Meet Veronica Thomas

We recently connected with Veronica Thomas and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Veronica, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

Finding my purpose wasn’t easy. It took many years for me to understand what my purpose even was. Unfortunately, I grew up not fully comprehending the things that had happened to me as a child. The grooming I experienced in my younger years didn’t teach me right from wrong when it came to inappropriate touching and more. I was taught to keep secrets, even though my young mind told me it was wrong. But I was a child taught to stay in a child’s place, to mind my grown-ups, and to do as I was told.

You see, there was no mother or father during these times. My grandmother was murdered while my brother and I were in another room right down the hall. Later, after my grandmother’s funeral, my brother and I were whisked away to a foreign place called Texas by a great-grandmother we didn’t know or had ever met. Shortly after our arrival, life had drastically changed. My brother had been taken from me to go live elsewhere and a myriad of horrible, painful, and confusing experiences transpired during this time—experiences no child should ever have to endure.

When asked how I found my purpose, I look at my past, my accomplishments, my failures, and my present. I realize I have an answer. Growing up, I was tormented by nightmares almost nightly—recurrent nightmares from my past. As an adult, I put myself through college at Hampton University while working for the Virginia Department of Human Services and raising two children. A dear friend, with whom I had shared my past, constantly urged me to write a book about my life. But I was afraid. Because the thought of putting my life out there for the world to read was terrifying. I was ashamed of my past and wanted to leave it where it belonged, in the past. However, the nightmares wouldn’t allow me to move on as easily as I’d hoped.

You know that saying, “It’s almost like you have a sign written on your forehead saying, “Yep, come on, I’m it”? Well, working at the Department of Human Services, people—both women and men—would share their unfortunate stories with me. To let them know I understood what they were going through, I would share bits and pieces of my own story. For them, talking with someone who understood their experiences made them feel somewhat better and understood. My coworkers even began sending clients to me when their stories were beyond their own ability to help.
It had become quite clear that my experiences had given me a purpose: and that was helping others with their pain through my own. A couple of years later, after another horrible nightmare, I called my dear friend for his encouraging words. Again, he urged me to write my book. It became apparent that I needed to do this for myself more than anyone else. Never having written anything before and without knowing exactly what I was doing or where to start, I decided I’d just write my book for the sole purpose of healing. Because of the nightmares from my past. I titled it “Visions From The Past: A True Story,” which has since been changed to “Visions From The Past: My Life, My Story.” I will explain the name change later.

One of my biggest losses was the passing of my dear friend. Remembering his repeated attempts to get me to publish my book, I decided to do it for him. Then something amazing happened. Each person who read my book began to share their own stories and encounters, thanking me for letting them know they were not alone. This reinforced my purpose.
Then came another encouraging moment, this time from God, to create an organization to further encourage people through my own experiences. This is how I met Amanda. She reached out to me one midmorning after coming across our organizations website. Going through the website and reading about my experiences, gave her pause to taking her own life that night. Because of her own horrible experiences, she felt she couldn’t take it anymore. For this reason alone, I am truly Thankful. Because she is an amazing young woman.

Yes, this whole journey turned into a purpose for me. It led to speaking engagements and community events with the sole mission of raising awareness about sexual abuse. We aim to stop the stigma of sexual abuse being continuously swept under the rug, to facilitate healing, and to empower survivors to speak out without shame, guilt, or fault.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a 59-year-old mother of two wonderful adult children and two amazing grandchildren. In 2016, I moved to Florida from Hampton, VA to be closer to my daughter and grandchildren. I had planned to bring my sexual abuse organization, “There’s Hope In Healing,” to Florida to continue my mission of helping others become survivors of sexual abuse rather than remaining victims. As we know, sexual abuse is rampant all over the world, no matter where we go.

However, upon moving here, I needed to start working and began a job with the Florida Department of Health. Part of my role was to assist those experiencing behavioral health issues such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Sadly, I had an accident on this job that left me completely disabled.
I love painting and have recently discovered a passion for thrifting, finding treasures in what others consider trash. My mission and goal have always been to uplift and encourage men, women, and children who have been victimized by sexual abuse. Recently, I was honored to be nominated and chosen as a leader for the Women’s Ministry at my church, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church located in Fort Myers, FL as the Hospitality Coordinator. This role is perfect for me because I love helping people, and it may also provide me the opportunity to assist more individuals who have undergone this unfortunate experience.

I recently had my book republished with a change in the title. My first title was “Visions From The Past: A True Story.” It is now “Visions From The Past: My Life, My Story.” This difference may not mean much to some, but for me, it marks a shift in conveying my truth. Initially, I felt the need to emphasize that it was a true story, but the new title asserts that it is my life and my story.

My next mission is a journey that has taken me years to gather the courage to undertake. That journey is traveling back to Jefferson, Texas, where my abuse began. It’s not a journey I look forward to, but one I feel is necessary for complete healing. Over the years, many people have asked when I would write a follow-up to my story. For various reasons, I couldn’t bring myself to start until I realized I needed to return to where it all started. That’s where the beginning of my new book lies. I have research to do to find these places from my past, and that is where I am starting. This is my new venture, with plans to make this journey sometime in early 2025.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

One of my qualities has always been the ability to truly see and hear people—to understand where they are, where they come from, and what they’ve been through. This ability has been a significant part of my journey.
Another quality, which is due to my own personal experiences; is the ability to empathize with others who have endured horrific sexual abuse experiences. This deep understanding has allowed me to connect with others on a profound level.

A third quality is the gift of my words. I wasn’t aware of this particular gift until several people shared with me how my book literally saved their lives, helped them understand their feelings, or made them realize they were not alone. My words gave them the strength to continue, showing them that if I could move forward, then so could they.
My advice to others might sound cliché, but it’s important: put God first in your life. Faith, determination, and willpower are central to my mantra. Faith in God, determination to heal, and the willpower to keep moving forward have been techniques I’ve learned to use over the years. Having supportive and understanding friends and family is crucial on our journey to healing. Engaging in positive distractions such as exercise, finding a church community, and participating in social activities with friends can greatly improve our lives and help dissipate feelings of isolation.
We all share feelings of shame, guilt, and fault from our abuse, but these strategies help us on our journey to healing and a more successful life. We can’t change our past, but we can control the impact it has on our present and future.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

My current number one challenge is preparing myself for the next leg of my journey towards complete healing. I understand this will not be easy for me; it wouldn’t be easy for anyone. Whenever I tell people about my plan, some ask what I would do if I encountered any of the individuals who hurt me. I find that I have no answer to this question, except that I hope they are no longer part of this earthly realm. However, I can’t be certain of this. Still, what would I do if I did run into one of them? I still don’t have an answer. What I would like to do is tell them, “You did not destroy me. I am still here. You did not break me!”

To overcome this challenge, I must prepare my spirit, mind, and soul, and engage in lots of prayer. And maybe treat myself to a good Texas steak after it’s all said and done—I had to throw in a bit of humor. But truly, overcoming challenges requires a combination of strategies, mindsets, and support systems.

I acknowledge the challenge I’ve chosen to take on and accept it. Reaching out to friends, family, or professionals for support is essential. Sometimes, talking to someone who understands or has faced similar challenges can provide valuable insights and the encouragement I need for this journey. I need to view challenges as learning experiences. Reflecting on my challenge will help me understand how to deal with it.

I will stay persistent in this endeavor. I have denied and postponed this journey for far to long, but I realize I have to keep pushing forward if I truly want the healing I’m searching for and deserve.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: veronicavonciletauthor
• Other: Email: [email protected]