There comes a point in every woman's life when silence is no longer an option, a point where the floodgates give way to years of suppressed resentment, a point at which she finds herself marooned on an island with no sign of help in sight. For Brenda L. Tress, this moment came after enduring years of family conflicts, abuse, and intergenerational dysfunction. Her book Ugly Truth Needs to Be Told is a vulnerable and impactful memoir that exposes the unseen struggles faced by many mothers, wives, and daughters in private.

Brenda, a Deaf woman, mother of three Deaf children, grandmother, and holder of four college degrees, has faced challenges that most people cannot imagine. After thirty years of marriage, she made the difficult choice to divorce, understanding firsthand what it means to fight for dignity, boundaries, and self-respect.

I realized silence only enables the cycle.

This straightforward yet impactful truth lies at the core of Brenda's story. For many years, she sought peace by remaining silent to avoid conflict, suppressing her pain to shield others. However, she eventually realized that silence doesn't heal wounds; it allows them to worsen.