Silent Support
by Teresia Smith
Imagine a friend has just confided a serious revelation. They disclose to you that they are being abused by their partner. They tell you they just didn’t know who to talk to but trusted you. This can be a critical time and you want to support them in a way that will be helpful. Inside you are screaming “Why don’t you leave,” but your response at this time needs to be one of support.
Silent Support
by Teresia Smith
Imagine a friend has just confided a serious revelation. They disclose to you that they are being abused by their partner. They tell you they just didn’t know who to talk to but trusted you. This can be a critical time and you want to support them in a way that will be helpful. Inside you are screaming “Why don’t you leave,” but your response at this time needs to be one of support.
Band-aids Aren’t Enough
by Teresia Smith
Often the advice given by well-meaning friends to someone leaving an abusive relationship is things such as “just move on”, or “find someone new and you’ll forget them”. There is no mention of the importance of dealing with the pain and hurt before jumping into a new relationship. I recently heard a podcast about the importance of healing from an abusive relationship and unpacking the baggage before you can be successful in a new relationship. I have paraphrased what they said below:
Holidays As an Adult Survivor of Childhood Abuse
by Teresia Smith
The Christmas season seems to be starting earlier this year.
Holiday Tips from a Survivor
by Teresia Smith
Several years ago, I shared this story. Many will be celebrating various holidays soon so I felt this was a good time to share again. The holidays can be a particularly stressful time for adult domestic violence or sexual assault survivors, especially those who now have children. Everything’s supposed to be happy and rosy, with plenty of family and togetherness — but what if your family has caused you pain? Read on as one survivor shares a portion of his story and his tips from nomore.org for getting through the season.
