We’ve seen people in your shoes—a spouse announces a divorce—make a bunch of mistakes when it comes to talking with others. One mistake is to not tell anyone, often out of shame or to avoid recognizing the threat at real. The result is isolation and stewing in one’s juices. A second mistake is to tell […]
Discernment Counseling Advice: Choose Your Confidants Wisely Read More »
Understanding Empathy Overload and Its Effects Caring deeply is not the problem. Carrying it all alone might be. Dear Colleague, You listen to trauma stories every day. You hold space for grief, fear, rage, and despair. You try to be present, steady, and safe. And some days, that gets harder. That heaviness you feel? It
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Finding Mental Health Support After a Breakup Leaving was not just about heartbreak. It was about survival. Dear Survivor, A woman once told me that after she left, people treated it like a typical breakup. They asked if she was dating again. They encouraged her to get over it. What they did not see were
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Understanding Sexual Coercion and Its Impact If it was not a choice, it was not consent. Dear Colleague, Sexual coercion does not always look like force. Sometimes it sounds like “If you really loved me…” or “Everyone else would do this for their partner.” Sometimes it is the cold shoulder until compliance. Or the fear
Betrayal Without Bruises: Understanding Sexual Coercion Read More »
Steps to Achieve Mental Health Recovery and Wellness Small routines can become acts of radical healing. Dear Survivor, One client used to dread the sound of her alarm. Mornings were once filled with anxiety, bracing for criticism, rushing to meet impossible demands, or waiting for the first blow of disapproval. Even after she left, her
Mental Health Recovery: Reclaiming My Mornings Read More »
Understanding Gaslighting Recovery for Survivors The most radical thing we can do is believe them. Dear Colleague, Gaslighting is not just deception. It is distortion. It erodes a survivor’s trust in their own memory, emotions, and instincts. Over time, this tactic chips away at their ability to name harm, speak up, or even trust their
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Emotional Abuse Recovery: Healing from the Past Grieving the good moments does not mean you asked for the bad ones. Dear Survivor, One survivor said it best: “If he had been awful all the time, I would have left sooner.” She remembered the way he made her laugh, the quiet nights when he held her,
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Understanding Post-Traumatic Growth in Survivors Healing does not mean forgetting. It means becoming someone new on purpose. Dear Colleague, Trauma shakes the ground beneath a survivor’s feet. It can fracture identity, warp trust, and turn the future into something that feels either blank or terrifying. But healing is not just about repairing damage. It can
Beyond Survival: Supporting Post-Traumatic Growth in Survivors Read More »
Understanding Mental Health Awareness Today Not everything that feels safe is actually good for you. Dear Survivor, A client once told me she was unsure if her new relationship was healthy or just less harmful. Her partner did not yell or insult her, but there was a lingering sense of unease. She felt confused by
Mental Health Awareness: Understanding Healthy Patterns Read More »
Survivors are not naive. They are being conditioned. Dear Colleague, One of the most confusing parts of emotional abuse is how intensely loving it can feel in the beginning. Survivors often describe a whirlwind. Affection, flattery, gifts, fast commitment. It is intoxicating. And it is strategic. This is love bombing, and it is not love.
From Love Bombing to Bread Crumbing: How Survivors Get Hooked Read More »