I live here; learning to heal through embracing your own story - Paperback

by Lori Ellen Poland (Author)

In 1983, Lori Poland was an ordinary three-year-old girl playing in her Colorado front yard, when a strange man offered her candy from the open passenger door of his car. Four days later, Lori was found abandoned in the mountains after sexual abuse and trauma. She emerged whole but unaware of the ripple effects her abduction would cause in her life and the lives of those around her.

I Live Here is an intimate tale of survival, triumph, and empowerment. This inspirational memoir retells what happened during Lori's four "missing" days, and chronicles her memories of identifying her abuser, facing his imprisonment and release, and tackling people's sometimes-unpleasant reactions. In these pages, Lori explores how family and community dynamics amplify trauma and explains how self-reflection, compassion, and hope heal even the most tarnished life stories.

Lori's childhood experiences became national news, contributing to the creation of the U.S. National Sex Offender Registry. Now, she commits herself to fight the silent horrors of abuse and neglect that tens of millions face daily.

Lori Poland, MA, LPC, RRT, is a therapist, speaker, and mother of three. She is CEO and co-founder of The National Foundation to End Child Abuse and Neglect (EndCAN). Lori lives in Colorado and spends her time traveling across the country speaking on hope, healing, and possibility.