The author, Vanessa Vega, began self-harming as a small child.
According to Dr. Tracy Alderman, a San Diego psychologist and self-
injury expert, approximately 13-18% of American teenagers deliberately
hurt themselves. As a high school teacher and motivational speaker at
various schools, Vega strives to help youngsters who might face the
same troubles from her past.
COMES THE DARKNESS, COMES THE LIGHT is a raw, graphic, and sometimes
chilling exploration of Vega's struggles. More importantly, the book
is a story of hope for others who grapple with the same disorders.
Vega shares several of her intense therapy sessions, both group and
individual, that finally prompted her recovery process after a 30-year
battle.
The author maintains a blog about issues related to self-injury and
eating disorders. You can view the blog, which includes an excerpt
from the book, on LiveJournal at:
http://comes_the_light.livejournal.com