Set Your Own Table is a trauma-informed healing guide for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse, incest, and generational trauma who are ready to break old patterns and build a life rooted in safety, dignity, and self-worth. Written by survivor and advocate Terri Thorne, this book offers practical tools, survivor-centered language, and compassionate guidance for anyone navigating the long-term impact of childhood trauma.Many survivors reach adulthood still carrying the hidden effects of childhood sexual abuse, including cycles of domestic violence, addiction, toxic relationships, people pleasing, over responsibility, dissociation, shame, and the persistent feeling of being "not enough." Set Your Own Table helps readers gently untangle these patterns and understand how trauma can silently shape adult relationships, work, boundaries, and self esteem. Through clear explanations, reflective exercises, and grounded examples, Terri Thorne shows how to begin breaking generational cycles and reclaiming your voice, your choices, and your place in the world.This book is designed for survivors who want to understand their trauma, name generational dysfunction, and learn how to set boundaries that honor their safety and energy. It offers guidance for navigating complex family systems, loyalty binds, and the difficult decisions about who truly belongs in your life-and at your table. With trauma-informed tools and survivor-friendly language, readers learn how to move from secrecy and self-blame toward truth-telling, resilience, and joy.Inside, readers will explore: - How childhood sexual abuse and incest can silently script adult relationships, work patterns, and self-worth- The impact of generational trauma, dysfunctional family roles, and learned survival strategies- How to identify loyalty binds, emotional enmeshment, and patterns that keep survivors small or silent- Trauma-informed boundary-setting that protects your wellbeing and supports healing- The role of dissociation, PTSD responses, and body-based trauma in adult life- How to move from shame and secrecy toward dignity, empowerment, and daily joyEach chapter blends personal story, guided reflection, affirmations, and concrete practices that help survivors listen to their bodies, trust their inner wisdom, and take the next right step at their own pace. While this book does not replace therapy, it complements trauma recovery by offering language, examples, and exercises that survivors can bring into sessions or use between them.Set Your Own Table also serves as a valuable resource for therapists, clinicians, social workers, and other helpers seeking survivor-authored insight into complex trauma, generational abuse, dissociation, and the lived experience of childhood sexual abuse. Its practical tools and trauma-informed approach support therapeutic work and deepen understanding of the survivor journey.This book pairs with the Place Cards podcast, where each episode expands on a chapter's themes, offering an accessible audio companion for reflection between readings or therapy sessions.At its heart, Set Your Own Table is about reclaiming your power, rewriting old scripts, and deciding who belongs in your life as you heal from childhood sexual abuse and generational trauma. It is a compassionate, practical, and empowering guide for survivors-and for the partners, friends, and professionals who support them.
