Changing the World...One Survivor at a Time

Building resilience & encouraging post-traumatic growth.

A photograph of the author.

Revised ‘About V’

My name is Vicki Disorda. I am a dog-mom, aspiring author and student of ministry. I love animals, music and dancing. Above all, I am a survivor. I have managed trauma for over forty years. As a veteran of childhood sexual abuse, writing has been my saving grace.

 

I embrace the will to live and write daily. This is my freedom.

 

My faith in God and studying the teachings of Jesus─ as I interpret them─ has made me stronger and more courageous than I could have ever dreamed possible. Because of this, I am able to exercise my freedom and have become who I am, exactly as I was created to be. This makes me a Christian, not because I go to church or belong to any particular institution, but because I believe.

 

In fact, I consider myself more of a spiritual butterfly than I am committed to any particular organization or group.

 

Practicing my craft and my faith has made me a better person… and a better writer.

 

As a disabled person, I have endured marginalization far greater than any form of discrimination I ever felt from being female. Marginalization “is increasingly common in countries where populist authoritarian governments use marginalized groups as scapegoats for the problems of the majority.” (Source: liberties.eu) This is most certainly true in America. The disabled and single mothers in particular are frequently blamed for our nation’s financial woes.

 

I have survived mental health challenges, memory loss, cancer, the pandemic and abuse. Through all of this I’ve had to relearn to think for myself, and outside of the box, to make the best decisions possible to ensure the wellbeing of myself and loved ones who are or have become defenseless.

 

It’s a grueling task, and yet many who are on the “DL” (disabled list), are said to be seeking a “free ride”. This is how marginalization works.

 

There is nothing “free” about being disabled…or marginalized. Thanks to the teachings and history of Christ, liberation from this misconception is possible.

 

For some of us, “surviving” means living with trauma on a continuous basis. In spite of this, I have been furthering my education and attempting to reenter the workforce on a part-time basis. After a “psychotic break”, years of debilitating PTSD, agoraphobia, depression, anxiety and cancer, this means learning to navigate a minefield of triggers, developing healthy coping mechanisms and overcoming my fears on a full-time basis.

 

Contrary to popular opinion, no one wants to be “disabled” … or a victim.

 

If any of this resonates with you, perhaps you are a survivor too.

 

If you are a person who might be triggered by such content as I share, you may choose not to read any further. Please, take care of yourself first. If you are a person who may be offended by what I write or choose to think that I am crazy, remember, thanks to Covid, we are all crazy.

 

This is a photograph of V on a hike in Vermont.

When I am not writing, you can usually find me in the outdoors. I love hiking, kayaking and swimming in the warmer months and cross-country skiing in the winter time. All of this is an important part of my self-care.

 

My biggest dream is to publish a memoir one day and to be able to support myself financially entirely from my writing. Nobody wants to be incapacitated by trauma. I’m here to share what I learn about overcoming fear, marginalization and abuse.

 

Changing how we perceive ourselves as persons is the path to changing the world… one survivor at a time.

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I am V

V is for Valor. I am here to promote strength of mind and spirit to overcome fear, marginalization, and abuse.

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