In her vulnerable new book – part memoir, part self-help – Wen Peetes urges readers to listen to the messages living inside their feelings, so they can become the home they never want to run away from
DEERFIELD BEACH, Florida – In her upcoming book, “Inner Child Healing” (Rebel For a Spell Press, Jan. 11, 2024) Wen Peetes reminds trauma survivors they’re never too old to heal.
Trash the lies you’re tempted to believe, trauma survivors. You are not worthless, you are not too damaged, and you are never too old to heal. Reclaim your power! You were born worthy of living the life you love.
If you’re stuck in believing you’ll never heal from negative experiences, if you’re on your healing journey already, or if you simply dream of feeling good about yourself, “Inner Child Healing” is your spring.
This self-reflective guide to overcoming trauma teaches:
- How Wen Peetes went from being flattened by the shame of childhood sexual and physical abuse to living her dreams.
- How to trade fear for hope and keep fighting as warriors for your healing, your freedom!
- How to overcome feelings of low self-worth and negative thoughts, how to set boundaries, and how to speak up for yourself.
- How to stop self-criticism, forgive yourself, and become the love of your life.
Whoever you are, gladiator of inner healing, if you are fed up with being stuck in the cycle of trauma, this book is for you!
“Inner Child Healing:
Heal Your Wounds. Train Your Mind. Create A New You.”
Wen Peetes | Jan. 11, 2024 | Rebel for a Spell Press | Non-Fiction / Self-Help
Hardcover | ISBN: 9798985963014 | $19.99
Ebook | $10.99
Audiobook | $24.99
About the Author
Wen Peetes is a coach, mentor and speaker who helps women become powerful decision makers, so they never have to doubt themselves again. With her popular Instagram @rebelforaspell, Wen continues to expand her reach through her daily content and by sharing tools of transformation with tailored offerings including, her private one-on-one coaching program (Born Divinely Worthy), her VIP Retreat and her group mentorship program (Self-Divine Healing Accelerator). Wen is also a songwriter, singer and a producer, releasing the album Woman Empowered under her moniker, Wendy St. Kitts, and singles under Violins For Milk.
As a survivor of childhood trauma and abuse, Wen found herself trying to break free from the negative cycle that left her feeling stuck, helpless, and hopeless. Through a series of life-changing events, she found the courage to embrace her darkest secret and the resilience to turn pain into purpose. In this self-reflective book, Wen gently encourages you to address past childhood trauma wounds and adverse experiences that may cause you to doubt your worth. You may recognize the lasting impact of negative experiences on your relationships with others and yourself. You, too, can become the co-creator of the life you never want to run away from, by becoming the fullest expression of yourself: feeling whole, confident, and peacefully free to live a vibrant authentic life. For more information, visit www.rebelforaspell.com
Follow Wen Peetes on social media:
Facebook: @rebelforaspell | Instagram: @rebelforaspell | Threads: @rebelforaspell
In an interview, Wen Peetes can discuss:
- The importance of your relationship with yourself and how to develop and tend to that relationship
- Her personal journey from shame rooted in abuse to living her dreams
- Identifying shame-based thinking and how to overcome it
- Healing at all ages and stages
- Identifying and setting boundaries
- The art of forgiving yourself
- Healing as a journey and destination
- How to tap into and not betray your intuition
- Replacing fear with hope
- Breaking the cycle of trauma
- Persevering through the lowest points in your healing journey
An Interview with
Wen Peetes
Before we dive into everything else, can you tell us a little about yourself and your journey to healing?
I am a spiritual woman who is profoundly grateful to be living my life’s purpose. I don’t take anything for granted, not even breath. At a young age, I discovered an unfiltered form of expression, which I trusted less and less as I became an adult. Now, after a hard-won healing journey, I have reconnected to the source of that expression (my intuition). And it has led me to you. This same “source” nudged me to leave my home island of St. Kitts and eventually, it divined my self-healing from childhood abuse and trauma. Today, as an Intuitive healing coach, I have the honor of serving other gladiators of inner healing, helping them to become powerful decision makers, so they never have to doubt themselves again.
How does your book explore the concept of tapping into your inner child?
As children, we are filled with wonder and curiosity about pretty much everything. And that fosters a ripe courage within us, to try something new and different, and to ask questions. This book invites us to reconnect with the wonder, wisdom and divine intelligence of our inner feelings, i.e., our intuitive nudge.
Because sometimes we have to go all the way back – as close as we could get to our “first creation” that is, our earliest period of development, so that we can:
- Heal our wounds
- Retrain our minds and hearts
- And this rebirth, creates a new you
And then, our adult-self is encouraged to unlatch from cultural norms and archaic beliefs, which mandate who we are expected to be or who we should be. And with that courage we learn to stop running away from our “why” (i.e. “why we think, feel, act and believe certain things to be true”). We tenderly soothe ourselves, letting go of the anger, shame and resentment etc.. And then, we learn to be more gentle and loving towards ourselves.
Was it difficult for you to revisit your childhood trauma while writing this book? Why was it important for you to write about?
At times, yes. In the difficult moments of writing this book, I was “revived” by the privilege and the responsibility to help others heal the self-doubt that’s keeping them stuck to a low-energy power source (i.e. fear, shame, self-doubt). I know it is my sacred duty to help others with the work I am called to do via this book, my music, coaching, etc. And so, I became emboldened with this mission – that others deserve to “become” their great freedom.
What kept you going, even at your lowest points in your healing journey?
I felt a pull from a source far greater than myself. An intuitive inner feeling that was deposited into me – that helped me understand – I was here in this world to do “something” to help myself and others. This feeling was unnamed, and yet so profound. And this feeling became a knowing that “life” was not done with me yet.
From this low point, I discovered what I know to be true about creation (i.e. the life you love and want to experience). That is, your feelings direct the choices you believe are available – from which you make a selection. Your feelings direct the decisions you make, (based on the choices you’ve selected). Your feelings are automatically hinged to what you believe about yourself. Your feelings direct your actions.
We have so much more power than we believe. I invite you to have mercy on yourself. That grace will give you the courage to become – what you need most.
Is it ever “too late” for someone to heal? How would you encourage people who are feeling defeated in their mental health journey?
There is always hope, as long as you are breathing. And don’t be afraid or ashamed to raise your hand and seek help when you need it. That right there, is you – exercising your divine power.
Many of us don’t have examples of what healing or a peaceful and fulfilled life could look like or could be like. And so, sometimes we have to “borrow” that which we crave and long for.
That’s why I encourage my clients to create a healthy healing space. You can create that safe space too. So, turn off your phone. Step away from your computer. Sit in nature or look out your window. And listen, draw, scribble, write. Or, do absolutely nothing. Just breathe.
What is an intuitive healing coach, and why did you choose that profession?
Essentially, I am a guide who helps trauma survivors and others who’ve had adverse experiences to heal the self-doubt that keeps them from creating the life that fully supports them. Because, whether we realize it or not, we are all on a healing journey. Every day, we come up against a life-test that tempts us into betraying our values and our intuition because life is about the game called change. So inherently, with our heightened self-awareness as we heal, we will discover changes within ourselves that we need to make, in order to keep our healing promise to ourselves.
This profession chose me. I’ve been mentoring since I was in my 20s. It began while I was working in the corporate world, where I witnessed myself and so many women and men believing they didn’t have a choice in the way they were being treated professionally or personally. We were betraying our intuition and sacrificing ourselves in order to be accepted and approved by others.
You’re also a talented songwriter. Can you tell us about that?
Ah, songwriting is a divine gift that was deposited into my spirit, and it keeps connecting me to gratitude. It’s how I found my inner voice and taught myself to not be afraid of what I was feeling. Songwriting and singing were the first forms of my truest expressions. They “harvested” an unfiltered truth that gave me courage to sing words I dared not say out loud – at first. When I wrote the album “Woman Empowered” (and through sharing it), I connected with so many other women (and men) who had similar experiences. What truly resonated? Oftentimes, we just need someone to witness us, to “see,” so that we know we are not alone, that we belong – to ourselves first and to healing’s grace.
How would you describe your relationship with spirituality?
I am spirit first, before I am a human woman. This may sound curious to some, but I know and accept this fact without question. Why? Because even as a child, I felt there was something greater at work within and around me. Logic has its place in my life (i.e. doing taxes), but I operate primarily, through my intuition (i.e. heart-soul coherence). That’s my spirituality.
How can you tap into your intuition? How do you learn to trust it and not betray it?
Great question. We are all intuitive beings. We have that inner knowing, sixth sense, an instinct or insight that we cannot explain – why it feels “right” or why we feel aligned energetically, emotionally and spiritually – to believe, to “be” the way we are, and to take certain actions.
You see, “aha moments” can find us at any given point. For me, I listen. I find a place unencumbered by man-made noise and objects. Once my external environment is quiet, the mental chatter quiets down as well. Letting go, I listen and then I trust the feelings that come up – speaking through me. And the reflection begins – What feels emotionally safe, and comforting in your heart – what feels good? What feels physically safe? Does “this” feel like home? And so I trust the response (i.e. my intuition).
I care for this infinitely deep connection, every day. By doing the healing work – so that I remain connected to healing and to not betray this powerful life-renewal.
How do you identify shame-based thinking, and how do you overcome it?
Shame-based thinking often stems from stingy beliefs and archaic cultural norms, that have conditioned our minds and our hearts to discredit our real and natural desires, needs and visions. Ultimately, this line of thinking is saying what you feel, need and want does not matter.
And then what happens when we drink this “shame brew?” We blame ourselves for the hurt someone put upon us. We judge ourselves for craving what we feel and believe we deserve, and we apologize to others – before – we ask for what we want. Then, we guilt ourselves for not being satisfied with what we already have.
We can overcome this shame-based thinking, by not owning the harm that someone puts on us. Something unkind happened to us – we are not that unkindness. Once that work is done, we keep unpacking the truth and the messages living underneath everyone of our feelings. We also should do the work of accepting that each of those feelings are working to help us heal. For example, shame may be burying sadness underneath a layer of three or four other emotions. And that sadness may be inspiring us to connect with someone who truly cares for us.
What are some practical steps people can take to foster a better relationship with themselves?
Become your most loving friend.
Speak into your heart as if you were speaking to a toddler or a child, with softness, with tenderness. Ask yourself what truly makes your life worth living. Inside the answer you will find the core values that create how you show up in the world – first to yourself and then to others. Those values will set the tone of how people will treat you and how you will be treated. And say words of encouragement and kindness. Pay attention and notice the tone of voice you use, when you “speak” to yourself and observe your bodily reactions, and listen to what you are telling yourself (i.e. your inner critic).
Do you have any daily practices that help you stay grounded?
I live my values every day by being of service to my purest expressions: love, freedom and sharing. Several times during the day, I check in with myself emotionally, spiritually and energetically. I step away from distractions and ask myself questions (some of which I have mentioned above), as if I were speaking to a dear friend.
Encompassed in all these questions is the ultimate question – have I experienced what love feels like? Am I staying deeply connected to my healing promise? And from the responses I receive, I adjust my operating system – how I think, feel, behave and what I believe is available to me. That is, how I choose to show up in the world – first to myself and to others.
How do you identify and define boundaries? Why do some people struggle with setting boundaries? And what advice would you give to those who experience people disrespecting their boundaries?
Boundaries are communicators, the messages your body sends to your heart and mind that you are feeling safe and cared for; i.e. emotionally, psychologically, physically safe, etc. Or you are feeling the opposite – unsafe, unloved, hurt, etc.
Ultimately, we are the experts of our emotions and our feelings. We feel first when we are unsafe (i.e. feeling anxious, hurt, threatened, etc.). Our bodies send that message of truth. And because we cannot change what we are not aware of, that’s why we must first listen “for” ourselves.
To identify your boundaries, you must first understand who you are, and what you need to feel safe, cared for and protected. And what you need to change. Next, you make a choice – to communicate what you need, or you intentionally cause yourself to suffer by not communicating what you need. You choose and then you decide what you value and the standards of behavior you will not tolerate from yourself and others. Then, you communicate all this in plain simple words to yourself and to others.
If your boundaries are being disrespected, take a moment to process what you are feeling and why this may have occurred. Then, create space between what you feel and the action you take or words you use. Remember, others cannot intuit what you need. We are responsible for our desires and needs.
If you’re feeling disrespected, discern how much of that feeling is due to miscommunication. Then “right” the situation by communicating in no uncertain terms what you need, and the consequences of the actions (i.e. the disrespect caused). Sometimes this is easier said than done, but it is our sacred duty to practice and master this love-lesson if we desire to support ourselves emotionally.
Why is it so hard for some people to forgive themselves?
We are not taught the power of valuing or trusting ourselves. However, shame and guilt are reinforced when we “fail” to meet the standards that others set for us; i.e. adhering to who we “should be.” That’s why we must become the creator of what love feels and moves like through our healing.
And so, because we are living someone else’s version of our lives, we invalidate how we feel. We tell ourselves we are “wrong,” and we berate and beat up ourselves for not knowing that our feelings are legitimate.
Then what happens? We don’t realize or notice the little, tiny things that compound into self-hurt, self-abuse and hopelessness. We are not homeless within. We are hope-filled and purposeful.
And healing gives us that great freedom to create the love and self-acceptance we truly need. We value and validate ourselves. What we value, we take care of. And through this healing, we forgive ourselves.
I believe that forgiveness is love’s mother. Tapping into your inner child helps us to let go of the hurt, anger and resentment that keeps us stuck.
Forgiveness, helps us to accept all our parts, even our children called shame, resentment, fear, etc. With healing, we learn to step into the nourishing arms of love’s mother (forgiveness) and empty our hurts, sharing our hopes, and celebrating our becoming the home we never want to run away from.
A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.
Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.
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