I am originally from Michigan, born and raised Catholic. Since 1998 when I got married, I have been living on Long Island where I am a stepmom to two adult children and a grandmother to two beautiful grandsons. I have my Master’s in Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Care from Fordham University. I am a clergy sexual abuse survivor, and although I no longer consider myself part of the Catholic Church, my faith continues to be my strength. Finding Awake has been a tremendous blessing for me. I am passionate about Awake’s mission and want to contribute to providing a safe space for survivors to be heard, supported, and empowered. I know personally how painfully complicated this healing journey can be and I hope for every survivor to know that their voice has value.

Read Amy’s Survivor Story here.

An educator by profession, I've stepped away from the classroom to tend to my own healing. I enjoy performing in the theater and taking ballroom dancing classes. I also love spending time in nature. One of the things I treasure most about Awake is that they've not only permitted me but also encouraged me to take up space and access the resources I need. They've given me a firm foundation of compassion, understanding, and community upon which to stand while helping me balance nurturing a Mary heart in a Martha world. My hope is to help other survivors feel welcomed and loved, to be seen, heard and validated, and to take up the space they need and deserve on their healing journeys. I'm humbled to be a part of this community.

I am a wife, mother, physician, mental health coach, medical missionary, and practicing Catholic living in Washington State. My specialty training in trauma-informed care has enabled me to work with trauma survivors in medical and faith settings for the past ten years. I am a survivor of complex trauma, including childhood abuse by a priest, abuse as an adult in the Church, and the experience of reporting this abuse to Church authorities. I love to travel, watch Disney princess movies, and have long conversations with friends. In my work with Awake, I want to help bring awareness to and raise up the voice of ethnic and racial minority survivors and their supporters. También me gustaría ofrecer recursos en español a los sobrevivientes.

Read Deborah’s Survivor Story here.

I am a practicing Catholic widow who lives in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I work as a parish secretary, but my passion lies in my work as an ecclesiastical seamstress, creating vestments for priests. I am a survivor of 4 years of ritual abuse by a priest involving the sacraments when I was aged 12 - 16 years.  I left the church for more than 35 years and reverted 3 years ago after spending time working toward healing the deep wounds and fear of the Catholic Church and its clergy that my abuse left me with. Through Awake I have realized that I am not alone - particularly as a female survivor who has frequently had my story ignored or dismissed. I look forward to being a part of the mission of Awake as an Advisory Panel member.

I was born and raised Catholic, a California native now living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. My husband and I are parents of three adult children and grandparents of seven, the loves of our lives. I am also a survivor of childhood sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. I did not publicly tell my story until I was in my 50’s and, in the years since, still search for ways to heal what I now know are all the ways trauma impacted my life, and the lives of those I love. Having a place to share this healing journey with others has been life changing for me, and I am deeply grateful to the Awake community for being a place of belonging, acceptance and encouragement for those longing to be heard. I am humbled and honored to contribute in any way I can to the incredible work being done by and through Awake.

Read Maria’s Survivor Story here.

I come to Awake from Pennsylvania, where I'm often found seeking beauty and the goodness of God - in nature, my work in healthcare, my family, and especially in the lives of the people I've met through Awake. Within Awake, I've experienced the hope that comes when isolation is broken and survivors experience community. Additionally, I've had the great gift to travel on pilgrimage around the world in the years since the abuse, and I bring to Awake what I carried to those sites - lament and prayer within the heart of the Church, compassion, love, and a hope that I am still able to recognize light and goodness. I have found that goodness and hope repeatedly through Awake's circles and retreats, and I am grateful to be involved in a new way.

I am a husband, father of 2 adult children, businessman, practicing Catholic, and dear friend to many. Also, I am a childhood sexual abuse survivor by a member of the clergy who was a trusted friend of my parents at the time. My wife and I live in the Edgebrook neighborhood of Chicago and are parishioners of St. Mary of the Woods parish. I kept the secret for over 30 years until finally coming forward to tell my story to officials of the Archdiocese of Chicago in 2006. It is a colossal act of courage for any survivor to tell their story. In my work with Awake, I hope to help survivors feel heard, believed, accompanied, and treated with real empathy and compassion.

Read Mike’s Survivor Story here.

I am from Lancaster, PA, and was raised in a conservative Catholic homeschooling family, the oldest of ten children. I felt called to the priesthood at age nine, which led to sexual abuse within parish life and later in the Legion of Christ. I left seminary and married quickly; it fell apart after eight years when I had a mental breakdown. Years later, I went to therapy to try to understand what happened, and I finally faced the betrayal of my fathers. Awake was a lifeline when other Catholic spaces were cold and distant. Moved by the Gospel, I seek to serve my Father, especially in the poor, by sharing the gifts I have received in my own poverty.

I am a happily married retired psychiatrist and grandfather living in Pasadena. At 14, I entered a Franciscan seminary to become a priest. However, my path changed after four years of abuse by my confessor and mentor. Instead of the priesthood, I chose medicine and earned degrees from UCLA and Stanford. Years later, I sought healing and justice by addressing the abuse through years of therapy and litigation, but I was disappointed by the Catholic Church's response. I ultimately transitioned to the Episcopal Church, drawn to inclusive community and commitment to social justice. Prayer and the Holy Spirit have been my guiding forces. I am currently in spiritual direction training planning to help others heal from similar traumas. I am honored to be a member of Awake’s Survivor Advisory Panel.

I live in Plover, Wisconsin with my husband, Rusty. We have been married for 37 years and have six children and one grandson. I worked for the Catholic Church for more than 30 years. In 2018, I left my position in the church and went into Life Coaching. In my free time, I love being outside and am an avid hiker, cycler, and pickle baller. I care deeply about the people who have been hurt by church leaders, and I bring a unique perspective as someone who was invested in the Catholic Church since I was born and then made the decision to leave. I am grateful for the ways in which Awake has been victim centered, and I want to continue being a part of that mission where victims are heard and believed.