"It was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had in my life. We talked. We shared. We hugged. We entered into an unspoken sisterhood. They have forever changed my life." I can still vividly remember walking up to Bolton Refuge House's front doors feeling as though my stomach was in my throat. I had never shared my experiences with…
"In war terms, he was planning a sneak attack, where he would ambush my defenses a little at a time until there was nothing left." One of the most profound things I have ever done thus far in my life was getting up in front of a room full of strangers and sharing, in agonizing detail, what happened to me. It was…
"For the first time since I left the marriage, I was able to say these things out loud while feeling at peace. The harder the topic, the more vials she would tape on and the more relaxed I would feel." The first time I tried acupuncture was to address the recurring migraines I was experiencing. While acupuncture was an incredible, natural experience,…
"I wanted him to feel powerless, scared, and as though he may die at any moment and there was nothing he could do about it. I wanted to take away his power so he knew exactly how it felt." I started to see a licensed clinical social worker to address my nightmares specifically. Finding a therapist is a lot like buying a…
"We need to send a message to all victims and survivors: You matter and we believe you. You deserve to feel safe and loved." For me, nightmares are one of the worst components of PTSD. When I am awake, while I still struggle, I have more control over myself. When dreaming, however, I have no control. It doesn't matter how far I…
"He pushed me into the table before throwing me on the bed and climbing on top of me. His hands were around my neck as he yelled, “You bitch.” I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t pry his hands from my neck." The first time he put his hands on me was Labor Day weekend, 2012, just 5 months after we met. We…
"While I took due care increasing the thickness of the glass on my side of the tank, the sharks are still visible on the other side and I know they can strike at any time. Sure the caretaker can keep treating my wounds, but the wound is still there and eventually, it becomes a scar." Sometimes I wonder if our marriage is…
"The cycle repeats and repeats. Never to be broken. My wings have been clipped, shredded, and discarded. My soul and my spirit when with them." My face has been wet with tears for months. I constantly try to understand how people can be so mean without remorse. It doesn't matter what someone said or did - is it really justifiable to make…
"I felt relief. Relief. Relief that as I sat there, crying, make-up streaming down my flushed face, eyes swollen and red, snot running from my nose, I was me for the first time in a long time. Don’t get me wrong – I was a hot mess, but I was me." I think one of the most important things I have learned…
"The following weeks were a whirlwind. He texted or called me all of the time and was always asking when he could see me. He was open about the feelings he had for me – with me and his friends and family. I fell and I fell hard. I felt like I finally found the person I might spend the rest of…
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