Mother of Young Heroin Addict Opens Up and Says, ‘This is Us’
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Christine Naman understands all too well that those who struggle with mental illness and addiction are not faceless numbers. They are real people who are valued and cherished by their families, and she wants the world to know and understand her daughter, Natalie.
“People are silent in their shame,” Christine said in a recent interview. “They’re quiet about it. And when you reach out and say, ‘this is us,’ people are anxious to unload and say, ‘that’s us too.’”
Christine traces her daughter’s years-long battle with mental illness and addiction — and opens up about her own struggles with denial and the shame she carries for not recognizing the signs — in About Natalie, a gripping, cautionary tale of how a child can suddenly end up on the wrong path, meet the wrong people and get lost in the unthinkable.
“I did not know the signs or symptoms,” Christine said. “I didn’t know the looks of things or the smells of things. Often times, it was right in front of me. I just didn’t know what I was seeing.”
Natalie was just 15 years old when she became addicted to heroin. They were everyday people, living everyday lives, and then the floor dropped out.
About Natalie takes readers deep inside Christine’s emotional and mental turmoil as she grows into her new, unfortunate role as the parent of an addict. She steps on syringes left on the floor. She lives the nightmare of finding an unresponsive child on the floor and uses Narcan to revive her. She chases away a drug dealer and stays up all night waiting for her missing child to come home. She rejoices during periods of recovery and hope and is devastated during relapses. When her daughter suffers, Christine suffers right along with her.
Interwoven with Christine’s reflections are Natalie’s brilliant poems that share her personal pain and the unvarnished truth of her struggle.
Full of compassion, understanding and hope for those struggling with mental illness and addiction, About Natalie is a story of fighting for — and right alongside — the ones we love, no matter how difficult the circumstances. It is a story of keeping the faith, battling hard and never giving up.
Bestselling author Christine Pisera Naman is a wife to a beautiful man named Peter and a mother to three fantastic kids named Jason, Natalie and Trevor. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, which she does poorly; painting, again poorly; and volunteering at her local hospital, which she hopes she does well. She is the author of the Faces of Hope series of books that are now housed in the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City. Her other works include Caterpillar Kisses, Christmas Lights, The Novena and The Believers. About Natalie is her heart poured onto paper.
She hopes that by sharing her family’s difficult story she can bring understanding and knowledge to those who do not know these problems firsthand as well as provide comfort to those who know the struggles of mental illness and addiction all too well.
Learn How to Not Only Survive but Thrive using Practical Tools in New Book, Thriving Life
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Have you been struggling to live your best life? Do you feel stuck? Professor and trained therapist Laura Berg is a trauma survivor who understands struggle and knows how to overcome it.
Berg’s new book, Thriving Life, shows you how to transform your life by learning how to not only survive but thrive. She created the methods in this book to help people everywhere when they need a boost, no matter what is going on in their lives.
“For most of my life I felt stuck, as though I was just trying to survive life one day at a time. I found it difficult to move beyond the traumas in my past to live the life I deserved. I wrote this book to share with others my experiences and the lessons I learned that helped me overcome the obstacles in my life that were holding me back. I’m hoping that these stories and the advice I share in this book will help the reader live a more joyful and thriving life,” Berg says.
Thriving Life serves as a reference, with each chapter discussing a specific issue that many people struggle with, such as defining your own happiness, dealing with rejection and setting limits in relationships. With practical tips and a step-by-step approach to help you find what makes you happy, Berg will teach readers how to stop victimizing themselves and find strength in asking for help.
About the Author Laura Berg is a professor, author, entrepreneur, trained therapist and award-winning parenting expert. Among her many accolades, she has been named one of the Top 10 Mom Entrepreneurs, Savvy Mom of the Year, and was awarded YouTube’s Silver Play Button.
Thriving Life: How to Live Your Best Life No Matter the Cards You’re Dealt Publisher: HCI Books Release Date: November 2, 2021 ISBN-10: 0757323960 ISBN-13: 978-0757323966 Trade Paperback, 256 pages Available for pre-order wherever books are sold
Trish Stevens Lindsey Mach Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
Harrowing Experiences in Alaska Transform Young Bride Into Woman of Strength
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At the age of 23, new bride Deanne Burch accompanied her husband, Ernest “Tiger” Burch, to the Inuit village of Kivalina, Alaska, a barrier island 83 miles above the Arctic Circle. Tiger was conducting a study of the natives, but Deanne, a naïve city girl, was completely unprepared for what she was about to experience. Tiger would say that what happened to them was bad luck. Deanne calls it destiny.
In Journey Through Fire and Ice: Shattered Dreams Above the Arctic Circle, Deanne recounts in vivid detail her unforgettable story of the months spent in a remote Eskimo village.
“I think when something happens — the tragedy that happened to us in Alaska — you always live on the edge of it. You never forget what really happened,” Deanne said in a recent interview.
In Kivalina, Deanne lived on the edge of two worlds — the one she left behind and the one where she reluctantly participated in all aspects of the women’s lives. Skinning seals, cleaning and drying fish, and cutting beluga and caribou to store became her way of life. Plumbing, running water and electricity were not available. Loneliness was a constant companion until a few women befriended her.
During a span of six days, Deanne and Tiger narrowly escaped death during a camping trip, and Tiger suffered severe burns from a fire in their house. He spent three months in the hospital receiving treatment for seared lungs and horrific burns on his face and hands. His lungs never recovered from this ordeal.
When he was finally released from the hospital, he returned to the village with Deanne to complete the study. The life-threatening and harrowing experiences in Alaska transformed Deanne into a woman of strength who learned how to embrace challenge.
Over 50 years later, she remembers that young girl who left on an unknown journey that will live in her heart forever.
Author Deanne Burch was born and raised in Canada and attended the University of Toronto, obtaining B.A. degrees in liberal arts and social work. After the Alaska journey, she and her husband eventually settled in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, where they lived until his death.
Deanne spent 30 years as a professional international photographer who taught and lectured in the U.S. and Canada. She published several articles in photography magazines and journals. Since retiring in 2014, she devoted herself to writing short stories and children’s stories. Journey Through Fire and Ice: Shattered Dreams Above the Arctic Circle was published in March 2021.
Journey Through Fire and Ice: Shattered Dreams Above the Arctic Circle Publisher: Authority Publishing ISBN-10: 1949642593 ISBN-13: 978-1949642599 Available from Amazon.com
Faith Journey Includes the Good, the Bad and the Proof that God Hears Our Prayers
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Christine Schat sat down and wrote the truth about her life even though some of it was messy. As a teenager, she lived by her own rules, became pregnant, married young, divorced and married again. She made choices that led to the tragic death of her husband and the heartbreak of a prodigal son. She had welcomed Jesus into her life at an early age, but had repeatedly veered off course. Every time she repented, she found God’s forgiveness and mercy to be always available, always complete. This is her compelling story.
The Tree of Faith, God Wants to Answer YOUR Prayer is Schat’s deeply personal memoir recounting true stories that range from dealing with regret to letting go of guilt and letting go of shame. There were many life events that prompted Schat to seek God’s will and to ask for His help. Did God always show up in exactly the way she expected Him to? No. Were her prayers answered as quickly as she’d hoped? No. But ultimately, she recognized the constant thread of God’s love that was woven throughout her life despite her sins.
Schat’s style is easy and conversational, and laced with touches of humor. She shares the moments, thoughts and experiences that led her to a most astonishing realization in the face of adversity.
She discovered that the seed of faith planted in her at birth by the Creator could grow easily in the healthy soil of a humble heart. By spiritually cultivating that seed with life-giving prayer and sonshine, her small seedling grew into a magnificently strong, fruit-bearing tree of faith, deeply rooted and stable. She then knew, that living with Christ, everything is possible.
In The Tree of Faith, readers will discover the age-old secret to obliterating fear, guilt and shame; the personal way God answers questions; strength through adversity and the power of letting go; the unique key to turning life around; and the growing faith that looks past the impossible. Along the way, readers are invited to get involved through chapter questions.
Schat shares the good and the bad of her faith journey, with personal stories and a wealth of wisdom gleaned over decades that can give readers hope that God hears their prayers.
“Now is the time to look to the Light, renew your faith and expect God to answer your prayers!” Schat said.
Author Christine Schat is a UCLA graduate and the former owner of Fort Bragg Bakery. She loves to smile, laugh and share her stories. She currently lives in Southern California but loves to travel the country visiting family and friends. She is especially fond of her grandchildren and has been nicknamed Gram-cracker. But her greatest joy is experiencing God’s answered prayers.
The Tree of Faith, God Wants to Answer YOUR Prayer Publisher: Made for More Enterprises, LLC ISBN-13: 979-8735214540 Available from Amazon.com
Trish Stevens Emily Tucker Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
The Message that Families Impacted by Addiction Need to Hear: You Are Not Alone
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When Christine Naman says that her daughter is “doing well,” the caution in her voice is palpable. Addiction recovery is a work in progress — not a quick fix — and Christine has learned to celebrate each day for the tiny victory that it is.
Her daughter, Natalie, was just 15 years old when she became addicted to heroin. They were everyday people, living everyday lives, and then the floor dropped out.
“It’s exactly where you don’t want to end up,” Christine said in a recent interview. “I was caught flat-footed, and I’m embarrassed to say that.”
Christine traces her daughter’s years-long battle with addiction — and her own struggles with denial — in About Natalie, a gripping, cautionary tale of how a child can suddenly end up on the wrong path, meet the wrong people and get lost in the unthinkable.
About Natalie takes readers deep inside Christine’s emotional and mental turmoil as she grows into her new, unfortunate role as the parent of an addict. She steps on syringes left on the floor and wrestles one from the family dog’s mouth. She lives the nightmare of finding an unresponsive child on the floor and uses Narcan to revive her. She chases away a drug dealer and stays up all night waiting for her missing child to come home. She rejoices during periods of recovery and hope and is devastated during relapses. When her daughter suffers, Christine suffers right along with her.
Interwoven with Christine’s reflections are Natalie’s brilliant poems that share her personal pain and the unvarnished truth of her struggle.
Full of compassion, understanding and hope for addicts, About Natalie is a story of fighting for — and right alongside — the ones we love, no matter how difficult the circumstances. It is a story of keeping the faith, battling hard and never giving up.
Bestselling author Christine Pisera Naman is a wife to a beautiful man named Peter and a mother to three fantastic kids named Jason, Natalie and Trevor. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, which she does poorly; painting, again poorly; and volunteering at her local hospital, which she hopes she does well. She is the author of the Faces of Hope series of books that are now housed in the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City. Her other works include Caterpillar Kisses, Christmas Lights, The Novena and The Believers. About Natalie is her heart poured onto paper.
She hopes that by sharing her family’s difficult story she can bring understanding and knowledge to those who do not know the problem firsthand as well as provide comfort to those who know the nightmare of addiction all too well.
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing.)
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Traumatizing events like natural disasters, COVID, social unrest and random acts of violence dominate the news. But your traumatic experience doesn’t have to make headlines to be real.
“Anybody’s trauma is completely valid,” emphasized Dr. Randall Bell, who went on to explain that any circumstances a person is struggling to process and move beyond can be considered trauma.
“We may not always be able to control what happens to us, but we can control what happens to us going forward,” he added. And this philosophy forms the foundation of his latest book, Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience.
In it, Dr. Bell draws upon his decades of experience and scientific research to deliver a three-stage framework — Dive, Survive and Thrive — that can help readers process their trauma, make the conscientious decision to accept help and move forward, and eventually, tap into the energy generated by that trauma to achieve more than they ever thought possible.
In Post-Traumatic Thriving, he shares powerful, inspirational stories of real people (many of them, like TV’s Facts of Life star Geri Jewell, are familiar) who were able to move beyond trauma and thrive in the aftermath, including:
• A deaf man with a glass eye invented the electric guitar and became a household name, remarkably wealthy and most importantly, happy. • A convicted murderer took responsibility for the damage he caused, graduated with honors from college, became a minister and turned around the hearts of the most hardened criminals. • A girl born with cerebral palsy landed the world’s first starring role on national television and spoke at the White House three times. • A woman hid in a basement for years and lost her entire family in the Holocaust. She eventually found true love and paints stunning artwork. • The sister of a murder victim helped millions of women in toxic domestic relationships. • A woman’s car crash resulted in an addiction to prescription drugs, a divorce, a loss of her children and a cot in a homeless shelter. She has rebuilt it all back and more. • A man set to go to the Olympics had his hopes dashed by Jimmy Carter and went on to build a worldwide business empire.
Dr. Bell juxtaposes outcomes of scientific studies with these stories to reveal common denominators among “thrivers,” revealing to readers a healthy path toward healing and a life where post-traumatic thriving is possible.
As a socio-economist, Dr. Randall Bell has consulted on more disasters on earth than anyone in history. His clients include the Federal Government, State Governments, International Tribunals, major corporations and homeowners. Dr. Bell believes that “the problem is not the problem — the problem is how we react to the problem.”
Often called the “Master of Disaster,” Dr. Bell is squarely focused on authentic recovery and resilience. His research has been profiled on major television shows and featured in numerous magazines and the international media. More information can be found at https://www.coreiq.com/books.
Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience Publisher: Core IQ Press ISBN 978-0-9967931-7-9 Available from Amazon.com and all bookstores
Trish Stevens Kim Weiss Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 954.263.6827 Direct 800.854.1134 Office [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
Words for All Offers Spiritual, Life-Affirming Inspiration Website shares writings that detail connection with the ALL of existence
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When minister and licensed psychotherapist Dr. Pieter Noomen made public his personal account of having direct contact with the world of “the Positive State,” his intent was to show us that there is more to life than meets the eye, and that this “more” is accessible to everyone.
“Not in order to escape or ignore our daily earthly circumstances and responsibilities,” he wrote. “But so that we can experientially understand the scope of what full existing is all about.”
He freely shares his thoughts, insights and experiences regarding “Visits into The Real Reality,” “The Seven Names,” “Lessons” and much more on his website, www.wordsforall.org.
Dr. Noomen’s journey toward forming a conscious closeness to the source of all existence began more than 25 years ago when he studied the work of Dr. Peter D. Francuch, who communicated with what he called “the Positive State.” Dr. Noomen would go on to significantly widen his own spiritual path and have extraordinary experiences on the spiritual plane.
Dr. Noomen meticulously chronicled the communications he shared with a spiritual presence and wrote extensively about the appearances he witnessed of the I AM, hoping to forever change the soul of humanity with messages of healing, love, and oneness.
Visitors to Dr. Noomen’s website can read about the 12 components of life through his 12 booklets: Oneness, Love, Life, Fire, Space, Connectedness, Progression, Effect, Freedom, Joy, Differentness and Harmony. Additionally, he shares 147 thought-provoking questions and the illuminating answers that came to him during his communications with the All Spirit. Readers will also find 10 rules for praying and glean inspiration from Dr. Noomen’s numerous lessons and stories.
The message that forms the foundation of his writings on www.wordsforall.org is that directly or indirectly, life stems from one common source, and to connect with that source is the highest level of existence we can achieve on earth.
Born in the Netherlands, Pieter Noomen completed doctoral studies in theology and pastoral psychology at the Free University of Amsterdam and was senior minister of three protestant churches. Later, he worked as a psychotherapist and as a staff member of a Los Angeles metropolitan church. He was involved in mental health issues like suicide prevention and hospice. Sadly, Dr. Noomen passed away in 2019, but his wealth of wisdom and insights freely shared on www.wordsforall.org will continue to inspire people throughout the world to broaden their spiritual paths.
“It’s wonderful when things go well for us. Or if at least some things do so. It’s double wonderful when we’re aware of this and are grateful for the gift it is. It’s three times as wonderful when we fully realize that what’s good and well is already a connection with what is eternal and represents the Real Reality.”
Trish Stevens Kathleen Harrison Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 281.333.3507 Main [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
