That’s why the Hunter Valley woman has written a memoir, Our Little Secret: One woman’s true story of healing from childhood trauma.

Lorraine’s repressed memories of the shocking abuse she experienced as a child began to surface in 2007.

Since then, she has found the tools to deal with her trauma and is now dedicated to helping other survivors to do the same.

In 2009 Lorraine attended Quorrobolong’s Heal For Life centre, which she said opened her eyes to the idea that she didn’t have to just live with the trauma, she could actually begin to heal it.

She spent many years as a volunteer at Heal For Life, and the centre’s founder and CEO Liz Mullinar has written the foreword of her book, saying: “There is no greater gift than to be given hope. For anyone suffering from childhood trauma and abuse, Lorraine’s book offers hope, tools and knowledge”.

A talented artist, Lorraine completed her Diploma of Fine Arts in 2008, after her memories of abuse were uncovered.

“Art helped me express my feelings. It has been an incredible help,” she said.

Her own paintings such as ‘Sally’, the little girl in the pink polka dot shorts, are featured throughout the book.

Despite her creative background, putting her journey into words came as a surprise, but it’s a task she is glad to have tackled.

“When I was going through the healing process I would come out with the most profound statements – but I had no inclination to write a book… I didn’t think I had it in me,” she said.

It was while on a writing workshop in Hawaii as part of a business course that her book came to life.

“I trusted my instincts – and in three-and-a-half days I wrote the bones of a book,” she said.

“Writing the book has been pretty amazing for my healing journey.”

Lorraine says she wrote her book because there are “too many statistics” when it comes to people who have suffered child abuse.

“Everyone seems to know someone who has been through some sort of trauma in their childhood – from being neglected to overindulged,” she said.

Lorraine will speak about her book at Cessnock Library on October 4 at 5.30pm, during Mental Health Month.

“It will be an interesting talk – it will give tools for family and friends, for people who don’t know what to say,” she said.

“Writing this book is about hope for people – for other survivors.

“As the story unfolds, I say what helps me and what I’ve become aware of.

“I was broken and I was in pain.

“But you do the hard yards and you can thrive.”

​Our Little Secret will be available on Amazon soon. Stay tuned to lorrainehall.com for updates.