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Stories Our Scars Tell: Hope, Healing, and Honesty about the Wounds We Carry
To be healed is simply to live a life fully felt—not perfect and not pain-free, but beautiful anyway.
In the depths of our struggles, it’s easy to feel alone—unseen, unheard, and unsure if healing is even possible. Brittany Tinsley, a self-injury recovery advocate, offers a beacon of hope for those in seasons of suffering as she shares her deeply personal journey from self-harm to healing. She invites readers to join her on a transformative path from isolation to connection, fear to hope, and hurt to wholeness.
Divided into three insightful parts, Stories Our Scars Tell explores the lingering questions that haunt us, the comforting words we long to hear, and the strength found in embracing our struggles. Tinsley’s dual perspective as both an expert and someone who has walked through the darkness of self- harm provides a unique and compassionate guide for readers. Speaking to the heart of identity, self-worth, and the pursuit of hope, Stories Our Scars Tell is a powerful reminder that healing doesn’t happen overnight but is a continual reckoning between who we’ve been, who we are, and who we’d like to become.
In the depths of our struggles, it’s easy to feel alone—unseen, unheard, and unsure if healing is even possible. Brittany Tinsley, a self-injury recovery advocate, offers a beacon of hope for those in seasons of suffering as she shares her deeply personal journey from self-harm to healing. She invites readers to join her on a transformative path from isolation to connection, fear to hope, and hurt to wholeness.
Divided into three insightful parts, Stories Our Scars Tell explores the lingering questions that haunt us, the comforting words we long to hear, and the strength found in embracing our struggles. Tinsley’s dual perspective as both an expert and someone who has walked through the darkness of self- harm provides a unique and compassionate guide for readers. Speaking to the heart of identity, self-worth, and the pursuit of hope, Stories Our Scars Tell is a powerful reminder that healing doesn’t happen overnight but is a continual reckoning between who we’ve been, who we are, and who we’d like to become.
192 pages, Paperback
Published September 9, 2025
9 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Brittany Tinsley
1 book4 followersBrittany Tinsley is a writer and speaker whose work explores the intersection of faith and mental health. Through honest, heartfelt storytelling, she invites others to find the hope baked into their own lives.
Brittany is a contributing author of the Oxford Handbook of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and has written for HuffPost, (in)courage, and To Write Love on Her Arms. Brittany lives in Texas with her husband and their two daughters.
Connect with her online at brittanytinsley.com.
Brittany is a contributing author of the Oxford Handbook of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and has written for HuffPost, (in)courage, and To Write Love on Her Arms. Brittany lives in Texas with her husband and their two daughters.
Connect with her online at brittanytinsley.com.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 1, 2025
*Endorsed! Releasing Sept 2025
September 15, 2025
If I could give one book to my college self it would be this one. I have searched for years to find a book like this: a direct, yet hopeful discussion of self injury. Brittany's words have helped me feel less alone and grow in compassion for myself.
If you struggle with self injury, read this book.
If you love someone who struggles with self injury, read this book.
If you are a counselor or social worker, read this book.
If you are a human with pain, read this book.
No matter who you are, you will find hope and comfort in these words!
If you struggle with self injury, read this book.
If you love someone who struggles with self injury, read this book.
If you are a counselor or social worker, read this book.
If you are a human with pain, read this book.
No matter who you are, you will find hope and comfort in these words!
March 7, 2025
This book comes out September 2025, but I got to read an advanced copy. Brittany has given us a gift of words and stories that will make us all feel more human and worthy of healing.
September 14, 2025
Brittany is so talented at weaving words together. Even though her stories are uniquely hers, I related to the inner experience and feelings she shares with readers. I appreciate any author willing to talk about & write about their personal experience with hard things. Brittany does a beautiful job reminding readers they're not alone in their suffering. She encourages her audience to accept help and reinforces the reality that we are more than the difficult things that have happened to us or the ways we cope. May this book be an encouragement to anyone who chooses to pick it up!
January 25, 2026
This is a helpful book for anyone who has struggled with self-harm. It's not an easy read, but it is well-written, honest, and hopeful. It will be a lifeline of encouragement for someone caught in this struggle.
I would give it five stars except for two issues that I thought were unnecessarily controversial in the book. I'm going to quote directly from it here:
Issue 1.
"We are told in Genesis that each of us was created in God's own image. If we are created in his image, that means every characteristic or role we have is one that God himself has also fulfilled. God is most often referred to as a father. That language is familiar and comfortable, albeit perhaps loaded, depending on what sort of experiences with fathers you bring to the table. In evangelical circles, we hesitate to use female pronouns or mothering language in reference to God. The role of women in the church has been made unnecessarily complicated, and to use female pronouns for God adds fuel to the fire of those who believe a woman's role in the church is limited. However, if God created both male and female - and therefore both fathers and mothers - in his own image, then as much as God is father, God is also mother. And, as a mother, God wants goodness for the lives of her children. As children of God, we are loved unconditionally. We are loved ridiculously, extravagantly, above and beyond what is reasonable. The same God that knit the world together nestles us on her chest and hopes we let ourselves be delighted by our lives...But, like any good mother, God is faithful to keep promises. She says she's working things for our good, and then she actually goes and does it."
As a fellow Leafwood author, I am disappointed that this controversy, which the author admits adds fuel to the fire, was included in the book. As a professional editor, I would have said we could avoid the controversy by saying something like, "We can find comfort and encouragement in God's caring aspects, which are traditionally viewed as motherly. For example, the Bible states that we can hide under the protection of his wings, like a mother bird does for her babies." It would have been possible to focus on these softer aspects of God's character without using female pronouns for God, which are highly controversial and divisive.
Issue 2.
"In evangelical Christian circles, we're taught we can't trust ourselves because our hearts are deceitful above all else and are told our minds are equally likely to lead us astray. I wonder why we so blindly believe that narrative. We certainly can have a propensity for and be drawn toward things that aren't of God, but God himself created us with hearts capable of feeling and minds capable of thinking. He looked at us, his creations, and declared us good. Why then would the functions he built into us only lead us away from him?"
This issue is even more concerning to me because it is based on liberal theology, which is not standard or orthodox teaching. Here is a verse that proves the opposite of what she is saying: "They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one." Psalm 14:3 ESV Believing that we are not born as sinful humans is a slippery slide, and it's unbiblical.
I think the author brought up both of these points because they helped her in her healing journey. While I respect the hard work she's done to heal, and I'm compassionate for her in my own recovery from self-harm, I firmly believe we cannot and should not shape the Bible to our liking just to make ourselves feel better. God's Word is inerrant and infallible, and it often confronts us with what we'd rather not hear or believe, because we need it like strong medicine, so we are shaped to be more like Christ. I wish the author had not included either of these controversial points, because they detracted from the strength of the rest of the book. I also wish our publisher had been more careful to exclude these points in the editing stages to avoid offending readers who are more conservative, which I know is a large part of the audience from the books I've written.
I would give it five stars except for two issues that I thought were unnecessarily controversial in the book. I'm going to quote directly from it here:
Issue 1.
"We are told in Genesis that each of us was created in God's own image. If we are created in his image, that means every characteristic or role we have is one that God himself has also fulfilled. God is most often referred to as a father. That language is familiar and comfortable, albeit perhaps loaded, depending on what sort of experiences with fathers you bring to the table. In evangelical circles, we hesitate to use female pronouns or mothering language in reference to God. The role of women in the church has been made unnecessarily complicated, and to use female pronouns for God adds fuel to the fire of those who believe a woman's role in the church is limited. However, if God created both male and female - and therefore both fathers and mothers - in his own image, then as much as God is father, God is also mother. And, as a mother, God wants goodness for the lives of her children. As children of God, we are loved unconditionally. We are loved ridiculously, extravagantly, above and beyond what is reasonable. The same God that knit the world together nestles us on her chest and hopes we let ourselves be delighted by our lives...But, like any good mother, God is faithful to keep promises. She says she's working things for our good, and then she actually goes and does it."
As a fellow Leafwood author, I am disappointed that this controversy, which the author admits adds fuel to the fire, was included in the book. As a professional editor, I would have said we could avoid the controversy by saying something like, "We can find comfort and encouragement in God's caring aspects, which are traditionally viewed as motherly. For example, the Bible states that we can hide under the protection of his wings, like a mother bird does for her babies." It would have been possible to focus on these softer aspects of God's character without using female pronouns for God, which are highly controversial and divisive.
Issue 2.
"In evangelical Christian circles, we're taught we can't trust ourselves because our hearts are deceitful above all else and are told our minds are equally likely to lead us astray. I wonder why we so blindly believe that narrative. We certainly can have a propensity for and be drawn toward things that aren't of God, but God himself created us with hearts capable of feeling and minds capable of thinking. He looked at us, his creations, and declared us good. Why then would the functions he built into us only lead us away from him?"
This issue is even more concerning to me because it is based on liberal theology, which is not standard or orthodox teaching. Here is a verse that proves the opposite of what she is saying: "They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one." Psalm 14:3 ESV Believing that we are not born as sinful humans is a slippery slide, and it's unbiblical.
I think the author brought up both of these points because they helped her in her healing journey. While I respect the hard work she's done to heal, and I'm compassionate for her in my own recovery from self-harm, I firmly believe we cannot and should not shape the Bible to our liking just to make ourselves feel better. God's Word is inerrant and infallible, and it often confronts us with what we'd rather not hear or believe, because we need it like strong medicine, so we are shaped to be more like Christ. I wish the author had not included either of these controversial points, because they detracted from the strength of the rest of the book. I also wish our publisher had been more careful to exclude these points in the editing stages to avoid offending readers who are more conservative, which I know is a large part of the audience from the books I've written.
December 11, 2025
There are books we go into expecting one thing, but then they surprise us. That was my experience with this one. It touched my heart and brought tears several times, some because of what was shared, others because I felt seen and understood—like it was written for me, and I’m so glad I read! If, like me, self-harm is not a part of your story, you might think this book is not for you, but please set that reservation aside. Brittany shares a message and truths that are for all of us, and she writes engagingly with hope and encouragement, speaking on a personal, relatable level about thoughts, questions, and feelings many of us process but rarely discuss. We all carry wounds and scars, even if they’re not visible on our skin.
What should it look like to bear one another’s burdens? How should we meet those who come forward with struggles outside of our comfort zone? What is community supposed to look like, and why do so many of us feel like we don’t belong?
What do we do about the teen who reveals she’s cutting herself?
Whether we’re parents, teachers, pastors, friends, or anyone else involved, we have to get this right! Brittany’s story is one example, but the lessons she imparts have broad application, and her voice and expertise should be heard. Told through the lens of self-harm, religious trauma, and the author’s own healing journey, Stories Our Scars Tell is a must-read for anyone navigating the deep pains of life and the church’s response.
What should it look like to bear one another’s burdens? How should we meet those who come forward with struggles outside of our comfort zone? What is community supposed to look like, and why do so many of us feel like we don’t belong?
What do we do about the teen who reveals she’s cutting herself?
Whether we’re parents, teachers, pastors, friends, or anyone else involved, we have to get this right! Brittany’s story is one example, but the lessons she imparts have broad application, and her voice and expertise should be heard. Told through the lens of self-harm, religious trauma, and the author’s own healing journey, Stories Our Scars Tell is a must-read for anyone navigating the deep pains of life and the church’s response.
September 3, 2025
Wow wow wow. I was gifted an ARC of this book and I did not expect to relate to so much of what Brittany wrote. I am also in recovery from self injury so I related to so much of what she’s been thru. It was relatable and just so genuine and real. It brought me to tears at one point and I just truly loved it so much! I really recommend it to anyone who has dealt with self injury or anyone who loves someone who has. 5/5 ⭐️
September 11, 2025
Brittany’s raw and vulnerable journey makes others feel less alone. She opens the doors for honesty, hope, and healing. There may be scars from self-injury, but we can find compassion along the way. Stories Our Scars Tell erases the stigma. I believe this book will set many others free.
“Healing comes when we allow all the parts of who we are to be seen and known.” 👏🏼👏🏼
“Healing comes when we allow all the parts of who we are to be seen and known.” 👏🏼👏🏼
September 9, 2025
Brittany was the first writer I ever followed, and her writing has been so healing and impactful for me. I cannot wait to read her new book, and encourage you to check out her work!
October 2, 2025
Thank you, Brittany, for putting this out into the world.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews