A MEMOIR
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She ran from childhood pain and joined a monastery to live for God alone. Twenty-nine years later, she ran from God seeking fulfillment. This story shares what it takes to stop running so you can heal.
Inside the Story
A Journey Through Family, God and Healing
The Runaway is an exploration of what happens when the quest for peace through spiritual sanctuary collides with the lived reality of monastic life. Amy Gracey Nash takes readers behind the cloistered walls of a monastery, where her search for peace was met with a rigid system of submission that echoed the very household she escaped.
Moving from the 1970 Gracey Case to her eventual departure at age forty-four, the book details the arduous path of deconstuction. Amy thought freedome would be her release. She had to learn that healing is the only true release that brings peace and contentment. She uses her vulnerability as a client with clinical insights she gained as a trauma therapist to lead you to the path toward genuine self-trust.
Reader Praise & Critic Reviews
✦
"The Runaway demonstrates how our religious culture can shape and form our lives... Readers who feel they missed their chance or were overwhelmed by religion will take away hope and courage."
Author of A Well-Trained Wife
Tia Levings
✦
"Real transformation comes from facing your story with clarity, responsibility, and courage. Her journey is a reminder that spirituality does not require an institution."
Brittney L. Hartley
No Nonsense Spirituality
✦
"With clarity and courage, Amy gives language to experiences that are often minimized or denied, helping readers feel seen, validated, and less alone."
Dr. Sherrie Campbell
Author of But It's Your Family