Each October, volunteers, families, employers, and advocacy groups work together for a common purpose: to bring Domestic Violence Awareness Month into the public’s eye. Since 1989, 31 days in October remind us of the strength and resilience of domestic violence survivors—we’re encouraged to help support them through educating ourselves, volunteering, …
Many people have close relationships with their parents — in fact, some consider their mother or father their best friend. But that isn’t always the case. There’s a less fortunate narrative: Some people hate their parents. They don’t just lack that connection or disagree with their parents from time to…
Childhood, if nothing else, is a memorable period of our lives. Hopefully, we can recall blissful memories: of holidays, old friends, family vacations, and time spent simply running around, doing all the things kids do. But not every childhood experience is so positive—some of us have adverse childhood experiences. In…
This is not a fun topic to write about. Parent-child breakups are painful for everyone involved: for the adult children who feel torn between filial duty and self-protection; for the toxic parents who can’t understand what they did wrong; and even for the children those parents once were, who were…
An abusive relationship can absolutely lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). To understand why this is, it is first important to understand what trauma does to the brain and how it can impact one’s mental and physical wellbeing. Understanding Relationship PTSD and Its Impact Trauma can be defined as…
We sometimes use the terms “verbal abuse” and “emotional abuse” interchangeably… but we shouldn’t. Because while they might overlap, verbal abuse and emotional abuse are very different, with distinct characteristics and impacts. Verbal Abuse: The Aggressive Use (or Suppression) of Language Verbal abuse is the use of language to hurt…
Abuse—be it physical, emotional, mental—is a distressing experience. One that often has many short-term and long-term effects on those who fall victim to it. So, in short, an abusive relationship can change you in a lot of ways. But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope for healing from the abuse…
Statistics show that people who have been abused in the past are more likely to be abused in the future. This begs an important question: Do certain people attract abusers or abusive relationships? It’s important to note that abuse is never the victim’s fault. In fact, more often than not,…
We can spot an abusive friendship when we practice listening to ourselves. Your inner self will let you know what’s going on inside. Your mind constantly oversees your needs, wishes, and dislikes, and communicates to you through the language of bodily sensations. If you take the time to slow down…
When I think about violence, I shudder. Whether it’s two MMA fighters battling it out on TV, a kid lashing out at his mother, or an argument that has escalated into a physical altercation between partners. I find the latter case particularly disturbing. The first example is obviously an organized…
Bullying and harassment are similar in that the perpetrator hurts or harms their victims and typically without remorse. That said, there are differences between the two such as why the perpetrators engage in the abusive behaviors. Bullies typically seek a feeling of power or control, which they get from demeaning,…