Weathering The Storm
The Oprah Magazine|April 2019

In the wake of a disastrous flood, Sara Cress has finally managed to rebuild her home. She’s hoping O life coach Martha Beck can help her recover her spirit.

Martha Beck
Weathering The Storm

FOR HOUSTON RESIDENT Sara Cress, August 27, 2017, was a living nightmare. She woke to the sound of rain; within an hour, the floodwaters of Hurricane Harvey had destroyed the home she and her husband owned, and most of their possessions were three feet underwater. Insurance allowed the couple to rebuild, which took nearly a year; however, Sara’s still dealing with the disaster’s psychic damage. “I’m agitated and depressed,” says the 41-year-old. “I’ve been eating and drinking too much, and I’m so easily overwhelmed.” She’s lost her creative spark, too: “I’m a poet, but I’m having a hard time writing about this experience. It seems like nothing matters because everything could be taken away again.” Fortunately, life coach Martha Beck is coming to the rescue. Let’s listen to their first session.

Martha Beck: Sara, how are you?

Sara Cress: Excited—but on edge. A storm’s coming this weekend, even though it’s not the usual season.

MB: Tell me how that’s affecting you.

SC: It’s hard to sleep because the rains often come overnight. When our house flooded, we woke up at 5 a.m., and the water was starting to come in. I think that’s part of my insomnia. I have to stay awake to make sure we’re safe.

MB: The rain is triggering your trauma the way a backfiring car might trigger a soldier who’s been traumatized by war. Are you having flashbacks?

SC: Yeah, I’ll be going about my day and suddenly see the water coming into the house. Or I’ll think about some random thing I lost, like a suitcase, and picture it floating.

MB: When that happens, do you grieve or push the thought away?

SC: Part of me thinks, What’s the point of dwelling? I’m still mourning the mementos, though—letters from my grandmothers, my high school yearbooks.

This story is from the April 2019 edition of The Oprah Magazine.

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This story is from the April 2019 edition of The Oprah Magazine.

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