{"id":20356,"date":"2025-11-04T18:00:40","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T01:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/?p=20356"},"modified":"2025-11-04T18:05:28","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T01:05:28","slug":"invisible-wounds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/?p=20356","title":{"rendered":"Invisible Wounds: Reclaiming Identity After Emotional Abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"20356\" class=\"elementor elementor-20356\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-360dffc6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"360dffc6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1f279fc1\" data-id=\"1f279fc1\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a36084c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4a36084c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">By Tara Woodlee<\/h4>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Abuse You Can\u2019t See<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When most people hear the word abuse, they picture bruises, broken bones, or police reports.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But emotional abuse leaves scars that no one can photograph \u2014 wounds that take years to find, name, and heal.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this week\u2019s episode of Through the Eyes of Survivors, I sat down with June Sheehan Berlinger, a nurse, author, and survivor whose story captures what so many live through silently. June reminds us that control doesn\u2019t always start with violence; it starts with subtle words, emotional isolation, and fear disguised as love.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She shared how the constant belittling, manipulation, and walking on eggshells slowly eroded her confidence until she didn\u2019t recognize herself. And like so many survivors, she stayed far longer than she wanted \u2014 not because she didn\u2019t see the truth, but because abuse convinces you that you can\u2019t survive without it.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Emotional Abuse Looks Like<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 95 % of domestic violence victims experience emotional or psychological abuse in their relationships.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That includes:<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Constant criticism or humiliation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Isolation from family or friends<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Financial control or \u201cpermission-based\u201d living<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gaslighting \u2014 twisting reality to make victims doubt their memory or sanity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These behaviors chip away at a survivor\u2019s sense of reality until fear becomes routine.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">June described this phase as \u201cthe fog of survival\u201d \u2014 where your instinct to keep peace overrides your instinct to protect yourself.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>From Survivor to Advocate<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What makes June\u2019s story powerful isn\u2019t just that she survived \u2014 it\u2019s that she turned her pain into a platform for others.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As director of The Women\u2019s Center at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare for 14 years, she built Florida\u2019s first hospital protocol for domestic violence and created FIRST STEP, a handbook that became a lifeline for victims across the state.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She even served on Florida\u2019s Governor\u2019s Domestic and Sexual Violence Task Force, helping change how professionals see \u2014 and respond to \u2014 abuse.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">June\u2019s message is clear: Healing starts with awareness.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can\u2019t fix what you won\u2019t name, and you can\u2019t rebuild what you\u2019re still pretending isn\u2019t broken.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reclaiming Identity After Abuse<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For survivors of emotional abuse, healing isn\u2019t about \u201cgetting back\u201d to who they were \u2014 it\u2019s about rediscovering the person they were always meant to be.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That transformation begins with small steps:<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Self-awareness: Recognizing your triggers and patterns of self-blame.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Faith and spirituality: For some, faith becomes the foundation to rebuild trust.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Community: Connecting with other survivors breaks the shame that keeps people isolated.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As June put it in our interview, \u201cYou can\u2019t rush healing, but you can choose to begin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Listen to the Full Conversation<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this episode of Through the Eyes of Survivors, we explore what emotional abuse feels like from the inside \u2014 and how survivors like June rebuild their faith, purpose, and power.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watch on YouTube:<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/live\/e9laYn6yz8w?si=Sc2DT9SbF7Fi09Sl<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- \/wp:buttons --><!-- wp:heading --><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>More Survivor Voices<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><!-- \/wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>New \u201cSurvivor to Survivor\u201d episodes drop every Friday at 5 PM EST.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Catch \u201cThe Narc Diaries\u201d on TikTok every Wednesday and Sunday @BTSADV7.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Join us \u2014 because breaking the silence isn\u2019t just for one month. It\u2019s a movement that lives in every survivor who chooses freedom, healing, and hope.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><strong>Check These Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:list --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/?p=19874\">Therapeutic Interventions for Healing From Domestic Violence<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/?p=19655\">The Hidden Impact of Teen Dating Violence<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/?page_id=13225\">Find Support with BTSADV<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/?page_id=16319\">Support Line<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Other Resources and Information:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:list --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/acfmain-stage.acf.hhs.gov\/ofvps\/fv-centers\">Resource Centers | The Administration for Children and Families<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehotline.org\/\">National Domestic Violence Hotline: Domestic Violence Support<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><!-- wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehotline.org\/get-help\/domestic-violence-local-resources\/\">Local Resources for Survivors | The Hotline<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:list --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-adcd3d4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"adcd3d4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1132610\" data-id=\"1132610\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-80b1feb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"80b1feb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 style=\"font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, 'Noto Sans', sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; color: #632082;\"><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">Healing Doesn\u2019t End in October<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Domestic Violence Awareness Month may be over, but survivors\u2019 stories don\u2019t stop when the calendar turns.<\/p>\n<p>As we move into the holiday season \u2014 a time that can be especially difficult for those leaving or recovering from abuse \u2014 your support matters more than ever.<\/p>\n<p>Your donation to Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence funds year-round programs like the Survivor Support Line, virtual retreats, and financial aid for survivors rebuilding their lives.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46469ba elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"46469ba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"http:\/\/btsadv.org\/donate\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Donate Today!!<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Tara Woodlee The Abuse You Can\u2019t See When most people hear the word abuse, they picture bruises, broken bones, or police reports. But emotional abuse leaves scars that no one can photograph \u2014 wounds that take years to find, name, and heal. In this week\u2019s episode of Through the Eyes of Survivors, I sat [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":20358,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[348],"tags":[161,90,116,117,115,128,34],"class_list":["post-20356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-break-the-silence-against-domestic-violence","tag-domestic-violence","tag-emotional-abuse","tag-physical-abuse","tag-survivor","tag-trauma","tag-verbal-abuse"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Invisible Wounds: Reclaiming Identity After Emotional Abuse - Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Invisible Wounds and reclaiming your identity after Emotional abuse, as seen by Tara Woodlee. Visit our podcast to see more.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/?p=20356\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Invisible Wounds: Reclaiming Identity After Emotional Abuse - Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Invisible Wounds and reclaiming your identity after Emotional abuse, as seen by Tara Woodlee. Visit our podcast to see more.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/?p=20356\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/btsadv\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/btsadv\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-05T01:00:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-05T01:05:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/breakthesilencedv.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Heading.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"338\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"BreakTheSilenceDV\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/btsadv\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@btsadv\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"BreakTheSilenceDV\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/?p=20356#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/?p=20356\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"BreakTheSilenceDV\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/346cc762df1101d60063c50a3656b46d\"},\"headline\":\"Invisible Wounds: Reclaiming Identity After Emotional Abuse\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-05T01:00:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-05T01:05:28+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/?p=20356\"},\"wordCount\":687,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/?p=20356#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/Heading.png\",\"keywords\":[\"break the silence against domestic violence\",\"domestic violence\",\"emotional abuse\",\"physical abuse\",\"survivor\",\"trauma\",\"verbal abuse\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Blog\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/?p=20356\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/?p=20356\",\"name\":\"Invisible Wounds: Reclaiming Identity After Emotional Abuse - Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/?p=20356#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/?p=20356#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/breakthesilencedv.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/Heading.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-05T01:00:40+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-05T01:05:28+00:00\",\"description\":\"Invisible Wounds and reclaiming your identity after Emotional abuse, as seen by Tara Woodlee. 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