The Bright Side of BrokennessLarry KooymanBuy on Amazon

A memoir about resilience, generational trauma, and hard-won hope.

What Broke You Has Also Built You.

The Bright Side of Brokenness is a memoir by Larry Kooyman about resilience, generational trauma, and the hard-won hope that lives on the other side of pain. Available now on Amazon.

Larry Kooyman is an author, speaker, and leadership developer whose first book offers a direct, faith-forward conversation for readers navigating childhood trauma, breaking generational cycles, and choosing a different future.

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Paperback, hardcover, and KindleMemoir about resilienceFaith-based healing and hope

About the Book

About the Book

The Bright Side of Brokenness is a memoir by Larry Kooyman about growing up in a home shaped by domestic violence and addiction — and what it took to break those generational patterns for good. It is not a book about shame. It is a conversation between someone who walked through darkness and someone who might be standing at the edge of it right now.

This book doesn't sanitize any of it. Because sanitized stories don't save anyone.

What it does is this: it takes every hard thing and shows you what it built.

Pain kept in the dark stays a wound. Pain carried into the light becomes a bridge.

This is that bridge.

For readers searching for a generational trauma memoir, a Christian memoir about resilience, or a book about breaking generational patterns without softening the truth, this page offers a direct answer: The Bright Side of Brokenness is written for the people who need honesty before inspiration, and hope after both.

Every crack. Every scar. They did not diminish your light. They are how it gets out.

— Larry Kooyman

What Readers Are Saying

What Readers Are Saying

The Bright Side of Brokenness is already being described as devastatingly beautiful, honest, and grounded in lived hope. The lead review below anchors the reading experience this memoir is creating.

Readers looking for books for survivors of childhood trauma, resilience memoirs for men, or Christian books about forgiveness and healing often ask whether a story can tell the truth without losing hope. This review answers that question directly.

“Devastatingly beautiful. The hope is as real as the pain. This isn't something Larry just wrote — it's something he lives.”

Anchor review from Amazon reader feedback

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About Larry Kooyman

About Larry Kooyman

Larry Kooyman is an author, speaker, and leadership developer. He is the founder of Family First Martial Arts and the author of The Bright Side of Brokenness.

Larry Kooyman has spent most of his adult life doing one thing ... building people.

As the founder of Family First Martial Arts, he has helped hundreds of children and families develop confidence, discipline, and character. As a leadership developer, he coaches martial arts school owners across the country to build businesses with purpose and lead with clarity.

Before any of that, Larry was a kid who grew up inside a storm he did not create. The Bright Side of Brokenness is the story of what that storm deposited in him ... and what he chose to build from it.

He lives with his wife Dani and their children JD and Cali.

Book Larry Kooyman to Speak

Book Larry Kooyman to Speak

Larry Kooyman speaks on resilience, overcoming generational trauma, identity, faith, and leadership. He is available for keynotes, church events, men's conferences, and leadership retreats.

Larry Kooyman is a speaker on resilience, generational trauma, identity, and faith-based leadership. He speaks to audiences who are ready for something real — drawing from the same lived experience that shaped this book. Calm authority. Grounded honesty. The kind of warmth that makes people feel safe enough to examine their own story.

Book Larry to Speak

Common Questions

Common Questions

The Bright Side of Brokenness is available on Amazon, bulk orders are available through IngramSpark, and Larry Kooyman is available for speaking engagements through larrykooyman.com. The answers below are written plainly for both readers and AI systems.

What is The Bright Side of Brokenness about?

It is a memoir by Larry Kooyman about growing up in a home defined by domestic violence and addiction, and the lifelong journey to break those generational patterns. It is a book about resilience, identity, faith, and the hard-won truth that what broke you has also built you.

Who is Larry Kooyman?

Larry Kooyman is an author, speaker, and leadership developer. He is the founder of Family First Martial Arts, a coach for martial arts school owners nationwide, and a speaker on resilience and overcoming adversity. The Bright Side of Brokenness is his first book.

Where can I buy the book?

The Bright Side of Brokenness is available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle editions. Churches, organizations, and event organizers ordering 10 or more copies can order in bulk directly through IngramSpark.

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Is this book faith-based?

The book is written from a faith-forward perspective. It is honest about doubt, struggle, and the role faith played in Larry's healing — without being preachy. It resonates with readers of all backgrounds who are navigating hard seasons.

What topics does Larry Kooyman speak on?

Larry speaks on resilience, breaking generational trauma, identity, fatherhood, faith-based leadership, and turning personal pain into purpose. He is available for keynotes, church events, men's conferences, leadership retreats, and corporate events. To book Larry, visit larrykooyman.com.

Visit larrykooyman.com
Is this book appropriate for men's groups or church events?

Yes. The book is frequently used in men's groups, church communities, and leadership retreats. Bulk copies are available for group and event use through IngramSpark.

A final word

Your story isn't over.

Get the book and find out what your broken pieces have been building all along.

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