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Surviving a traumatic childhood in foster care was difficult enough for Barbara and her sister Kay but the loss of her nine other sisters was a loss Barbara would not accept. Her quest to solve the mystery of what befell her family of origin and to locate her nine lost sisters took forty three years. Once reunited, Barbara invested fifteen years to become the voice for all eleven abandoned and abused sisters by capturing each story. What she discovered about her family history and the plight of her siblings unsettled her soul, yet the unshakable resilience and faith that each sister demonstrated in the face of adversity confirmed for Barbara that the wounds of suffering open space for light to enter and that there is power found in believing in something greater than the self.

I was three years old when I entered the orphanage. Here is a picture of me with a sister's arm around me. I wasn't unhappy. I didn't miss my mother. I was surrounded by the love and nurturance of my sisters. But, as is the case with most abandoned children, we were eventually separated and placed into foster care.

I was traumatized by the separation from my sisters. I would carry that within my broken heart for forty-three years. Until...

"Broken Water" tells the true story of my journey to survive an abusive foster home while seeking to reunite with my sisters. It invites the reader to journey with me through a miraculous reunion followed by a fifteen-year effort to learn my family's history and to write each sister's heart-wrenching story of abuse and abandonment. It shares our experiences while living in orphanages, foster care and adoptions. Sadly, the stories of children in the system today are hauntingly familiar.

"Broken Water" is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the strength of a bonded sisterhood, and the power found in having faith in miracles and something greater than the self. 

The curious, brave, strong and magnificent child you once were is still within you just waiting to be honored!  During my twenty-plus years in practice, I have sat with many who have struggled to come to terms with their past. I am no different. I have had my own struggles and presume I will have more. 

Healing involves challenging the negative messages you carry around inside your mind and replacing them with words, stories, and expressions that define your magnificence and the child you once were. 

The world can be a dismal place, adding stress to those who are already struggling. I have worked with individuals from all walks of life--all races, cultures, and creeds, often referred to me by rehab centers, counselors, psychiatrists, and physicians. In addition, I spent many years working as a child advocate for abused and neglected children. 

I retired recently from my practice as a Ministerial Counselor to pursue my love of writing. I have since completed my memoir, "Broken Water." With that task accomplished,  it is now time to once again open space in my life to share my work with a few individuals via phone or zoom.

This work would involve reading and utilizing a small workbook I wrote entitled "Living Beyond Childhood Pain." The program includes nine one-hour sessions, and can be scheduled once per week to cover the following topics:

• Accepting the Truth of Your Childhood
• Honoring the Child That You Once Were
• Learning to Recognize Your Strengths
• Utilizing Your Strengths
• The In-Between Place
• Confronting the Critical Mind
• Creating an Action Plan
• Living From the In-Between Place
• Should You Confront Your Abuser?

As a Ministerial Counselor, my work is soul-healing, spiritual, and enlightening. I do not require that you align with a particular religion or belief system. I do require that you have the willingness to invest time and energy into learning how to embrace and love the child you once were. I would be delighted to walk with you through your path of recovery.

Each session begins with prayer. Here is how the first session opens:

Dear God (Or what reference you are comfortable with)

Every new journey is a path full of discovery.

Journey with me as I revisit the innocence of the child I once was.

Journey with me as I embrace that innocence.

Journey with me as I grow in my understanding of my life’s path.

Help me to seek out loving and nurturing support for my ventures.

Help me believe that I am worthy of this and more.

Help me to find the light in the world.

Help me find my way back to myself.

If you would be interested in learning more, send an email my way.  I will be looking forward to getting to know you.

Pain, when felt honest, understood openly, and addressed directly, provides a path toward healing the heart and soul. A healed heart lives fully, joyfully, and productively. A healed soul spreads light into the darkness of the world.--Rev. Barbara Lane, MA, OMC