
Previous HerStory: Natalie Baird-King
For Natalie Baird-King, the journey of trauma and healing began in her childhood.
“My dad was abusive to my mother. As one of four children, my earliest memory is of him coming home from work, pushing my mom into their bedroom, and beating her with his belt. I remember grabbing my sister, and we ran into our bedroom, crouching down in our closet for what felt like an eternity,” recalls Baird-King.
This early exposure to domestic violence set a troubling precedent for Baird-King, one that she found herself repeating in her first marriage. Despite the turmoil, she managed to break free from the cycle of abuse and dedicate her life to helping others do the same.
Her book serves as a beacon of hope for those struggling with similar experiences, offering practical advice and emotional support for the journey toward forgiveness and healing.
Through her work, Baird-King emphasizes that forgiveness is not about excusing the actions of those who caused pain but about finding personal freedom and peace. Her message resonates with many, showing that it is possible to reclaim one’s life and purpose, no matter how dark the past may be.
Natalie Baird-King continues to inspire and empower others through her writing, advocacy, and personal story of resilience and forgiveness. Her book, “Forgiving Unforgivable,” is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the transformative power of forgiveness.
“That relationship was abusive, and then the abusive episodes continued, and then that relationship ended. And each relationship ended up getting worse and worse. Ultimately, the last time that I was abused, I got a broken arm from a man I dated and ended up in the hospital,” explained Baird-King.
That’s when she began to analyze her past to figure out why she kept choosing abusive partners and why she couldn’t find happiness.
“I had to find forgiveness for my abusive father and all the men that had abused me in the past. I just didn’t know how to do it. And I didn’t know that was what I was searching for at the time,” said Baird-King.
But once Baird-King found forgiveness, she also found freedom, which immediately impacted her mental well-being.
“When the most heinous things can happen in your life and people who have caused you the most tremendous pain ever that you can find forgiveness for them. And forgiveness is not for them, really. It’s for us,” explained Baird-King.
And she says there are four essential secrets to overcoming trauma. It is all in the word “Hope.”
“He was the greatest encourager to really go after those dreams. My dream is to help others heal. And he was a great influence around that,” said Baird-King.
Baird-King believes that if you can find compassion for the person who caused your trauma due to their own pain, it may help you find forgiveness, as she did.
“For the first time in my life, over the last four and a half years, I had this tremendous amount of happiness, no matter what happens in my life. And that’s a lot. That’s a lot to be proud of,” explained Baird-King.Baird-King’s book “Forgiving Unforgivable” is now on sale on Amazon, and she’s already working on a second book.
You can read more about her work as an advocate for domestic violence victims here.