From Abuse to Reclamation - The Healing Power of Portraits

In October 2021, my world broke apart. The year that followed threatened to swallow me alive as I incrementally discovered years of intimate betrayal and sexual abuse. By the end of that first year, I avoided mirrors entirely. I didn’t recognize the woman I saw, and I lost the will to live.

I’ve come to think of trauma as a rift in time, leaving who I once was in the past along with the broken pieces of my life. It fractured my sense of self and severed my connections to the people I care about and the life I loved. I started over, rebuilding my life and my very essence from the shards that remained. My children kept me going, but dance and theatre saved me. I found passion and community. I began to heal.

I was two years into recovery when I found Beauclair photography and I booked a session on a whim, still terrified of my image. The experience was nourishing and tender. At my photo reveal, the story that unfolded was not that of a tragic woman, but of a fierce warrior. I saw a dancer, a creature of Earth and whimsy, and a quiet rebellion. I saw me.

This experience helped me reclaim my body and my confidence. It taught me to hold myself tight and nurture the wounded woman within me. It showed me that I am worthy of light, love, and moments of unbridled joy. I am forever grateful for Shannon, and all that she illuminated within me.