About the Book

Paula was broken, traumatized, and bound by many addictions, but today she is free. And that is God’s desire for you, too!

Paula Jauch’s life was controlled by trauma and addiction. Born into neglect and addiction, she inherited self-destructive patterns and emotional prisons she could not escape She experimented with crack at age thirteen, became pregnant at fifteen, was initiated into a Hispanic gang, and bore her second child by the time she was eighteen. Starved for acceptance and worth, she began cutting her body, and developed a near-fatal disorder for twenty years.

Cross Addicted follows Paula’s raw, stumbling journey toward freedom. You will find renewed hope and practical steps of recovery.

Recognize that there is nothing wrong with you.
Learn how to forgive yourself and others.
Understand addiction and trauma and the healing process through recovery.
Find freedom by understanding what Jesus did on the cross.

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About the Author

Paula Jauch’s life experience enables her speaking and writing to empower people from all walks of life. She shares her inspirational story all around the world through speaking and radio. Her goal is to carry this message to the forefront. She loves encouraging and motivating her audiences to live a life of freedom in Christ. She is a happily married mother of four and a proud Nana. In her spare time, you might find her at a favorite Mexican restaurant. Paula lives in West Michigan.

Paula’s work experience led her to realize she needed healing from childhood trauma after growing up in abuse and addiction. After she graduated from an alternative education high school and had two children by age eighteen, her heart was drawn to jobs to help children like herself. She worked seven years at the Juvenile Court Schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, and five years at the Clark County Department of Family Services, as a juvenile service assistant, working with troubled teens. In 2004 she relocated to Terre Haute, Indiana, where she worked for two years at Gibault Inc., as a youth specialist, working with teen boy sex offenders. After leaving the Gibault home, she worked a few months at the Vigo County Courthouse as a bailiff, but decided to leave her job when it became uncomfortable, because her family name was well known in the court system.

What she learned through all of her work experience is that if these kids didn’t get the proper help they needed, they would get involved in a gang, addicted to drugs or alcohol, land in prison, or even face death. Paula knew she was being called to take a step of faith and action and get the help she needed so she could help others who experienced similar childhoods.

Even though Paula’s story and passion centers around youth, men and women of all ages will be inspired by her story of restoration. Connect with Paula www.paulajauch.com or follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @paulajauch.

More from Paula

Why did you write the book?

After graduating from an alternative education high school and having two children by the age eighteen, my heart was drawn to jobs to help children like myself. I started out by working seven years at a Juvenile Court Schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, and five years at the Clark County Department of Family Services, as a juvenile service assistant, working with troubled teens. In 2004, I relocated to Terre Haute, Indiana, where I worked for two years at Gibault Inc., as a youth specialist, working with teen boy sex offenders. After leaving the Gibault home, I worked a few months at the Vigo County Courthouse as a bailiff. However, I eventually decided to leave my job within a few months because it became uncomfortable since my family name was well-known in the court system. My work experiences led me to start asking questions and made me realize I needed my own healing from childhood trauma after growing up in abuse and addiction.

What I learned through all of my work experiences and my own life struggles is that if kids don’t get the proper help they need, they will either get involved in a gang, become addicted to drugs or alcohol, end up in prison, or even death. I knew God was calling me to take a step of faith and action to get the help I needed, so I could help others who experienced similar childhoods.

Trauma may be the greatest mission field of the 21st century, and the most misunderstood issue of our day.

My healing journey began when I could no longer pretend everything was okay. After being stuck in my trauma and my own addictions for years, I knew I needed to write a book and let others know there is a way out. My book was birthed out of my healing process. Cross Addicted: Breaking Free from Family Trauma and Addiction offers a hopeful path to recovery for those who are hurting and traumatized.

One in four U.S. students will witness or experience a traumatic event before the age four, and more than two-thirds by age sixteen.

My Thoughts

Phew - I felt like I was reading my life story. This author and I have a lot in common. I am a childhood rape victim. I acted out in my teens (after trying to kill myself) and had my older girls at age 15 and 18. THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ. Trauma is so damaging to girl's futures if not dealt with the right way. This book is a journey of healing. The author shares her story (she notes that due to addiction and the trauma she has lost some of her childhood memories - which I understand because I block a lot out from child hood.) The author shares her story with so much emotion that you can feel it oozing off the pages. You feel her hurt, her addictions, her pain.

The book is broken down into 10 chapters - and the chapters follow her journey - starting with Chapter 1 - where she looks at what is wrong - it goes along and the last chapter is her embracing the freedom from her past. It is well written - and you can follow along easily. This is a great book for a small group that has experienced trauma.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program - all thoughts are my own