Survival begins the moment you dare to believe your voice deserves to be heard.
Dear Survivor,
I remember the moment I realized my voice had been taken from me. It wasn’t through one loud event, but a thousand small ones — the times I was ignored, the moments my feelings were twisted, the steady drumbeat of doubt planted in my mind. Piece by piece, I stopped speaking up. Piece by piece, I disappeared.
Maybe, somewhere in your journey, you disappeared too.
Reclaiming your voice doesn’t happen in one triumphant speech. It starts in the tiny acts of defiance that no one else may even notice — the first quiet “no,” the decision to trust your gut, the choice to walk away instead of explain yourself. Each time you listen to that small voice inside, you stitch yourself back together. Each time you honor your truth, your power grows stronger.
Every small act of truth matters.
It’s normal to feel fear when you begin to speak again. Fear of conflict. Fear of rejection. Fear that maybe you don’t even deserve to take up space. Those fears are old ghosts from a past where your silence kept you safe — but they don’t have to decide your future.
Courage is speaking even when your voice shakes.
Your voice matters even if it’s messy. Your story matters even if it feels incomplete. Your truth matters because it is yours, untouched by anyone else’s approval or permission. Every time you choose your voice, you reclaim a piece of yourself that was never meant to be lost.
And you, dear Survivor, are worth reclaiming.
If you’re ready to take a first step, begin by naming what happened to you. The Types of Abuse worksheet can help you find the words for the experiences that once felt unspeakable. Naming what you survived is not a betrayal of anyone else’s image — it is an honoring of your reality. You deserve the clarity that truth brings.
Your truth deserves to be spoken.
Say one truth out loud today, even if it’s only to yourself. It doesn’t have to be polished or perfect — only real. Speak it into the quiet, write it down, whisper it into your own heart. Every truth you claim makes you stronger. Every truth you honor brings you closer to freedom.
This is your beginning.
Blessings and healing,
Catrina
#survivor #narcissisticabuse #domesticviolence #IPV #healingjourney #findyourvoice #emotionalabuse