Bullied and abused at the Fort Alexander Indian Residential day school, Diane Morrisseau fought back and left school at the age of fifteen. Despite her strength, a childhood of trauma and abuse led her into the arms of Edgar Olson, and by sixteen, the young Ojibway-Anishinabe woman had given birth to her first child and married the man who would become her tormentor for the next eighteen years.

Notoriously violent, her abuser was aided and abetted by the systems of colonialism that failed to protect Diane during her childhood. Edgar was able to keep Diane and her children trapped in a cycle of violence for years, without being held accountable by law or society.

What could have been a chronicle of unrelenting hardship instead becomes a narrative of how, in horrific circumstances, Diane found the strength to survive, reclaim her life, and eventually thrive. Today she draws meaning from her painful past, counseling women, children and men experiencing similarly difficult circumstances.

Diane Morrisseau is a proud Anishinabe woman from Sagkeeng First Nation. She is a mother and a grandmother and is looked up to by many in the community as a respected Elder, dedicated to helping others. She began her career in Health Sciences by advocating passionately for First Nations patients. In the early eighties, Diane returned to school for diplomas in addictions and social work. During her employment as a youth worker, she helped formerly homeless, vulnerable, and at-risk youth who had grown up in the child welfare system. Diane worked as a counsellor for several treatment centres until her retirement in 2011. She continues to be asked to counsel clients, speak at events, facilitate sharing and healing circles, and participate in traditional ceremonies. She also continues to work in the field of domestic violence in an abuse shelter as a counsellor to First Nations women and their children. For the past thirty-five years, Diane has dedicated herself to the well-being of Anishinabe women, children, and men. She resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Elisabeth Brannigan is a mother and elementary school teacher. She holds a bachelor of arts in Indigenous studies and a bachelor of education. Elisabeth began her career teaching at Sagkeeng Mino Pimatiziwin Treatment Centre (now the Mikaaming Mino Pimatiziwin Healing Lodge) in Sagkeeng First Nation. Inspired by Diane’s story of resilience and strength, Elisabeth was determined to help Diane achieve her vision of seeing her story written and published for the world to read. It has been her great honour to work with Diane in telling her story. Elisabeth lives with her husband and children in Toronto, Ontario.

Diane Morrisseau has taken us into her confidence with her story, allowing us to truly understand as a society how the relationship between Indigenous people and settlers has created immense hardships for Indigenous people, families, and communities.

Kendra Nixon, director of Research and Education for Solutions to Violence and Abuse (RESOLVE):

Raw and brutally honest. Morrisseau bravely shares the details of her life with a violent man. Validating and inspiring, her story affirms the complicated healing journey of abuse survivors. It’s a must read for anyone working in the field of gender-based violence.

From the foreword by Marlyn Bennett:

A fervent call to action, an impassioned plea for compassion and empathy, and a formidable rallying cry that seeks to instigate transformation [… One Second at a Time] serves as a bridge, seeking to connect human souls through shared understanding and collective responsibility.

Don McCaskill, co-author of In the Words of the Elders:

One Second at a Time is, in many ways, a difficult story to read – but it is one that needs to be told. Readers will learn about a courageous woman and the circumstances that enabled an abusive relationship, and hear her message for how to recognize the situation and take steps toward a better life.

Angela Sterritt, author of Unbroken: My Fight for Survival, Hope, and Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls:

A courageous and harrowing story. Morrisseau uses her painful personal journey to frame the horrific history of residential schools. Evocative and illuminating.