Awesome! I'll listen when I get home! :-)
-else

Listening to this now. its good to hear your voice talking about the book, for someone like me who has had a stroke reading and comprehending sometimes is difficult. Ever thought about putting the book on audio? I know you probably can't but man hearing you talk about it makes so much more sense to me Matt, who'd of thought? Dumb stroke. What a great interview. THE MAN WHO REALLY GETS IT! Thanks for sharing this Matt.

Wow! Thanks!!

Frankly, I don't sell enough copies of the paper edition to make an audio edition very likely. If there were enough need for it, I certainly would, but I would need various women readers for the journals and quotes.

I know, had to put it out there.....the world just quit revolving around me Matt again! I especially like the shrink rap radio song LOL!! I'm a good reader just not comprehender! Anyway It was a good listen for me on my half day off. Your an awesome man!

Thanks, but I'm really not. (I get uncomfortable with a lot of praise). I try to be decent, get it wrong sometimes, screw up, and try again. I just like life, is all.

What!? We just gave you a whole thread of quotes!!! Sheesh..picky, picky

The fact that you admit that and your a man, well, that says bunches.

I get on to Matthew sometimes...
I got him to say "....ok I'll admit..sometimes..I rock!"

haha I was beyond proud..our little Matthew is growing up SO FAST
*tears up*

even if he does diss MY ALL TIME FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK!

I listened to the whole thing, and I am going to listen to it again later. Thanks for posting this Matt. ^_^ I was curious as to how that was going to come out

Matt, if you ever do put out an audio copy, I'D LOVE TO READ SOME OF THE WOMEN'S PARTS. You've heard my voice ... and I've always been told not only am I eloquent but I have a "rockin voice" and should be in radio.
.... Just offering my voice if it ever came to that.
I do agree it would be soothing to hear you read (having various female voices read journals etc ....)
What do we need to do to sell more copies to get 'er done? I send everyone who needs it to RAR.org to get the book, and I've emailed Oprah at least 6 times, what else can I do???? I'm serious I want to help.

Just listened to it thought it was great, somehow more powerful to hear things said by an actual voice. I heard 2 new things that I thought were interesting,
Firstly:
'Intense experiences lead to dissociation' is that true? I seem to drift off a lot when I spend time with people and particularly when I am feeling emotionally touched by the experience (anxiety, excitment or whatever)this really bothers me and is why i seem to need more alone time than most people but I never thought of it as disociation

Secondally
'Survivours often view Sex is the porta to the dark side' I don't know why but this statement seemed to really touch something in me that i wasn't even aware of like if I find someone sexually attractive I am doing something wrong, feel a bit embarrased even saying that!
Anyway thanks for sharing the link!

The dissociation thing is true. It's not that the intense experiences are the origin of dissociation, but a person who dissociates tends to do so when an experience is intense. Dissociative people have a lot of difficulty sitting with strong emotions, or fully experiencing a potent experience, which is why therapists annoy you by giving a lot of journal homework. It forces the brain to concentrate on strong feelings, and it works better when the journal is hand-written. It's a slow-motion antidote to dissociation.

Also, you are NOT wrong to find someone attractive, and it does not mean you have a dark-sided capacity for sexuality like your abuser did. Humans are made to notice attractive, sexy people. I do. My wife does. One does not have to be asexual to be healthy, and in fact it may prevent full recovery (see "sexual anorexia" in my book).

Rachel, I don't know how to sell more copies, and I'd feel guilty trying to mobilize you to do that for me. But if any of you have Amazon.com copies, I sure would appreciate your reviews there. I feel comfortable asking for that, because it still allows you to compose whatever you honestly think about the book.

"Dissociative people have a lot of difficulty sitting with strong emotions..."

This is a current issue for me...how timely it is mentioned here as a breakout issue. I do dissociate when I am distressed...or, if I am asked to do something in therapy that explores the EMOTIONS...not just the event. I think I have gotten quite agile in writing about the event. But, it petrifies me to think about writing about the emotions associated with the events.

Right now, and for the preceeding three weeks, I have been asked to do exactly that, to journal about a specific even in my life that very closely correlates with the same emotion displayed by me during the rape. I am not supposed to write about the event....but describe ME and where my head was during the event. Sounds simple, right?

Well, this past week, thinking I was being reasonable, I asked my therapist if it would be okay if I waited to do that journal until I was in his office. He said he'd rather I do it at home...in case I dissociate...so my husband can be there to help me. Sounds reasonable, until you recall that my husband cannot deal with this -- so, I am left to feel like I am stuck with this awful, distressed, depressed mood I am in because of formulating words and emotions in my head...but not being able to put them on the page. My sleep is distrubed, I can't eat, I am short-tempered, and I am feeling that defeatist mentality creeping back in. So, the description here, of one who has trouble siting with strong emotions -- hope it doesn't paint me in that "weak" box, but that description has my name all over it. "....fully experiencing a potent experience...." is the exact thing my therapist fears IN me. I have the capacity to access the experience and the emotions associated with it, but I do have issues with dissociation when I work hard in that realm. How is a person to do this kind of work when your own therapist is afraid of it for you?

Oh, sorry...pity party here...the interview was flawless. I listened to it all, and it was just perfect. Now, where is that newspaper article???

I like the fact that both you and your wife find people attractive and your right it is healthy I am being imature that it makes me giggle!