Nearly five years ago, my dear friend Amy Griffin came to me with her story—the one at the heart of her striking memoir, The Tell. I watched as she bravely reached into the deepest parts of herself and, after gaining access to repressed memories of abuse she faced as a child, embarked on an incredible journey of discovery, grief, and healing.
I watched her excavate childhood memories of growing up in a small, tight-knit Texas community. I wanted to help her, to take her pain and fix it. But Amy knew better. She did what all great storytellers do and began to write it all down. She gradually unlocked more and more of herself—her sadness, her rage, her acceptance—until she emerged on the other side with a new purpose: to share her story and help others experience their own catharsis.
As a businesswoman, Amy has always helped women grow their businesses and connect to their customers in the most authentic ways. Now, that vision has become her own driving force. With great courage and years of work, she captured her story in the most poetic way. By opening her heart, she became a beacon for women everywhere. Her mission to help others who have experienced sexual abuse and trauma has become a guiding light.
To say I’m enormously proud of my friend is an understatement. The Tell encourages us to recognize that sometimes you must understand your own pain to fully experience life’s greatest joys—and Amy’s courage, vulnerability, and insight are a gift to us all.
Witherspoon is a producer and Oscar-winning actor