Beautiful Voices is our ongoing blog series that highlights inspiring, empowering women. Our most recent Beautiful Voice is Anne-Marie Wiesman. See what she says when Annmarie asks her some questions about her own personal beauty.
Anne-Marie Wiesman is an EFT Practitioner and Hypnotherapist specializing in recovery of childhood sexual abuse/rape, domestic violence and narcissistic abuse. She is a survivor of all of the above and the founder of the website Follow Your Song. Anne-Marie was raised by a narcissistic mother, her biological father was a violent alcoholic and she was married to an abusive, alcoholic narcissist for 10 years. Through the use of EFT Tapping and other healing modalities she was able to overcome the effects of the abuse as well as the trauma/PTSD and begin her healing journey. She created Follow Your Song to bring inspiration, encouragement and hope to survivors of all forms of abuse. Her mission is to help other survivors to know that they are not alone, that help is available and they can heal and recover. Her hope is that survivors will utilize the information, tools and resources available on her website and blog to help them in their recovery. Her goal is to create a community of survivors who can support, learn and heal together. Find more at her website, or connect with her on Facebook.
Who do you feel you are today?
I am a wife, mother and a survivor.
What event has defined your life?
Having my children, of course. It fulfilled my dream of becoming a mother, but I would have to add the day that I married my husband as well. After surviving 10 years of domestic violence in my first marriage, I said I would never get married again. I’m so grateful I choose to give love a second chance and be open to love. I learned that denying love doesn’t keep you from hurt; it keeps you from love.
Who or what is your biggest inspiration?
Oprah was my biggest inspiration growing up. The day she told the world that she had been sexually abused, it was such a defining moment in my life. I knew that if she could talk about it and survive it I could to.
The silence feeds the shame and each time I spoke about it a little piece of the shame I had carried for so many years was released. It was so freeing and so healing. She is such an amazing gift to the world and an inspiration to all survivors.
What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge has been healing and recovering from a lifetime of abuse and having to make the decision to let my family of origin go. The grief of that and the betrayal of them helping my ex husband take our child from me nearly broke me, but instead I came out even stronger and so unbelievably grateful for all that I have.
If money was no object what would you be doing?
I would continue my greatest love which is writing and trying to bring inspiration, encouragement and hope to other survivors. I have since learned that what happened to me regarding my child is very common for domestic violence survivors and that there is an entire community of survivors that face this or have been through this as well.
I’m on the other side now and I want to let them know that they can and will survive it. There were times I didn’t know if I would make it. If I can heal and recover, I know that anyone can.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
I read somewhere to “drop the rope.” When I did that everything changed. After not being able to see my daughter for 6 months after putting her on the bus one day and she never came home again, the nightmare was finally over.
I’ve seen high profile cases like mine and I just want to say to them that they just want to punish you for leaving them and standing up to the abuse. Ultimately they want most of all to win. If you drop the rope, you refuse to play their destructive game. They think they’ve won, but you’ve won peace and more importantly, your freedom.
Isn’t she beautiful?
Much Love,
Annmarie Gianni
“Teaching People About Beauty From the Inside Out”
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(If you’re interested in being featured as one of our Beautiful Voices, please email us at info [at] annmariegianni.com.)
We are so grateful to have you in our lives and for sharing what you know with us at bliss. Thank-You! Love & Light-Tish