Zandra Hughes BS,BA,ND

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Family Relationships; Secrets & Lies Expert Susan Vereen Expert

Zandra Hughes Quick Facts

Main Areas: Family relationships
Best Sellers: Don't Color ME with A.D.D.(children's), The Magdalene Chronicles Bk 1 & 2 (fiction), Aunt Sugar's Guide to the Teaparty Movement, Aunt Sugar's Guide to Revenge Against your Ex
Career Focus: author and ghostwriter
Affiliation: N.C. Writers Network, Mystery Writers of America, Helium, Elance, Ezine.com, Selfgrowth.com

I am an expert because of life experiences from living in a family buried in lies and secrets. My childhood experiences have taught me that adults tell children what they want them to know and believe and the truth rarely has anything to do with it. A secret is a secret only if known by no more than two people and one of them is dead. Once a lie is told to cover up a secret, it becomes the truth. The longer the lie continues, the more solid a truth it becomes. In college I learned to research everything until I have uncovered everything under every rock. Then I learned to cope with it. Being from the deep South has made learning these subjects even easier because those of us raised in the South prior to the 70's were taught not to show our dirty laundry in public (which meant to anyone not a member of the immedidate family). We learned never to cry in public or complain about anything to anyone else. We learned our family lies and secrets were ours to carry with us and that it was better for everyone if we just accepted everything as the truth. If questioned, we learned that we would be totally excluded from our so-called "family". We would be personna non grata at every family gathering ecept funerals when we were supposed to appear and show united support. Then we were supposed to leave as soon as possible.

I have learned more about relationships in my life than from any college courses that I took in sociology, psychology or counseling. I have learned that real families don't try to destroy their members. Too bad my parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles didn't know that.

My job is to do the best I can to help others overcome the things that have hurt me in my life. I want to educate family members and teach them that secrets and lies destroy more than the people who are keeping them.

I have been a freelance writer for over 25+ years. I have ghostwritten for other self-help experts in various fields but claim the field of Family Mental Health as my own. I am well known on the internet and in print as P.D. Rivers and have many articles to my credit for you to check out under my pseudonym. Under my own names, Susan or Dianne Vereen, you will find I have a deep and abiding faith in a higher power who will help us through just about anything if we only will seek out help. I also believe that removing toxic people from your life will releave stress and allow you to be a more healthy person both mentally and physically.

I attended East Carolina University where I majored in anthropology. I also attended UNC-W where I majored in English and creative writing. A few years ago I answered a calling and enrolled in Liberty University where I have been pusuing a multitopic masters in religion and Christian counseling. I believe a person should pursue education as long as he or she is able to read and understand the lessons to be learned.

I know from experience that hate and dissatisfaction with your life will destroy you. You have to let other people's opinions of you go. Remember that the only person you are responsible to is yourself (on earth) and your God (after death). Hatred is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.