When power and control doesn’t stop at the door, it often follows you through your screens. Dear Survivor, A client once told me something that still sits heavy: her partner had secretly placed a tracking device on her car before a weekend recreation trip with a friend. She was shocked when she found it on […]
They’re Still Watching: Protect Yourself Digitally Read More »
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
Mental Health Support After a Tough Breakup Read More »
When we release control, we make room for survivors to reclaim theirs. Dear Colleague, Survivor decisions are not always what we expect. Some stay. Some leave and return. Some say yes in session and no in real life. These moments can feel disheartening, even confusing. But they are not wrong. They are information. Every choice
Every Choice Is a Step: Honoring Survivor Decision-Making Read More »
Love should never feel like walking on eggshells. It should not come with conditions and strings attached. Dear Survivor, At first, it may have looked like devotion, romance, infatuation, and even felt like love. The constant check-ins, the jealousies framed as care, the subtle sabotage, the need to be with you all the time. It
How to Recognize Coercive Control When Love Is the Bait Read More »
What looks like protection may actually be power and control. Financial abuse is real and, often, very covert. Dear Colleague, Financial abuse is one of the least recognized forms of control in intimate partner violence. It often hides behind the appearance of care. A partner offers to manage the bills, handle the bank account, or
When Care Is Control: Understanding Financial Abuse in Survivors’ Lives Read More »
When survivors do not know what they like, want, or feel, that is not dysfunction. That is trauma. Dear Colleague, One of the quietest wounds survivors carry is the erosion of one’s self. After prolonged coercive control, even simple choices can feel overwhelming. Survivors may find a struggle to name their preferences, identify their values,
Helping Survivors Reclaim Identity after Coercive Control Read More »
Not all abuse leaves bruises. Some of the deepest wounds are emotional—and they’re often hidden in plain sight. Dear Colleague, Recognizing the signs of emotional abuse is essential when working with survivors of domestic violence and relationship trauma. Unlike physical violence, emotional abuse often leaves no visible marks, but its impact can be just as
Signs of Emotional Abuse Providers Must Recognize Read More »