Blogs and Podcasts
One of the hallmarks of being a survivor can come with the experience of not being believed. This appears in many forms but usually begins with Are you Sure? He or She
Although this is well known to us as survivors and has been used against us in destructive and manipulative ways, were you aware, silence is available to you as a
As survivors if we are sharing what happened to us, some of us have this habit of justifying the truth when discussing with others. This has to stop. We need to
For some of us, feeling confident when dealing with powerful people just doesn’t happen. The fear, the paralysis can be so strong that even finding words is a struggle. This also has
Having your own back as a survivor is not without its challenges. WE are conditioned from the time our abuse began, to put our needs last and not value what our
What does it even mean, and where does it stem from? It sounds quite intellectual, but it’s not. It’s basically when we do things that block our success and prevent good things
If you talk to the average person about proud moments in their lives, chances are they could probably list a few. Part of being human you would have thought, the…
Is both humbling and inspiring, and not just for the person feeling it. When respectfully done, it feels significant and quite powerful. It comes highly recommended, has the X factor, and I
It’s almost impossible to be visible when a key part of our existence has been hiding in the dark. Being a survivor of child sexual abuse means that we become as unwelcome as the truth and when the words finally emerge, the reaction to it ensures we move further back into the shadows.
Feeling disappointed and then accepting it is one of life’s many challenges.
Commonly appearing as a person letting us down, or something we hadn’t anticipated, disappointment is part of who we are…
Is common to survivors and grew exponentially from the very first time we were abused.
We had no choice you see but to doubt ourselves, because we couldn’t afford to doubt the abuser. Why? Because we needed them.
I love everything about this: The words itself, thought of it, and the impact it has.I know when I’ve been in the company of it, because I feel humbled somehow and very blessed.
Self-love takes commitment and determination. It is challenging, misunderstood and completely underestimated in its power to change lives. Sounds like a massive statement – but one I stand by it.
I was asked recently how to stay positive when everything indicates feeling the opposite. When life feels like it’s just negative and certain people in it just don’t get you.
Sometimes for survivors, Xmas can feel traumatic, anxiety provoking and a sense of dread can descend. I know that for some of us, the worst of experiences occurred over this
Have you met yours yet? That voice inside your head that is never quite happy or satisfied with what you do? That endless monologue about how you should just do one
I recently read a book by Edith Eger called The Choice. It is inspirational, powerful and well worth reading. It got me to thinking that when you break it down
Although grief is largely associated with death, it is not only defined by that. It can also be found during the end of a relationship, a serious health issue, losing
Sometimes as survivors we feel like we are made of broken pieces. Seeing a glass fall to the floor and shatter, noticing the shards lying on the floor.
Love or hate them they're part of life. Rumour has it we think about new beginnings the most in springtime, probably due to cute little lambs frolicking amidst the gorgeous
Just for the sake of clarity, triggers are responses caused by a particular action or situation, like the war in Afghanistan. Symptoms can include, panic attacks, abject fear, even feeling
If we just ask for them, signs are everywhere. The beauty of them is that they seemingly appear out of nowhere. When I first started looking for signs, I thought
Manipulation is the single most powerful tool enablers, gate keepers, and abusers use to shut survivors down.
Clarity takes me straight to an image of standing in the sparkling blue ocean and seeing my feet very clearly all the way to the bottom.Sometimes clarity is unavailable to
Toxic people are everywhere. We read about them in the news, or know them as neighbours or work colleagues. For some of us they are family, which means we are
Courage comes in many forms and is as unique to us as our thumbprints. All of us need to find courage some of the time, and some of us need to…
Its’ all about perception. Forgiveness ranges from something we do easily and willingly to something we withhold and use like a weapon. The problem being we don’t recognise a fundamental truth: If
Out of all the impacts Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) has on us, I think it is shame that has the most to answer for. It is after all Shame that keeps…
Because what happened to us was wrong, it changed everything and we stopped feeling normal, or what had felt normal to us. Our minds took us to ‘different land’, a…
With a force more powerful than thunder, they come. With terror inducing, nightmarish strength, they emerge. Unpredictable, unwanted, and definitely unasked for, there is nothing worse than their arrival, and…