What's Ahead for Jaycee and Her Girls

(CBS)  Even though Jaycee Dugard, her two daughters and their family are said to be overjoyed to be back together, the horrible ordeal Jaycee and the girls went through will probably "overwhelm" them when it all starts to sink in, and take years to recover from, according to one expert.

And keeping them away from the media would be a huge help, the expert says.

Police say Jaycee, 29, was held captive and repeatedly raped in sheds and tents in the backyard of Phillip and Nancy Garrido's Antioch, Calif. home. Authorities say Phillip snatched Jaycee off the streets of South Lake Tahoe, Calif. 18 years ago. Jaycee and her two daughters, 15 and 11, both of whom police say were fathered by Garrido, were freed last week.

Orange County Register reporter Greg Hardesty, who interviewed Jaycee's aunt, said on "The Early Show" Friday that Jaycee and family are apparently dwelling on the here-and-now and experiencing boundless happiness at being back together, putting the "darkness" of those 18 years aside.

The aunt, Tina Dugard, is the sister of Jaycee's mother, Terry Probyn, and witnessed the reunion.

On "The Early Show Saturday Edition," Hardesty told co-anchor Chris Wragge he thinks "they realize the horror of the reality and it has set in, but I think they're so busy reconnecting and enjoying the connections that they're sort of pushed to the side a little bit. But they're under no illusion that this will be an easy time moving forward."

Hardesty said, "The message they wanted me to get out, I believe, is that these two young girls aren't some, you know, wild children running in the wilderness with no education, that they're very literate, that they're reasonably well-adjusted given their upbringing."

How is that possible?

"I think that Jaycee is a remarkable mother. I think she had to have exceptional parenting skills to raise her daughters to the extent that she has. And she got that from her mother."

Hardesty says it's his understanding that the Dugards "plan to remain low-profile for awhile, but, within a couple of weeks, they plan to relocate" to Probyn's Southern California home in Riverside.

But psychologist and author Dr. Susan Bartell told Wragge, "It would probably be better for her to be in a different place, although for some people, it is better to go back, to revisit and to have the chance to work through a little bit what they had been through.

"I think what's most important, though, is for (Jaycee) her to really stay out of the spotlight -- I think that's critical -- and to really focus, for all three of them to focus on their healing, to get into counseling as soon as possible, and to stay away from the media as much as they possible can."

Bartell says that, even though Jaycee and her daughters may be dong well now, being reintroduced to society, and all that went on in that backyard, will be "overwhelming for all three of them, for her, for the kids, very overwhelming. The idea that they are having this reunion with their family is wonderful, but what's going to happen gradually, as the weeks and months go ahead, is the trauma is going to begin to overwhelm them, and it's going to take a very, very long time to heal from this. And they're going to need to gradually learn to adjust to being back home, to learn to live in a different kind of environment. They might even miss where they were for all those years, weirdly enough."

Not only that, Bartell continued, but, "I suspect it will be even hard for them to talk to their family about it. They're gonna want to protect their family and just let their family feel the joy of being with them. So, they're not even going to want to share that with hair family, and rather, (will) want it to talk to their therapists about it."

[926295]

I sincerely hope that some wealthy people with love in their hearts with no agenda for profit will anonymously donate enough money for Jaycee and her family to get the help they need outside the watchful eye of the media. Let them come forward if or when they are ready, hopefully happy and healthy again.

[angieschne08]

I wonder if Jaycee and her girls will choose to live their lives in the public eye and give interviews to various talk shows like Oprah and Dr. Phil?

[anniewarbucks]

Jaycee and her daughters need some time to heal. Though she should publicly thank all of those that have made her disappearance public and helped to raise funds to help defray the cost of all the supplies to keep America informed of her situation. This can be in the form of a Facebook Thank You or a public thank you on Americas Most Wanted or the evening news. She has to decide whether or not to become a celebrity or stay in the background. It would be a good subject for a book or a made for TV movie. She and her daughters need her rest from this harrowing experience and to finish off her schooling. She will come out to the rest of the world in due time.

[bluharley]

The bloodhounds (media) will find them and dig dig dig. If I had the money, I'd buy them a nice place in the woods, where they would be comfortable, and let them find their way into society. We're all hungry to know the details, but they just came from never-never land. The bloodhounds won't rest until they find them. Sad...

[memoritz]

Jaycee Dugard Trust Fund
C/O Viewtech Financial Services
PO Box 596
Atwood, CA 92811

This is the most important information the media can give us about Jaycee and the hardest to find. CBS is the only network site with it on the front page. Most sites reveal it only through a search and others don't at all. Yet the media fall all over themselves looking for the next bit of depravity to report. This family has known so much evil, especially Jaycee. Let's all keep sending prayers, good thoughts and wishes and continue directing a force of good their way as they go through the complicated process of healing from such abuse. If you can spare it, send a few dollars to her trust so money is the least of their concerns. I found that contributing to Jaycee's trust was helpful to me, as well. I just wanted to do something nice for her, after seeing her 11-year-old self, and learning all she had been through and all that was ahead of her. Sending $20, which to me is a lot, gave me a little sense that I was helping, along with the other contributors, to make her new adult life, as well as the new lives of her daughters, just a little bit easier, and a little bit nicer.

Here's the address again:(If you go to the Viewtech web site there is a link that explains the trust better.)
Jaycee Dugard Trust Fund
C/O Viewtech Financial Services
PO Box 596
Atwood, CA 92811

[AttentionDeficit]

"Don't worry everyone... Some how, one way or another, the conservative media (fox) will find a way to blame all this on Obama."

PJG_R: How did this become about politics?

[PJG_R]

Don't worry everyone... Some how, one way or another, the conservative media (fox) will find a way to blame all this on Obama.

[erasmus111]

When the media gets a hold of something they just keeping going and going and going with it. It's time to STOP. Leave them alone!

I heard someone on TV say that it could be a long time before they gave and interview. Why should they have to give an interview? It's nobodies business but theirs.

[tinamariepal]

If I could tell Ms. Jaycee and the family one thing it would be this...."the truth does set you free...no matter what it is ...talk, talk , talk, about everything....it will heal when nothing else can....The key is talking to the right people....The support system has to be there or all efforts will fail... I did not have it. Lots of trials and errors were made..failed marriages...failed friendships, so many trust issues, I had to figure out how to do this on my own (actually the credit goes to me GOD) and then I became very hungry for life at age 38....I love my work (20 years of floral design) ...it's very therapeutic... but I kept educating myself....I kept wanting to know more about everything...Then it became as life was like Christmas everyday...I could find a new present everyday..of hope, knowledge, learning computers and software, learning how to write letters, photography, learning everything I could...I developed a Christian 12 step recovery program a few years back at a little mission where people were not strong enough to make it anywheres else...someone else encouraged me to do it...I couldn't believe that I was actually facilitating such a group...I was able to identify and share and speak on just about any emotion or problem they had...They were so hungry for someone that was like them...that understood.....I have met alot of good people that just needed a little help...I support the arts as this is truly a way to release yourself (so I feel) ...well, I will again say thank you....and God Bless


I know that this is going to sound crazy....but I could not heal until I let go of the hate for everyone and everything in life that happened to me.(as some of you read my story)and then I had to keep constant maintenance on the hate so it wouldn't comeback...I hope that she and the children are able to let go of yesterday to see how brite tomorrow is for all them.

[tinamariepal]

a whole new set of circumstances developed...he came to my mothers house and got my baby...and kidnapped him....child was gone for 7 or 8 months....then he was arrested for something unrelated and had the child well rehearsed to tell them that his mother was dead...well they finally got my name out of my baby's mouth and realized what was going to unfold...In 1984 there was no knowledge or how to handle these types of situations...They place my child in a foster home ...I had 5 psychiatrists working with me...it was awful...I was like an animal that had been in cage that someone opened a door and turned me loose...Everything happening so fast...people not knowing what to do except the best they could...I was sentenced so I thought at the time to a life of secrecy ....shame....not ever having anyone that I could talk to about this that really understood....I just wanted to die but knew my religion taught that you could not go to heaven if you committed suicide....I prayed for death on so many occasions during captivity and after for many years...I did not know why I would do the things that I did nor did my family understand.....I felt like a monster ..like a Frankenstein that had to keep my secret...because I did not want to hurt anyone...my son...my mother...my family...poor things were uneducated and did not know what to do....often I was asked the same questions that are being asked of Ms. Jaycee. I tried to talk and tell people every now and then and it would hurt them so bad they would sob unmercifully. People treated me like a weirdo....if I told so eventually I learned how to fabricate stories about who I was and where I came from....I am now 43 years old tomorrow...I have kept secrets for 30 years....I prayed so many times to be able to help someone...I watch the news and when these things come up about missing children...it horrifies me...I just want to help them understand what happens and what to expect for the next coming years...In my case I lived...but only in body.......I chose this time because the burden was to heavy...not to speak out...I have watched the cases thru the years....and would just cry because somehow ....sometimes there were questions that people couldn?t understand the answers to....so it was easier to just think negatively...It is now 30 years later and a lot of scars ....but I wanted to somehow get this message to Ms. Jaycee Dugard.....and anyone else that couldn't ever tell or understand what happened to them...I pray that the media and people will be gentle with her...and those children....but God in heaven knows she and the girls will need some serious spiritual and psychological guidance as well as her family. My case is a little different...but I promise you.....the feelings are the same...I'm so happy to see the breakthroughs that are being made. I never had the chance to tell my story...I think a lot of it was because everybody kept quiet because of the roll they all played in it....I would be happy for at the right time...no matter how long...for Ms. Jaycee to hear my story....I too developed a bond with my captor...I shut down mentally and became someone else...to survive ...it wasn?t until I was 38 years old that I finally started breaking the ice...I am in school again...for certificate training of event planning and conference management...my husband has a 5 star restaurant that I help out there....I have a small flower shop...next door to the restaurant?he is very well known in our community and there will be a lot of people that will recognize who I am...but it will all be worth it...to maybe help someone after something this traumatic happens...I have life experience....I had to wade thru so many opinions and emotions...I was told that I would either end institutionalized for the rest of my life or commit suicide.....I really feel like I won....I really won this race...I am so blessed with so much wisdom and knowledge just about how life works and how it happens....how to forgive myself and others so that I was able to move on...negative emotion will never let you progress to the next step....I learned that I'm ok to feel the things that I felt...that I'm not a monster and there is true hope and peace that comes even after something this horrible happens. I would like to share my story with anyone that would like to hear it...it is truly an amazing one of fear, hate, disassociated , then on to strength, determination, courage, hope and peace. It has not been an easy road but I made it?I am going to leave an email address for anyone to contact me to learn more?God be with you Ms. Jaycee ,children, and families....My email address to use is [e-mail].