Kelley Gunter
highly-reviewedAbout Kelley Gunter
“I contacted Kelley Gunter and asked if she would be willing to speak to my weight-loss surgery Facebook group via a Facebook Live Presentation. Kelley was amazing. She really connected and engaged with the group and personally responded to each individual that commented. Members very much liked her speaking engagement and could resonate with her story. That video has since been replayed hundreds of times by many Facebook group members. ”
Speech topics
Maintaining Sobriety Through the Aftershocks of Childhood Sexual Abuse – A Survivor’s Perspective
Trauma is like an earthquake that happens in a child’s life. The destruction that remains shakes the core of all who survived the disaster and can leave them feeling vulnerable and powerless. Long after an earthquake has ended—aftershocks can occur. Aftershocks can be just as devastating as the main quake itself and sometimes cause more damage than the original incident. In this presentation, Kelley Gunter compares childhood sexual abuse to an earthquake. Unhealed trauma, which may remain long after the abuse ends, can send shock waves throughout the entirety of the survivor’s life. Some of those aftershocks are just as powerful and damaging as the original abuse.
Ninety percent of children who are sexually assaulted develop PTSD. Individuals who are diagnosed with PTSD are 14 times more likely to be diagnosed with a substance use disorder. Historically, professionals felt that one issue had to be resolved before treating the other, but achieving or maintaining sobriety can be incredibly difficult while living with the complexities of resurfacing trauma. A realistic and effective approach must address both. This session focuses on navigating these journeys simultaneously. This powerful topic will speak to those who are healing and embracing recovery and is crucial for professionals searching for a fresh perspective and approach from which to assist their clients.
Using a dynamic speaking style, Gunter merges genuine compassion, sharp clinical insights, and a vibrant sense of humor to create a one-of-a-kind lesson about life’s hardships and the beauty that can be discovered throughout the healing and recovery process. Having walked this journey herself, Gunter provides a personal look into surviving the unthinkable, achieving and maintaining sobriety, and utilizes her thirty years of post-master's degree clinical experience to provide professional insight and expertise.
Participants will:
- Understand the correlation between childhood sexual abuse and addiction.
- Identify the three main forms of trauma that lead to substance use/addiction.
- Identify the similarities/differences in healing from childhood sexual abuse and walking the path of recovery/maintaining sobriety.
- Gain an understanding of how these two entities often coexist and how their individual treatments focus on opposing core principles.
- Understand addiction responsibility vs. abuse responsibility.
- Gain insight into why the chance of relapse is higher following a disclosure of childhood sexual abuse.
- Learn methods to navigate the recovery journey and healing from childhood trauma simultaneously.
Speaking videos
Books by Kelley Gunter
“You Have Such A Pretty Face” (2017)
Have You Struggled With Obesity, Poor Self-image, Weight-related Health Problems, Or Simply A Feeling Of Inadequacy Or Meaninglessness? Are You Tired Of Feeling Left Out Of The Active World Around You? Have You Ever Contemplated Weight-loss Surgery? It's An Option Many Consider, Often After Trying And Failing Over And Over Again With Diet And Exercise. But What About The Side-effects? The Pain? The Financial Burden? The Emotional Toll? Kelley Gunter Found Herself Dealing With All Of These Issues And Many More As She Weighed The Decision To Undergo Bariatric Surgery. Finding Very Few Personal Accounts From Those Who Had Gone Through The Same Struggles, She Decided To Write About Her Experience In An Effort To Help Others Facing The Same Decision. Gunter Struggled With Her Weight From An Early Age. Always Self-conscious Of Her Body, She Endured The Taunts Of Her Classmates, Rejections From Boys, And Painful Nicknames Such As Richter And Tree Trunk Legs. A Natural Athlete And A High-school Cheerleader, She Attempted To Remain Positive As Well As Physically- And Socially-active, But Her Weight Constantly Thwarted Her Efforts To Achieve The Fulfillment She Craved So Desperately. As An Adult, Her Demons Followed Her Into Her Professional Life, Where Co-workers And Even Supervisors Perpetuated The Hurtful Body-shaming She Had Come To Know So Well. Her Personal Relationships Suffered As Her Constant Craving For Love And Acceptance Caused Her To Make Poor Decisions In Romantic Partnerships. Gunter Knew It Was Time For A Change. Mustering All Her Strength, Courage, And Faith, She Undertook The Monumental Task Of Preparing Herself For Weight-loss Surgery. She Attended Workshops And Meticulously Researched Various Procedures Until She Found One That Was Right For Her. She Worked To Obtain The Necessary Funding, Taking Out Loans To Make Her Goal A Reality. She Even Endured Unexpected Life-threatening Complications That Left Her Not Only Bedridden, But Saddled With Additional Debt And Recovery Time. Gunter Leads The Reader Through Her Entire Weight-loss Journey In Vivid Detail. The Reader Will Follow Her As She Copes With The Early Stages Of Recovery, Where Even The Simplest Tasks Such As Walking To And From The Bathroom Became Nearly Impossible Struggles. Readers Will Journey With Her As She Works Her Way Back To Wellness, Cry With Her As She Wrestles With The Barrage Of Emotions That Come With Rapid Weight Loss, And Rejoice With Her As She Begins To Realize Her Goal Of Physical And Emotional Wellness. Whether You Have Grappled With Personal Body Image, Yo-yo Dieting, Lifelong Weight Issues, Or Even Morbid Obesity, You Will Find Personal Inspiration Through Gunter's Compelling Personal Story Of Pain, Struggle, And Ultimate Personal Triumph. For Those Contemplating Bariatric Surgery, Gunter Offers Guidance, Words Of Wisdom, And Personal Examples From Beginning To End. For Those Seeking Inspiration, She Offers Her Personal Story Of Spiritual Faith, Family, And Friendships That Served As A Guiding Force In Her Ongoing Recovery And Personal Growth. For Those Seeking Motivation, She Offers The Triumphant Story Of A Desperate, But Determined Woman Who Takes Matters Into Her Own Hands And Reclaims The Life She Deserves. When The World Says, 'give Up, ' Hope Whispers, 'try It One More Time.'
At a glanceKelley Gunter
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