Hands That Held Me

The Hands That Held Me is Lisa Jo Symonds' personal journey through childhood trauma - of abuse, child trafficking, addiction, overdose, and ultimately victory over all that meant to destroy her. She describes in shocking and honest details - the various types of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse she encountered while growing up. At 15 years old, she became pregnant and ran away, surviving among drug and prostitution-filled streets, doing what she had to in order to survive. She survived a traumatic childhood, endured the challenges of being a single parent, overcame abusive relationships, and broke free from a lifetime of multiple addictions. Lisa Jo Symonds began sharing her story through a series of powerful posts on Facebook in May of 2018 that extended over a 2-month period. Some of the actual posts are incorporated into The Hands That Held Me. As she exposed the horrific memories of her own childhood and publicly admitted to her addictions, other survivors, inspired by her story, began to tell their own story started their own journey of healing and recovery.. Learn more about the author on her website at www.symondssez.com.About the Author: Lisa Jo earned a dual bachelor's and master's degree in Health Sciences - Public Health. She focuses her attention on being a support and advocate for other survivors of abuse, child trafficking, and domestic violence. She also does everything she can to continue raising awareness and pushing for public health policy changes regarding addiction and treatment, hoping her contributions help to end the drug overdose epidemic. Her research is published in peer reviewed medical journals and cited in articles around the globe.