Acacia

​ Something I would tell someone who is healing from abuse is that you didn't deserve that and you didn't bring it on yourself and it's not your fault and you can heal and you'll never be who you were before and you wouldn't want to be. But if you choose to be, you can be better than you've ever been. 

Palmetto

Domestic violence is going to impact almost like an earthquake. You know, when you have a tsunami, it comes in, here comes the big wave and then everybody's hit with those after waves. So I think we forget that domestic violence isn't just. It's the survivor, but it's the survivor's circle and, and people around that circle.

So that's why I kept it to myself for so long and didn't ask for help because I didn't want to be toxic to others because as a healer and an empath, you don't want to harm others. You want to heal them. So you don't want to make the damage worse. And then I learned that keeping it in makes it worse. 

Olive

 The easiest way I can put it is just hold our hand. Just hold our hand. Just sit there with us, sit there with us in our grief and acknowledge our grief for what it is, that it's real, that it's valid, that it's not our fault because no one chooses to be in these situations. So just sit with us. Sit with us in the dark, sit with us while we try and find some form of light to cling on to again, while we find ourselves, remind us of who we are, remind us that we are still here and that you're here supporting us and sitting with us by our side. 

Ash

The biggest message that even I and my family have gotten through the healing process is that we can choose to see the light. Or to see the darkness. We can choose to have a good day or a bad day. We can choose to let the darkness take hold, or we can choose to move towards the light.

Sara

 You're not obligated to heal on anyone's timeline but yours. If anyone makes you feel that you should be over this by now, that's a reflection on them, not on you. And I would encourage them to remember that. You've lost so much agency in this relationship.

Your sense of agency is gone. It's the first thing that you owe to yourself and if it means grieving on your own timeline then that's your choice and you should do that. 

Foxglove

My best advice would be is to just start talking. Whoever listens, hang on to those people. Get yourself therapy in any capacity. Make sure that you communicate as openly as you Can with your therapist. Go to support groups if you have the means to do so. And if you don't, try to find some sort of online chat group or community, any resource where you can speak your truth, your experience, and just be heard.

You're the only one who can speak for you. You're the only one who can really advocate for what you truly feel, what you truly want, to feel safe, and be heard. Keep fighting. Just do it for yourself. And know that all of us, even though we don't know you, we might not ever meet you, but we are all rooting for you.