Through personal stories, reflection, and poems, Barbara illuminates the many challenges she has faced while working through issues such as hypervigilance, low self-esteem, poor body image, bulimia, and alcoholism.

Barbara resides in Enfield, Connecticut with her rescue cat, Zeke. She has given presentations on what it’s like to live as a survivor of immense trauma, as well as on the stigma of mental illness. She works one-on-one with other trauma survivors, helping them learn how to navigate the myriad challenges they face by sharing her experience and lending a compassionate ear. Most importantly, she offers them hope.