Awake Blog
Welcome to the Awake Blog! If you’re new to Awake, we recommend you check out these top blog posts from our archive.
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Courageous Conversation: Exploring the Invisible Abuse of Women Religious
Last week, Awake hosted a valuable event focusing on the abuse of religious sisters, an issue that is only beginning to receive attention in the wider Church.
What Stops Adult Survivors Who Are from Minority Groups from Disclosing Abuse?
New work by Lucy Huh, a researcher and member of the Awake community, describes the barriers that stop people harmed as adults from disclosing abuse, particularly if they come from minority cultures or are immigrants to the United States.
Why Have Many Survivors of Church Abuse Suffered Previous Trauma?
This week we revisit helpful information from expert Pete Singer of GRACE, who explains why victim-survivors of harm in the Catholic Church often have previous trauma histories.
Embracing Lament: Awake Prayer Service Brings Our Suffering to God
Last week Awake hosted a special prayer event exploring the spiritual practice of lament, an ideal form of prayer for people suffering in any way.
How to Grow in the Aftermath of Trauma
When someone has suffered deep wounds from a traumatic event such as sexual abuse, how can they move beyond the pain to achieve healing and growth? We posed this question to Mitch Mueller, LPC, a Catholic psychotherapist from West Bend, Wisconsin.
Courageous Conversation: Understanding How Systems of Power Contribute to Abuse in the Church
Awake’s latest Courageous Conversation, held last week, offered an important exploration of systems of power and their role in abuse in the Catholic Church.
Awake’s Top 10 Blog Posts of 2024
As we embark on a new year, it’s a good time to review our 10 most popular blog posts from 2024. This allows you to catch up on any you might have missed!
The Power of Pets in Trauma Healing
Many survivors in the Awake community say pets have been key in helping them heal from the trauma of abuse. To understand why animals can be so beneficial, we spoke to Philip Tedeschi, clinical professor in the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver and founder of the Institute for Human-Animal Connection.
Could Historic Meeting of Abuse Survivors and Vatican Officials Be a Source of Hope?
Last month, a group of abuse survivors and advocates met with Vatican officials in Rome for a discussion of issues related to sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
Emily Hess
“I sometimes feel imposter syndrome when talking to fellow survivors; my story is very mild compared to most of the stories I've heard from others.”
Confronting the Catholic Church’s Role in Native American Boarding Schools
We revisit our 2023 interview with Maka Black Elk, who is committed to hearing the stories of Native people hurt in boarding schools run by Catholic religious orders. As a Catholic and member of the Oglala-Sioux tribe, he shares how he has grappled with the Church’s role in this harm.
Join Us in Welcoming Meghan Fiebelkorn to the Awake Staff!
This week we are honored to introduce Meghan Fiebelkorn, Awake’s new full-time associate director. Here she tells us a little about her career background, what she and her family do for fun, and the projects that she is the most excited to undertake with Awake.
Courageous Conversation: Abuse Survivors Discuss the Act of Sharing Their Stories
At last week's Courageous Conversation, speakers Gina Barthel, Wendy Mitch, and Vincent Perez recounted some of the most helpful and compassionate responses to their abuse stories, as well as a few of the most painful.
Awake Warmly Welcomes New Associate Director, Whitney True Francis
On September 4, Awake joyfully welcomed Whitney True Francis, our second full-time staff member. As she begins her work with Awake, we asked Whitney a few questions about her background, personal life, and hopes for this role.
What Does Grooming Look Like in the Abuse of Adults?
This week we revisit a 2023 post on the topic of grooming, the manipulative techniques used by abusive people to set the stage for the abuse of adults as well as children.
Maria Silvers
“Hearing stories like mine from other survivors has helped me to recognize and heal from the wound of shame.”
What is DARVO? Why Learning More Could Lead to a Safer Church
When faith leaders or others are accused of sexual assault, they may respond with tactics known as DARVO to make victims seem less believable and create confusion.
“Without Saying a Word, You are Safe and Understood”: Reflections from Awake’s Second Annual Survivor Retreat
There are many things I love about my work as Awake’s executive director, but our annual retreat for abuse survivors has quickly become the highlight of my year. It is a profound privilege to share this transformative experience.
Allison DeGeorge
“It has taken me more than a decade to find the words that have become my abuse story and I feel very … afraid to share. The only reason I share it now is that I do not want anyone to have to endure the shame and isolation I felt as I searched … for an explanation of what happened to me.”