Author Website
Publisher
Where else can you find my books? Gibson’s Bookstore (Concord), Toadstool Books (Keene), Book Nook (Portsmouth)
Michael Skinner
Michael Skinner is an award-winning advocate, educator, writer, and critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, and guitarist who addresses trauma, abuse, and mental health concerns through his public speaking, writing, and music.
He has spoken at the National Press Club; was a keynote presenter for a conference held by the United Nations, the State Department, and Georgetown University on the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children and adults; and was part of the groundbreaking Oprah Winfrey Shows that addressed the issues of sexual abuse of male children. Since 1993, Michael’s uplifting and heartwarming story and songs of hope and healing have helped thousands of people throughout the country.
He has appeared on many TV, radio, and Internet shows and has been the subject of news articles regarding child abuse and mental health. Michael is also a frequent and sought-after blogger on several websites and a writer of articles for mental health publications. He is the author of The Lunchbox Theory: Lessons Learned From Trauma and Abuse and has contributed chapters for three books: Jyu No Tobira (The Door to Freedom – Live Your Life from Today), published in Japan; Our Encounters with Suicide, Europe and Great Britain; and You Can Help: A Guide for Family & Friends of Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Assault, United States. He helped create the Washington D.C. Department of Corrections Trauma, Healing and Wellness Workbook. Michael’s song “Brush Away Your Tears” was used in the Big Voice Pictures documentary, Boys and Men Healing from Child Sexual Abuse.
Books
The Lunchbox Theory: Lessons Learned From Trauma and Abuse
A survivor’s voice confronts childhood abuse with unflinching honesty, offering resilience and insight.
The Lunchbox Theory is a deeply personal memoir that confronts the devastating impact of childhood abuse, including being sexually trafficked. The book ultimately delivers a message of resilience and hope. Written in a voice that is both raw and compassionate, Michael Skinner recounts his journey from successful musician and father to a man unraveling from the weight of long-buried abuse. As an advocate for survivors of childhood trauma for over twenty years, he is both an award-winning speaker and joyful musician again. The Lunch Box Theory gives professionals a rare opportunity to learn about their systems from the inside out. His book details his hard-earned mental health injuries while also giving all abuse survivors the courage to stare down their own demons. With unflinching honesty, the author invites readers to sit with him on the “front porch of life,” to bear witness to his story, and to reflect on the societal silence that surrounds the many forms of child abuse. His book is more than a personal narrative. It is a call to action for trauma-informed awareness for professionals and a message of compassion for all.