Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t leaving, it’s staying gone. Dear Survivor, One survivor asked me a question that lives in the heart of so many who’ve walked away from painful relationships: “Why do I still miss her?” He had done what felt like the impossible, left a home that once made him feel small. This […]
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When someone chips away at your sense of self in the name of love, that is not love. Dear Survivor, Sometimes, survivors of narcissistic abuse don’t realize they’re being harmed until the damage is done. The signs are often subtle, wrapped in affection or disguised as concern. But behind the charm is a pattern of
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Explore Effective Self-Compassion Techniques Today Sometimes the hardest person to be gentle with is ourselves. Dear Survivor, You give so much to others. You show up with patience, with grace, with understanding. But when it’s your own pain, your own healing, you tighten up. The self compassion you deserve often gets buried under old stories
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Narcissistic abuse doesn’t always leave bruises—but it leaves deep marks on your mind, heart, and sense of self. Dear Survivor, If you’ve ever walked away from a relationship feeling small, confused, or like you no longer recognized yourself, you are not alone. Many survivors struggle to understand what happened, especially when the abuse wasn’t loud
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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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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
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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 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
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Sometimes freedom carries unexpected grief. Dear Survivor, A survivor once told me that the more she healed, the worse she felt. She was no longer walking on eggshells, yet she carried a quiet ache. She felt guilty for laughing. Guilty for moving on. Guilty for feeling okay when others she knew were still stuck or
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Sometimes silence feels more threatening than chaos. Dear Survivor, One woman I worked with described how anxious she felt in her first healthy relationship. There were no raised voices, no sudden mood swings, no punishments for speaking her mind. On the outside, everything looked calm. But inside, she was panicked. Her body could not relax,
I Was Afraid of Peace Because I Thought It Meant Danger Read More »