Navigating Trauma and Healing – Insights from Author Penny Hodgson
From Adversity to Advocacy: Transforming Trauma into Triumph
Penny Hodgson is an inspiring author whose resilience and innovative approach to healing empower others to overcome their own traumas.
An interview featured in Reader’s House magazine explores the remarkable journey of author Penny Hodgson, who has bravely transformed her life experiences into a source of healing for others. Born in Weyburn, SK, Canada, Penny was adopted as an infant by a Regina family. Her early years were marked by severe bilateral hip dysplasia, necessitating multiple orthopedic surgeries. But physical challenges were only a part of Penny’s story.
Throughout her childhood, Penny faced profound trauma. She endured molestation by a family member, was raped at 13 by a father whose children she babysat, and suffered relentless bullying due to her gait. As she entered adulthood, the challenges persisted, including workplace sexual harassment and a pivotal role in bringing a fraudster to justice. Despite these adversities, Penny carved out a successful 20-year career in operational accounting before deciding to pursue a new path focused on helping others overcome their emotional struggles.
Penny’s debut book, Mind Files, outlines the innovative program she developed, rooted in her own healing journey. A critical realization for Penny was understanding that the traumatic events of her past did not define her and were not her fault. While she had addressed these issues intellectually and emotionally in therapy, she recognized that lingering triggers indicated unresolved Mind Files. Each overreaction became an opportunity to delve deeper and rewrite the narratives causing her pain.
Drawing from her operational accounting background, Penny conceptualized the Mind File analogy. She used physical props—see-through plastic pouches as file folders and colored dividers representing feelings—to explain how past experiences attach emotions to narratives. This visualization helped her, and now helps her clients, identify and challenge the outdated perspectives formed in childhood.
Sharing her story became a crucial part of Penny’s mission. Encouraged by feedback during her book tour, she realized the importance of showing others that they are not alone in their struggles. Her forthcoming book, Aces High Aces Low, delves into the impact of sexual assault, rape, and medical trauma on her life, offering readers a detailed account of her recovery process.
Penny integrates HeartMath interventions and trauma-informed counseling techniques into her practice. HeartMath technology provides real-time feedback on clients’ emotional states, fostering trust and aiding in grounding techniques. Though more challenging with online clients, it remains a valuable tool. The trauma-informed approach of her Mind Files program naturally evolved from her own experiences, ensuring that her methods are empathetic and effective.
Spirituality has played a significant role in Penny’s healing. While psychology provided an intellectual understanding of her trauma, true healing came from reconnecting with spiritual concepts and her faith in God. This spiritual reconnection has informed her therapeutic approach, helping clients understand their place in a larger context.
Through her books and holistic practice, Penny Hodgson aims to provide a roadmap for others seeking healing from their own traumatic experiences. By sharing her journey, she hopes readers will find relatable moments and practical strategies to rewrite their mental files for a more positive, fulfilling life.
Penny’s story, as detailed in Reader’s House magazine, serves as a beacon of hope and resilience, demonstrating that even the most challenging experiences can be transformed into sources of strength and healing.
