Edna Freeman or the upsurge of a mental therapist? Edna Freeman is an American mental health advocate and mother who has overcome childhood trauma in her own life and is passionate about ensuring today’s children don’t need to suffer without early intervention. Edna uses her story of overcoming traumatic childhood abuse to show others that they are not alone and that there is no shame in asking for help.
What is your process for helping young children and teens confront and overcome trauma? The goal is to guide them to the right organizations, medical professionals and sharing my story. I feel that some people tend to see mental illnesses as a taboo or something made up. I want the voices and needs of people and kids with mental illness to be heard. I want them to understand and learn to be gentle with themselves. Parents are also learning to be parents, so yes, a parent can cause trauma on their kids. One scenario is by bringing their own traumas to their kids.
How do you use cosplay and costuming as a form of therapy for yourself and those you work with? In my case, cosplay is like I express some of the pain hidden inside me. I pick the characters that have a bit similar story as me. I love the costumes and makeup because it makes me a new person, and it gives me the freedom to speak without fear of being judged.
Edna Freeman is a Brazilian survivor of abuse during childhood and adolescence, and currently uses her personal experience to help children and adults who are experiencing this type of situation. She is a mother of two and currently lives in San Francisco, United States, with her family. It is incredible to see the amount of dedication she has to help those who are going through all these problems and need someone who knows how to deal with each particular case. Edna is currently working on setting up her own organization that will help treat children and adolescents who have suffered abuse and trauma.
Politics is a subject that Edna has always been interested in, and after getting her American citizenship, she decided to get very involved in the subject, even running to be one of the representatives of Hillary Clinton. On her journey in the political world, she met a number of influential people in the United States, names like Christine Pelosi, who is a political strategist and the daughter of Nancy Pelosi House Speaker Tim Kaine, Virginia Senator and candidate for vice president at Democratic ticket with Hillary Clinton and California Senator Scott Winner.
“I often say that this publicity action opened doors and opened windows. Not to mention the friendships I made with the actors who played my husband and my son.” With overwhelming success, Edna has been starring in uninterrupted campaigns, but still has her image tied to Sutter Health. Asked about the value of the fee, she replied smiling: “It was better than I imagined, but this is a secret”.