Sudbury author Teresa Naseba Marsh is celebrating her new book, The Courage of a Nation: Healing from Intergenerational Trauma, Addiction and Multiple Loss, with a book signing on Oct. 17, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sudbury Paint & Custom Framing on Elgin St.

Im very excited about my new book, Marsh said in a release. The writing of this book was inspired by my visits to the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Nation on Vancouver Island and meeting Elder Allen Dick and the two Nuu-Chah-Nulth communities, Tseshaht and Ahousaht.

Other inspirations emerged from my experience as a PhD student and my experiences working with the Anishinaabek peoples in Northern Ontario.

This is Marshs second book, with her first one, Enlightenment Is Letting Go: Healing from Trauma, Addiction and Multiple Loss, published in 2010. My new book is written in a similar style to my first book, but in the Indigenous context and voice as a testimony of the impact of intergenerational or abuse-related trauma, addiction and multiple loss on the lives and well-being of the Indigenous peoples in Canada and globally.

Similar to my first book, this book is written through storytelling and poetry, as well as researched knowledge and wisdom.

Join Marsh on Oct. 17 to buy a signed copy and to meet the author. For everyone who attends, there will be a chance to win a book.

For more information about Marsh or her new book, visit http://www.teresamarshauthor.com.

The Courage of a Nation: Healing from Intergenerational Trauma, Addiction and Multiple Loss is available to order; visit eresamarshauthor.com. For more information, contact Marsh at thunzi@me.com.

Marsh immigrated to Canada from South Africa in 1992 and continued to contribute to healing approaches to overcome suffering, trauma, addiction, intergenerational trauma, multiple loss and the aftermath of oppression. She also works closely with, supervises and teaches Indigenous professionals how to work through a trauma-informed, decolonizing lens.

She is the founder of her private practice, Thunzi Umphefumlo, an assistant professor, clinical sciences, with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine at Laurentian and Lakehead Universities.

March works as a consultant with Indigenous communities with a focus on healing from intergenerational trauma and addiction.

She lives in Sudbury with her husband, Dr. David Marsh.

What inspired you to write about your story?

The writing of this book was inspired by my visits to the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Nation on Vancouver Island and meeting Elder Allen Dick and the two Nuu-Chah-Nulth communities, Tseshaht and Ahousaht. When I met Elder Allen Dick and ventured through a deeply Spiritual experience with him. While he was giving his teachings, something deep within moved me and I was inspired to document this experience through poetry. I wrote my first poem about the Elder and his life.

Why did you decide to publish?

The next day I read this poem at a community event. As I read the poem, I realized that the words had a profound healing energy and the poem had a power of its own. It was as if the poem were telling the story of so many people. Men and women came up to me and thanked me for the words. Some stated that I spoke the words that they yearned to speak and say for so many years. I experienced tears and laughter, joy and love from the people. These feelings I felt came from a deep place within. My Elder and many of the community members encouraged me to write a book about their courage and healing and to use these poems. I kept my promise to Elder Allen and the community and I wrote this

book. Also, other inspirations emerged from my experience as a PhD student and my experience working with the Anishinaabek peoples in Northern Ontario. As an Indigenous woman from Cape Town, South Africa, I have witnessed and experienced the debilitating symptoms of intergenerational trauma (IGT) and substance use disorder (SUD). As a witness to trauma and the range of ways in which it can degrade the human mind and soul, I am once again compelled to share the voices, experiences and viewpoints of the recipients of such atrocities.

What do you hope readers will get from reading your book?

The content in this book explores treatment models from both Indigenous and Western Spiritual and health-care practices. I also discuss the impact of combined interventions and through the stories of participants showcases the impact and healing powers of these interventions. My hope is that readers will connect through the storytelling, spoken word and poetry, and learn that we are all born to heal. I hope they will believe that we all have the capacity for growth, transcendence, joy, unconditional love, peace and self-determination when we connect to our Spirit and embrace each other with love and kindness. I also hope that this book will take the reader on a journey of the complexity and courage of the human spirit and soul. My hope is that this book will inspire our capacity and ability to reconnect with the body, mind and spirit through belief in self and healing.

This is a deeply personal story for you, what did you learn about yourself through the writing process?

As I said in my acknowledgements, that in my life, there was a presence I recognized as the Stream of Love that accompanied me. During the writing of this book, I merged with the stream and I experienced passion and bliss. I was receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer when I decided to complete the manuscript, so that I could keep my promise to my Elder and his community. I learned that if we tap into that stream of love that anything is possible. I recovered and I published the book. I thank the Creator and all my ancestors for the stream of love, light, inspiration, hope and joy that walked with me as I was writing this book over the years.

Tell me a piece of wisdom you would like to impart with your readers.

As a helper and healer, I believe that the greatest quality a healer possesses is the understanding of spirituality and healing. We are all helpers and healers. Spiritual healing is the practice (and experience) of restoring, harmonizing and balancing our Spirit or Soul. Spiritual healing is also seen as a transcendental experience of reconnecting with our true nature. We are spiritual beings having a physical experience. Begin to consciously reconnect with your essential being, your true self, your essence, the core of our being, the wise, loving, powerful, creative entity that you are at your core and find that magic, the light. Take time to be quiet with yourself and you will be able to go there. Finally, please read this book and discover the magic that resides in you and everyone in this universe.

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Sudbury author explores the power of healing - The Sudbury Star