Behind the Glass (A Memoir of Trauma, Drinking to Cope, and the Courage to Heal)

At 23, Christen Dingess’s roommate and closest friend was brutally murdered—stabbed to death by her boyfriend in the apartment they shared.

Alone and unsupported, Christen was brought to the police station as a person of interest. The experience left her grappling with guilt and the unbearable weight of a tragedy she could never have prevented.

For decades, she lived behind a façade of control—burying her pain in work, family, and alcohol, unaware that unprocessed trauma and PTSD were driving her need to hold everything together. On the outside, she appeared strong and successful; inside, she carried the silence of guilt, fear, and grief. Thirty years later, sobriety became the catalyst for truth. Through therapy, EMDR, breathwork, and spiritual surrender, Christen began to unearth the buried memories and emotions that had shaped her life. Behind the Glass chronicles her raw and courageous journey from trauma to transformation, showing that healing isn’t about erasing the past but about reclaiming your authentic self.

At its heart, Behind the Glass is about more than survival—it’s about hope, peace, and the radical freedom that comes from letting go of control and choosing to live fully, authentically, and unapologetically.