The Gift of Hurt

By Pamela Crabtree

The Gift of Hurt is a non-fiction modern-day story that is set in a Midwestern town. The main characters are middle class citizens, Ellie and Matt Jameson and affluent psychologists, Ann and Dr. Smith. This melodrama explodes after Ellie Jameson's husband is kidnapped. When Matt Jameson is found safe, after being stuffed into the trunk of a car for nineteen hours, the couple mistakenly believes that all their troubles have ended. Unfortunately, the residual affects of the kidnapping hideously creep up on Matt and Ellie forcing them to seek professional help. Things go terribly awry as Ellie's graduate-student therapist, Ann, inadvertently triggers memories of abuse and loss from Ellie's past. As she begins regurgitating her repulsive childhood memories, she cautiously reaches out to Ann and surprisingly revels in what she believes is a special bond between them. She is certain that with Ann's help the demons that have been locked up in her subconscious, for almost four decades, can finally be reckoned with and discarded. Vulnerable, open and fragile, like a fresh bloody wound, Ellie is devastated when Ann terminates therapy to do an out of state internship. Ellie struggles to stop the termination process and to see Ann just one more time. Within that deadly struggle is a journey of self-exploration that slowly turns into an uncontrollable ride into madness. Along that treacherous roller coaster ride, you will meet Ellie's new therapist, Dr. Smith. You will witness Dr. Smith's efforts to save Ellie from her mode of crash and burn. In her attempts to counsel Ellie and help her deal with Ann's rejection, Dr. Smith frequently skirts the code of professional ethics and in doing so inadvertently distresses Ellie further. Close to the book's conclusion you will see the madness escalate. With all hope for any sort of quality life or happiness waning, Ellie, while innocently brushing her teeth, looks hard and deep in the mirror. She stops. She looks at herself again, more closely this time. She begins to cry at what she has become and the hurt she has caused everyone. She prays. Something she hasn't done for years. She vows to take control of her illness and no longer allows it to control her. At its conclusion you will understand that without experiencing the gift of hurt, Ellie would never have realized her potential and reached heights she never thought possible. You will understand too, that without the gift of hurt, Ellie would never have experienced the joy of loving, connecting, and developing emotional intimacy with people.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0759627606
• ISBN13: 9780759627604
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: Authorhouse
• Length: 148 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Life's Journey on the Sordid Side

Reviewed By Denise Clark Copyright © 2002 "The Gift of Hurt" is the story of one woman's journey through life and the stumbling blocks she encounters along the way. The author has experienced situations and deeds that might have destroyed a lesser person. Stories of friends committing suicide, her subjection to sexual abuse as a child, and enduring the kidnapping but safe return of her husband seem to serve as a catharsis for the author, as if in purging and putting on paper every bad memory and incident she endured will help heal a broken soul. And I certainly hope it did, for "The Gift of Hurt" is not a light read, and the subject matter may disturb gentler sensibilities than this reader's own. Though the writer tends to spend quite a bit of time elaborating on what seem minor incidents, this book reads like someone relating events of a lifetime over a morning cup of coffee. Ms. Crabtree bares all, as if once started, she could not find it within herself to stop. I can't say I 'enjoyed' this book, the subject matter was just too depressing, though Ms. Crabtree does have the ability to take the reader into her confidence and expose her own travails so that others might understand and learn that many of us are not fortunate enough to escape the sordid side of life.

Such a Great Book!!

Opening this book was to be my doom...because I found that I didn't want to close it, no matter the importance of the other tasks that I needed to be doing. I was drawn in after the first page and the grasp that The Gift of Hurt had on me did not loosen until I finally closed the book after its conclusion. This is a wonderful book and whether you are a big reader or not, you will love it!

A must read for traumatized/abused people

Tragically, this book has suddenly become even more timely since the attack on our country in light of the fact that tens of thousands or even millions of Americans are or will be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to some degree or another. I have every confidence that the techniques that are included in "The Gift of Hurt", will help people recognize and cope with this disorder.

must read

I started reading The Gift of Hurt and couldn't put it down. There were so many emotions flowing, I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next.