green glitter girl
A Journey of Hope and Trauma Recovery
Connie C. Jones, M.A., L.P.C. with Melanie Davis-Jones
Available in paperback, ebook, and large print.
“Never underestimate the power of an act that honors a person’s value. It can truly save a life.”
About the Book
Born into a house ruled by silence and depression, a three-year-old girl found her first taste of joy in her baby sister until tragedy tore that bond away before it had the chance to grow. What followed was decades of abuse, neglect, and a nervous system locked in survival mode.
Green Glitter Girl is therapist Connie C. Jones’s own story of that survival and of the long, embodied work of healing that followed. Written with co-author and spiritual healer, Melanie Davis-Jones, and grounded in the science of Polyvagal Theory, this memoir treats trauma not as something to explain away, but as something the body remembers, and can learn to release.
For anyone who has lived with the aftereffects of childhood trauma — or who loves, treats, or simply wants to understand someone who has — this is a story of what it actually takes to come home to yourself.
“More than a memoir — it is a testament to the power of the human nervous system to adapt, survive, and ultimately heal.”
— Stephen Porges, PhD, creator of Polyvagal Theory, from the Foreword
“A memoir that also acts as a self-help guide.”
— Midwest Book Review, recommending it for library collections, book clubs, and psychology reading groups alike
I decided I wanted to be a voice for the fact that there is something good in the world, that there is beauty and love and light. In addition, it was the ultimate defiance of my family that was in such despair. I wanted to say: No, something different can come from that pain. There’s something much better than that giving in to that despair and giving up. There is more to life.
As I grew from child to adolescent to teen to adult, more and more times people would remark that there was something different about me. I call it, “touched by an angel.” I tried to hide those experiences for a long time from my family almost as a way to preserve them. I was afraid they’d try to wreck it for me but now I want to share them so that others can have the same experience. To move from a sense of isolation to a sense of connection is, in many ways, a “hard work miracle” that starts with believing a different mindset and experience of safely being embodied is possible.
About the Author
Connie C. Jones, M.A., L.P.C., has spent more than thirty years as a therapist, helping others understand and heal from trauma through a somatic, heart-centered approach. Her own journey of healing after trauma informs her work as a therapist; she is passionate about helping others find a way to bring peace and wellbeing to their own lives. Green Glitter Girl is her debut book.
An intuitive energy healing Melanie did for Connie in 2013, which aided her journey of recovery, was the start of their friendship. Co-author Melanie Davis-Jones also has a private energy healing practice, Zaia Energy Works.
Pub Date: October 21, 2025
Publisher: Torchflame Books
Distributed by Ingram, IPG
Genre: Memoir/Biography
Price: $18.99 paperback · $8.99 ebook · $28.00 large print
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-61153-610-2
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61153-611-9
ISBN (large print): 978-1-61153-612-6
For Book Clubs
You may want to begin your book club meeting with the somatic exercise at the end of the book. It can help people feel more grounded since the book covers topics that may be difficult for some to discuss.
Discussion Questions
- Connie treasures the memory of being told “You sparkle.” Can you recall a moment in your life when someone saw something special in you—and it stayed with you?
- If you could speak to young Connie at any point in her story, what would you want to say to her?
- Connie describes going mute for a year after her sister’s death. How does the body carry trauma in this story? And how does silence function as both a survival strategy and a form of protest?
- Dr. Stephen Porges’ foreword frames the memoir through the lens of Polyvagal Theory. Did this scientific perspective deepen your understanding of Connie’s emotional and physical responses . . . or your own?
- Dr. Porges suggests that, as you read, do so with “an awareness of your own physiological responses.” Did you notice any parts of the story when your body reacted (tension/quick breathing/a sense of unease or warmth/connection/relief)?
- Connie suggests that her parents’ dysfunction was inherited from their own unresolved trauma. How does the memoir explore the idea of intergenerational pain?
- From the phoenix metaphor to the broken heart Halloween costume, the memoir is rich with symbolic imagery. Which symbols or images resonated most with you, and why?
- Connie becomes a therapist, helping others navigate trauma. How does her lived experience inform her professional path? What does it mean to turn pain into purpose?
- Connie finds solace in movement, spiritual connections, and nature. What are your go-to rituals or practices that help you feel grounded or joyful? Are there ways you have found to carry those feelings with you throughout the day?
- How did reading this memoir affect your own perceptions of memory, voice, or personal narrative?
- Did you try the healing exercise at the end of the book? How was the experience for you?
Media & Events
Connie is available for readings, signings, and speaking engagements. She is also happy to connect with book clubs, conferences, and educators, either in person or via video call.
Publicity contact: Jori Hanna · publicist@torchflamebooks.com