Domestic Abuse Survivor Healing ~ Can You Own Your Experience?

by Dr. Jeanne King, Ph.D.

We really do create our own reality. Often times domestic abuse survivors dislike hearing the sound of this. However, if you hear it as victim empowering over victim blaming, you can walk away smiling at yourself and enjoying what you recognize…while benefiting from the power in knowing that we create our own reality.

1st Hit ~ Laying the Foundation

Not too long ago, an ex of an inactive patient of mine posted slanderous garbage on one of our social media accounts. Essentially, this person was accusing me of being responsible for an injury arising out of violence between the two of them. The claim was that I should have “warned” this person, therefore it’s my fault.

As I read this defamation, I was flooded with my memory of how I clearly told this person that their partner had crossed a very serious line…of a heinous quality. And returning to the relationship much less to live with this person was NOT advised. In fact, it was recommended that a specific course of treatment be successfully completed with change evidenced before even considering re-engaging the relationship. My recommendations were not followed.

While driving to pick up my mail, I was chewing on this memory, clearly and vividly, in light of the…