Unable to catch her breath because of PTSD – brought on by years of abuse and trauma she suffered at the hands of her husband – Mariah Dawn sat down and tried something new. She opened a Word document and started writing. She noticed right away that she felt better. The writing was a release. It was cathartic. So, she kept at it, eventually telling a friend at church she thought she had written a book. Would he take a look? 

That 164-page Word document is now “Dragon In You, A Memoir” written by Mariah Dawn. Her book was published in October, which is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the 3-year mark of her husband’s death.

Mariah says she wrote the book to help herself, to help others, and to use the dragon in her (she says there’s a dragon in all of us) for good. 

You can buy Mariah’s new book on her website and use the code DearSD at checkout to receive a 10 percent discount. Her book also is available on Amazon minus the discount.

Tune in to this episode of Dear San Diego to learn more about Mariah and her new book.

More than 1 in 3 women (36%) and 1 in 4 men (29%) in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. If you or someone you know needs help, please visit www.thehotline.org from a safe computer or call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

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The key moments in this episode are:

00:00:00 - Overcoming Adversity 
00:03:20 - Kendall's Animal Adventures
00:04:32 - Introducing Mariah Dawn
00:07:28 - Writing as Therapy
00:11:25 - Leaving the Mormon Faith
00:13:41 - Exploring Faith and Relationships
00:15:01 - Transitioning Away from Mormonism
00:16:39 - Finding Compassion and Grace
00:20:24 - Understanding Trauma and Violence
00:26:03 - Leaving and Finding Courage
00:29:03 - Finding the Courage to Write a Book
00:30:38 - Overcoming Domestic Violence
00:31:55 - Advice for Women in Similar Situations
00:34:11 - Breaking the Cycle of Abuse
00:39:54 - The Message of the Book
00:44:47 - The First Responder Mentality
00:46:11 - Regaining Confidence and Professional Growth
00:46:25 - Memorable Concert Experiences
00:47:49 - Rapid Fire Questions