Lacy Nicole, Jesse Lally‘s new girlfriend, continues to work through the trauma of being kidnapped when she was in her twenties.
The Valley star’s gf explained to PEOPLE that is one of the reasons she hasn’t appeared on Bravo’s reality show.
Filming didn’t feel right for Lacy:
“I positively and politely declined to film just for an array of my own personal reasons, but I am very proud of them.”
She acknowledged the “gumption and chutzpah” it takes to put yourself out there for the world to see and judge. “Last year, when they so graciously invited me to film, I don’t think I was there emotionally with my mental health.”
CONTENT WARNING!!!
Why Lacy hasn’t appeared on The Valley:
Lacy Nicole went on to detail that she and her best friend were kidnapped after being followed when she was in her early 20s.
“It was a horrific crime. We were taken by a gang of men, and the charges included human trafficking, kidnapping with the intent of sodomy and rape, assault, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, carjacking, theft. There were 22 charges. When you’re in your early 20s, you don’t necessarily have literature on how to handle trauma. I just swallowed it and became very unwell.”
Aftermath of the kidnapping:
Lacy’s developed “seven autoimmune diseases” and “was on a plethora of medications” to help her “exist” after spending one night in captivity. But doctors were “really not getting to the root of the problems.”
The @shametosparklefoundation founder proceeded to testify in court about her kidnapping. She described the experience to be “worse than the crime. It’s the aftereffects that kind of boggle you.”
“But the testimony is when I decided to start learning about why I was so unwell.” Now, Lacy started using “an EMDR module talk therapy,” which she says “was so beneficial initially,” but “almost started to re-traumatize me” over time. Lacy continues to work through it.
“I’m terrified to go to movie theaters. Something about it triggers my PTSD. I try my hardest just to avoid them. At this point, if it’s been eight years and I’m still terrified to sit in a theater, I politely decline. That’s why I always say healing isn’t linear.”
