Understanding Male Victims of Domestic Abuse: Challenging Social Stigmas.
What does it look like when our physically strongest individuals experience trauma atthe hands of an abuser? What standards do we have to operate by when the victim ofdomestic violence is nearly three hundred pounds, and the perpetrator is only half ofthat body weight? The questions worth answering consist of how men feel before,during, and […]
The Transformative Power of Self-Compassion and Self-Care: A Journey to Healing
Owning My Worth and ValueThe journal entry exposes the damaging belief that I was unworthy of anything better—a toxiclie that kept me trapped in the cycle of abuse. I realized that being alone was far healthier thanbeing in a destructive relationship. Extending Compassion InwardSelf-forgiveness was a profound act of self-love. I had to forgive myself […]
Understanding Grit and a Mother Way of Teaching It.
Grit, by definition from the Oxford Dictionary is described as, courage and resolve; strength of character.My mom is the epitome of grit. For a woman who went through her own struggles with a brain tumor,surgeries, chemo, radiation, etc; she never failed at continuing to have strength along a path she didn’tchoose, it chose her.Our relationship […]
Post Separation Abuse
Post-separation abuse can be defined as ongoing and willful patterns of intimidation fromsomeone’s former intimate partner, including legal abuse, financial abuse, and threats ofendangerment to any children involved. While separation from an abusive partner can often bethought of as the solution, the risk for lethality indicates an escalation in these behaviorsfollowing the separation.Post-separation abuse takes […]
Domestic Violence, Firearms, and Impulse Control
They don’t come out and tell you they’ve been violent before. They don’t necessarily tell youthey’re “into guns”. They don’t let you know they’re moving in AND have a gun. It’s also not thea gun that is the real problem; it’s what they do when their violent impulses take over, and theseviolent impulses turn into […]
How to Talk to Children About Domestic Violence: Tips for Parents.
Navigating a discussion about domestic violence with a child can be difficult butnonetheless important. For example, when I was teaching fifth grade, I had a student who hadbeen horrifically abused by his father share his story with classmates during recess. They askedabout the skin grafts on his arms, and he confided in them. Later, they […]
