Persephone, the naive innocent who was abducted into darkness, reemerged and regenerated herself, then fearlessly returned to the prison she had fled, this time to help free others. Today, Carrie Ishee is a widely respected art therapist and life coach as well as a teacher specializing in the issues of ethics and boundaries for mental health professionals.

Print Length: 286 Pages
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Terra Nova Books
ISBN-10: 1948749483
ISBN-13: 9781948749480

Seduced Into Darkness is now available to purchase at Amazon.comBarnes and Noble, and Thrift Books.





About the Author, Carrie T. Ishee


Carrie Ishee has been a student of healing, human potential, and consciousness for more than 35 years. Her quest to know herself began in college when a severe health crisis compounded by her psychiatrist’s seduction and sexual abuse shattered her physically, emotionally, and spiritually. After doctoral studies in clinical psychology, she worked as a behavioral therapist, pursued a master’s degree in art therapy, and later completed a two-year training program in life coaching. Her work today is focused on helping victims such as she once was break free from the suffocating shroud of trauma.

Follow her on FacebookInstagram, and GoodReads.




Healing:  A Journey from Outer to Inner Authority

Carrie T. Ishee, M.A.,
LPCC, LPAT, ATR-BC, PCC


“The journey of healing involves shifting from looking to outer authority for answers to life’s questions to embracing inner authority.  Creating art helps this shift in consciousness and allows us to become intentional creators in our lives.”

From the time we were little children, we were conditioned to follow the rules, expectations, and guidance set by those we depended upon for survival.  This socialization process kept us safe, grounded, and connected to a sense of community.  Depending upon the family in which we were raised, we each received varied messages concerning what was acceptable and rewarded, and what had to be suppressed, eliminated and denied.  Most often it was our inner world of thoughts, feelings, yearnings, and the wisdom of our bodies which was banished to our unconscious.  We became alienated from our true selves and estranged from our authentic voices.

Many civilizations have sought to answer our internal questions with external answers.  Religions sprung up to advise us about the meaning of life, but propagated self-denying beliefs and ideologies that kept people dependent and complacent.  Science has been instrumental in answering questions about how the world works, but fails to address the “whys”, or quench our thirst for the deeper meaning that we crave.  We look to politics to explore how the collective should be governed, but politics do nothing to address individual struggles with fear, aggression, greed, and quests for power. 

Our modern educational system has focused on economics, the advancement of technologies, and the improvement of our material lives, but has neglected the exploration and connection with our internal lives. The arts allow the expression of the soul, but are often the first to be cut when budgets are slim.  Training in art, music, and dance, are often not considered “core” curriculum, further exposing our society’s propensity for rational and external focus.  Even more tragic is the elevation of the “gifted” few to occupy the role of “artist” while the rest of humanity is cut off from the creative impulses that will help us stay connected, vital, and empowered.  Egos of the “gifted ones” are fed, while the medicine they could deliver to society is diluted by commercialization and disconnection from the wisdom of the heart.

It often takes a crisis of some sort, whether it be a trauma, a loss, mental or physical illness, or a brush with death, to force us to tune into our inner world, to our souls.  In modern life, many of our conscious rites of passages have been obliterated. We no longer trust the importance of facing darkness directly, in order to grow and mature.  Our current medical world view often seeks to eliminate suffering through “quick fixes” of drugs and surgery rather than encourage the deeper journey of getting to know one’s body and listening to symptoms as messages from the soul.

The journey of healing one’s self is essentially the same as the hero’s journey of spiritual awakening.  The path begins with the experience of emotional suffering arising from the  alienation of one’s authentic self. To heal we must lean into the suffering, feel it, get to know it, embrace parts of ourselves that have been repressed, cut off, or frozen in time.  Much of what calls to us is beyond awareness as lost parts call out for expression.  We must face our own inner darkness to become whole.

Creating art diminishes our defenses and opens our awareness to the subconscious mind.  Indeed, it makes the “unconscious” conscious. With the internal “externalized” on paper and manifested in images, things once confusing can become clear. Art makes the journey real and palatable, breaking through denial and offering hints of next steps.  As Carl Jung said when speaking of the soul’s journey – “the psyche speaks more fully in images than in words.”

Emotional wounds constrict the soul while art tells the stories that need to be told, decreases emotional suffering, helps people resolve conflicts and problems, and brings forward insights.

As an art therapist, I am continuously riveted by the power of image making to unleash healing potential.  I find it inspiring (and fun!) to watch couples “open” up to each other as they make images together. Such creations enable the expressions of their deeper, non-rational selves.  When art is included on the journey, healing often takes on a more embodied, holistic flavor than if words alone are shared.  As people reconnect with their creativity they feel less like victims of external forces and more like creators who can choose a more nurturing, conscious path forward. 

Create art to gain access to your own inner authority – leave the inner critic out of the equation and be spontaneous, not methodical in expression to begin.  Later you can spend more time on technique if you want, but never let the internal judge stop you from expressing.

1.  Draw (or paint) your feelings – let yourself express them from your body. Are they coming from your heart?  Your gut?  Your head?  Notice how your body sensations change once you express them.  Do you feel more relaxed? More open?  More connected?

**This is great for a feeling that your normally suppress whether it be anger, fear, or joy…

2.  Engage in a 30-day art journal challenge – do an intuitive spontaneous image as a daily check in.  Journal from the image and let it share its wisdom with you.

3.  Ask a question of your higher self in an image and then let yourself respond with another image.  Don’t think about or evaluate the response – allow the right brain to express without judgment.

4.  Do a closed eye drawing – letting yourself follow your own intuition as to where to put the next line.

5.  See where in your body you hold any tightness or sensation – create from there letting your intuition guide your expression.

6.  Do a daily image from your heart and journal in reaction – letting the wisdom of your heart speak.

Follow these practices on a regular basis and you will come to trust the wisdom rising from your deepest self.





-- Blog Tour Dates

March 23rd @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Stop by the Women on Writing blog The Muffin as well celebrate the launch of the Seduced Into Darkness blog tour. Read an interview with author Carrie T. Ishee and enter to win a copy of the book.

March 25th @ New England Book Critic
Visit Victoria over at the New England Book Critic and read her review of Carrie T. Ishee's powerful book Seduced Into Darkness.

March 25th @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog today and read a poignant guest post by author Carrie T. Ishee. She talks about the signs of a healthy relationship versus a toxic relationship and how to set boundaries to see if a person is safe for you. 

March 27th @ Writings and Reviewings
Visit Judith's blog today where you can read her review of Carrie T. Ishee's book Seduced Into Darkness.

March 30th @ Dog-Eared Days of Summer
Stop by Caroline's blog and you can read her review of Carrie T. Ishee's book Seduced Into Darkness.

April 2nd @ Coffee with Lacey
Grab your coffee and join Lacey as she reviews Carrie T. Ishee's book Seduced Into Darkness.

April 6th @ Writing Through Life
Visit Amber's blog today and you can read author Carrie T. Ishee's guest post. She talks about women's intuition and paying attention to cues that arise from within. You can also enter to win a copy of the book Seduced Into Darkness.

April 11th @ Bookworm Blog
Visit Anjanette's blog today and read her review of Carrie T. Ishee's book Seduced Into Darkness. 

April 13th @ World Of My Imagination
Visit Nicole's blog today and read Carrie T. Ishee's guest post talks about the power of art as medicine.

April 15th @ A Storybook World
Stop by Dierdra's blog and read author Carrie T. Ishee's guest post about the personal growth and transformation that happens as a result of trauma. A powerful post you don't want to miss!

April 20th @ Teatime and Books
Visit Janet's blog today and read Carrie T. Ishee's guest post about the journey of healing and how creating art helps this process.

April 24th @ Angie Mangino Looks at Books
Stop by Angie's blog today and you can read her review of Carrie T. Ishee's book Seduced Into Darkness.

April 25th @ Teatime and Books
Visit Janet's blog today and you can read her review of Carrie T. Ishee's book Seduced Into Darkness.




No comments:

Post a Comment