Adverse Childhood Experiences and the path towards healing. You are not alone.
I share my trials, my victories, and my stories with you in hopes that if any of you were ever touched by childhood abuse or neglect, as I was, you will see yourselves in my experiences and feel strengthened to voice what you had not been able to before. I hope we can learn together why we respond to life through a particular lens, and that there are ways to climb out of this prison of pain, silence, and shame.
My name is Bess Hilpert

Category: Newsletters

A Novel Experience

The Birth of finding I… In the pre-dawn darkness, on a scorching hot and humid Texas morning, my feet rhythmically paced the perimeter streets of my suburban neighborhood. Only a few weeks after shoulder surgery, my early morning swims had been replaced with silent meditative walking before most people cleared the sleep from their eyes.… Continue reading A Novel Experience

Its Not About Me

Open-Hearted Awareness… My lost feet found their way inside the large heavy wooden doors. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, my hand intuitively reached for the small vessel hanging on the wall. Two fingers dipped themselves into the holy water; and, wet with moisture, I instinctively made the sign of the cross beginning at… Continue reading Its Not About Me

Here Comes the Judge

Confessions of a Lousy Judge…. I had the blessing of observing a new day birthing itself as the sun rose over the frigid UT outdoor pool this week.  As I rested between sets, I became aware of the chatter of my egoic mind and how it differs from the quiet of my Deepest, Truest Self.… Continue reading Here Comes the Judge

“I AM…”

Thought, Word, Action… “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be? You are a… Continue reading “I AM…”

Wholemakers

There is Healing in the Sharing of Your Story…. They say there is healing in the sharing of your story. We all have a choice in whether to brave breaking the chains of silence or holding on to the protection those prison bars that have become familiar provide us. The high prevalence of ACEs (Adverse… Continue reading Wholemakers

Into the Now

The Voices In My Head, and Missed Moments… “I know for me when that war wages in my mind I tell myself, how will I feel when I pass on? Did I do something good with my life? The question of did it affect someone’s life, I give to God. I can only give my best… Continue reading Into the Now

Original Goodness

Social Media, Depression, and Self-Compassion… This is hard for me to admit, but after releasing last week’s newsletter I became very depressed. The feelings of failure began to seep in as I pressed the “Publish” button. I fell prey to the snares of social media watching the number of likes equal zero. I seriously questioned… Continue reading Original Goodness

Sweet Binge

Trauma, PTSD, & Eating Disorders… Last Friday, my husband Ed had the second of two knee replacement surgeries within five weeks of each other. The days leading to this latest surgery filled me with sudden onsets of post-traumatic stress disorder anxiety. You see, the first surgery ran an hour and forty-five minutes longer than the… Continue reading Sweet Binge

Unexpected Gifts

Connection & Belonging… Last Sunday while reading Maria Shriver’s weekly newsletter I was struck by her prayer.  “Dear God, please help me feel the full weight of my emotions and not be afraid of them. Allow me to embrace the good, the bad, the highs and the lows that life presents and appreciate the lessons learned along… Continue reading Unexpected Gifts