‘The Plus Factor’ author discusses how faith helped her to move on
As she stood at the front of the room and spoke about her past, Tamika L. Sims radiated confidence, poise and strength. Sims survived an abusive relationship for eight years, where she was hurt phyiscally, sexually and emotionally.
Sims said she was able to overcome many obstacles with the help of her family, friends and God. That led her to write and publish an autobiography, “The Plus Factor,” to share her story as a domestic violence survivor.
“The past 10 years of my life can be found throughout these pages,” Sims said. “Writing has been a very difficult, healing and therapeutic process for me.”
“The Plus Factor” contains Sims’ first-hand experience as a victim of abuse, and advice for people who are still silenced by the power of an abuser.
Sims explained that writing was a difficult experience because of the traumatic memories she had to revisit.
“Some days I would pick up the pen, and I could write for hours. Other days, I would pick up the pen and then cry for hours,” she said.
Sims dedicated her novel to “the countless domestic violence survivors whose stories are yet to be told.” She said she hopes to do anything she can to reach out to all who have been victimized.
Sims is a member of Rhema Christian Center Church of God in Christ in Columbia. She also works at Sistercare, a non-profit that helps battered women, as the volunteer and community outreach coordinator.
She also talked about how her faith has carried her through her struggles and has allowed her to move forward.
“Even if we are on the mountaintop or valley low, God’s love still surrounds, engulfs and encompasses us,” Sims wrote in her book.
After explaining her experiences, she said what she has taken away from the struggles she has faced.
“A very important lesson, in addition to the many others that I have learned along the way, is how to become more in tune with myself emotionally and establish boundaries,” Sims said.