In this Author POV, we highlight Healing His Bride, a memoir by licensed mental health counselor and trauma therapist Josie Ashton. Drawing from both her personal journey and more than 30 years of professional experience, Ashton explores trauma, domestic violence, faith, accountability, and the lifelong work of healing.
Known as the founder of the Brides' March, the domestic violence awareness movement inspired by the murder of Gladys Ricart, Ashton offers readers an intimate look at the experiences that shaped both her advocacy and her own healing journey. Intended for adult audiences, Healing His Bride provides a thoughtful resource for library collections focused on memoir, mental health, survivor advocacy, trauma-informed care, faith, and personal growth.
Can you introduce your book for librarians who may be discovering it for the first time?
Healing His Bride is my memoir about what it takes to stop running from your wounds and begin the real work of healing. Many people know me as the founder of the Brides’ March, the domestic violence awareness movement that began after the murder of Gladys Ricart, a Dominican American bride killed by her former partner on her wedding day. That tragedy changed my life and became part of my public story. But this memoir tells the deeper story behind the movement: what I built, what I survived, and what I had to confront in myself. After more than 30 years of working with survivors and offenders of domestic violence, trauma, and abuse, I have learned that healing is universal. Whether readers see themselves in my words or simply come away with a deeper understanding of trauma and domestic violence, my hope is that this book helps them reflect on their own lives. Unhealed pain does not stay hidden. It affects our relationships, our families, our choices, and the way we see ourselves. Healing His Bride invites readers to slow down, look honestly at their wounds, and understand that healing is for everyone.
What inspired you to write this book, and what core themes do you hope readers take away from it?
I wrote Healing His Bride because I have spent decades seeing how trauma affects people’s choices, relationships, and sense of self. In my work as a licensed mental health counselor and trauma therapist, I have worked with both victims and offenders of domestic violence. What I have learned is that people are often operating from wounds they do not fully understand. This book was also inspired by my own healing journey. For many years, I was helping others confront trauma while still carrying pain of my own. Writing this memoir allowed me to tell the truth about that process. The core themes I hope readers take away are healing, accountability, self-awareness, faith, domestic violence awareness, and the understanding that we are not our behaviors. Many of the things that bring us shame have roots in trauma. Healing begins when we are willing to stop coping, look honestly at what has wounded us, and take responsibility for the work ahead.
What kind of readers or patrons do you see this book resonating with most?
Healing His Bride is intended for adult readers due to its mature and sensitive subject matter. The memoir addresses trauma, domestic violence, sexual abuse, emotional pain, healing, accountability, and faith, so it should be recommended with a clear trigger warning and care for readers who may have lived experience with these topics. While the book is best suited for adults, it may also be appropriate for high school seniors, particularly those who are mature enough to engage with difficult real-life issues and who would benefit from guided conversations around healthy relationships, abuse prevention, trauma, self-worth, faith, and healing. Because many young people encounter harmful relationship patterns, sexual pressure, emotional abuse, and other forms of trauma before adulthood, this can be a critical age for awareness, reflection, and support. For educators, librarians, and community leaders, the book may be especially meaningful as a resource for conversations around trauma-informed awareness, domestic violence prevention, survivor advocacy, mental health, relationships, family patterns, faith, and healing. It is best suited for adult book clubs, library programming, college-level discussions, advocacy organizations, counseling and social work communities, faith communities, and readers seeking a deeper understanding of how trauma and domestic violence affect individuals, families, and communities.
What themes or discussion topics do you hope librarians highlight when recommending the book?
I hope librarians highlight that Healing His Bride is not only a story about domestic violence or survival. It is a story about the necessity of healing. One of the universal lessons of this memoir is that no matter how much a person has survived, accomplished, or overcome, success is not the same as healing. You can build a life, serve others, wear the mask, and still be carrying wounds that are taking a toll on your body, your relationships, your choices, and your sense of self. This book opens an important conversation about why adults need to reassess childhood trauma and unhealed pain as part of the work of becoming whole. It also speaks to the responsibility of families, workplaces, institutions, and communities to better understand trauma and provide real resources for healing. Domestic violence awareness has been my life’s mission, but through that mission I have also seen how many other factors are at play: trauma, shame, silence, faith, resilience, accountability, and the pressure to appear strong when you are still hurting. I hope librarians use Healing His Bride to help readers talk about what it means to address wounds honestly and understand that putting on a mask is not what cures us. Healing is the work.
Are there any sensitive topics or content considerations librarians should be aware of?
Yes. Healing His Bride includes difficult and sensitive themes, including domestic violence, sexual abuse, trauma, grief, emotional pain, humiliation, panic attacks, and additional details about the murder of Gladys Ricart. This memoir is not intended to be rushed. It is best read slowly, chapter by chapter, with time for reflection. Some readers may find the material emotionally challenging, especially those with lived experiences of abuse or trauma. Librarians and educators should provide a clear content note when recommending the book. For group discussions, classroom use, or community programming, it may be appropriate to pair the book with local domestic violence resources, counseling services, community support organizations, or the presence of a therapist, counselor, or trained support professional who can help guide conversations with care.
If your book were part of a library display, what topics, themes, or comparable titles would you pair it with?
I would want Healing His Bride placed alongside Latina and Dominican American memoirs, survivor stories, trauma-informed nonfiction, and books centered on healing and self-acceptance. The themes I would pair it with are domestic violence awareness, faith, resilience, identity, and the long-term impact of unaddressed pain.
Are there companion resources librarians or educators should know about?
There are currently no formal companion resources for Healing His Bride, but this is something I am working on. Librarians and educators are welcome to reach out and check in about future resources, discussion materials, or programming support connected to the book. They may also want to know about the Brides’ March, the domestic violence awareness movement I founded after the murder of Gladys Ricart. While it is not a formal companion resource, it can help provide context for readers interested in the advocacy work connected to my story. I am also available for speaking engagements, training, book discussions, Q&A sessions, and trauma-informed conversations for libraries, universities, organizations, faith communities, and institutions. Topics can include domestic violence awareness, trauma-informed understanding, behavioral patterns, healing, relationships, and the impact of unresolved wounds on families, workplaces, and communities.
Which formats are currently available?
Healing His Bride is currently available in print and digital formats through Amazon, Bookshop.org, and Barnes & Noble. A Spanish-language edition and audiobook of Healing His Bride is also planned for release soon. For bulk orders, classroom sets, library orders, or special format requests, please reach out directly to Josie Ashton at healinghisbride@gmail.com for the most current availability and ordering information.
How could this book be used in community events or themed programming throughout the year?
Healing His Bride can be used in library and community programming throughout the year, especially around themes of domestic violence prevention, trauma recovery, women’s empowerment, mental health, faith, and Hispanic/Latina voices.
Relevant programming opportunities include:
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October
- Hispanic Heritage Month in September
- October Women’s History Month in March
- Mental Health Awareness Month in May
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April
- Faith-based healing and community wellness events
- Book clubs and memoir discussion groups
- Trauma-informed community conversations
- Programs for social workers, counselors, educators, and advocates
It could also be used around September 26, the anniversary of Gladys Ricart’s death, as a way to honor her memory and create deeper conversations about domestic violence, prevention, and community responsibility. The book can also support panel discussions, survivor-centered conversations, professional development sessions, and community education events focused on how trauma affects relationships, families, workplaces, and community outcomes.
Do you offer author engagement options for schools or libraries?
I am available for virtual visits, in-person events, book talks, moderated conversations, Q&A sessions, library programs, trainings, and community workshops. Please reach out to me via email to coordinate at healinghisbride@gmail.com
Is there anything else you would like librarians, teachers, or educators to know about your work?
I would want librarians, teachers, and educators to know that Healing His Bride is not written to sensationalize trauma. It is written to create space for honest, responsible conversations about what people carry, how pain shapes behavior, and what healing asks of us. My work has always lived between the personal and the professional. I have spent more than 30 years in mental health, domestic violence, abuse, and criminal justice, but I also know what it means to confront those wounds in my own life. That combination is what makes this memoir different. It is not only about what happened; it is about what we do with what happened. I hope educators and librarians approach this book with care, but also with courage. These are difficult conversations, but they are necessary ones. My hope is that Healing His Bride sparks healing, or supports the healing already happening, in readers who are ready to better understand themselves and our communities.
To learn more about Josie and her work, you can visit her website at josieashton.com.
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jroos Photography
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