I raised myself. From a very early age, I knew in my heart I was on my own. Nobody was helping me. -Dawn Kohler

What you are about to hear is Part 1 in a series about Dawn Kohler, author of the memoir The Messages. This story needs to be told, but it is also very difficult to hear. If you have children nearby, my strong suggestion is that this episode is not for their ears. Born and raised in San Diego, California, Dawn was the oldest of three children. Her mother was a coal miner’s daughter, originally from West Virginia and her father was from a strict German Catholic family in Ohio. In part 1 of this interview, we learn what life was like in Dawn’s house. She was very independent, didn’t like to be touched, and started working at only 14. Dawn married her high school sweetheart and together they had 3 beautiful children. During the personal computer boom in the 1980s, she and Jeff discovered their niche and founded a computer service company before their 30th birthdays, employing over 50 people. Dawn was the CEO of the business, with plaques on the wall naming her Entrepreneur of the Year when suddenly, she started receiving what she calls internal, inaudible “messages” that told her “this is no longer your way.” She tried to block out these messages by running and swimming, but they just got more intense. One day, she literally could not get out of her car and walk into her office. What happens next will break your heart and then it will lift you up, reminding you of the power of the human spirit. www.dawnkohler.com #sexualabuse #incest