Tag Archives: truth
When Speaking the Truth Changes the Dynamic: Reclaiming Agency After Harm
For a few years I felt helpless about something awful that had happened to me. An abuser had sexually assaulted me, and for a long time it felt like the story ended there: harm done, no meaningful response from any … Continue reading
Posted in Abuse
Tagged abuse, accountability, neglect, speaking, speaking up, truth, truth-telling, voice
Leave a comment
When the Boss Plays Mind Games: A Case Study in Blame, Power, and Gaslighting
About 15 years ago, I left one of only two jobs I ever had that offered a living wage and benefits. I didn’t choose to leave. My boss had a political agenda, and I became a target. I was the … Continue reading
Posted in Abuse
Tagged district supervisor, employment, Fairfax County VA, gaslighting, mind games, political favor, Supervisor, truth, verbal abuse, Virginia, work
Leave a comment
Truth-Telling is Refusing to Let the Story End the Way They Wrote It
Trauma recovery doesn’t come from “getting over it.” It emerges from changing your relationship with what happened. There are many ways to do this: through story, compassionate witnessing, individual work, and collective work. But a key way to reclaim your … Continue reading
Posted in Accountability
Tagged abuse, ChristianaCare, painting, recovery, Rockford Center for Behavioral Health, speaking, survival, systemic abuse, truth, writing
Leave a comment
What is the DARVO Tactic, and How Can We Respond?
Predators and other abusers often use the DARVO technique, a strategy that maintains control by destabilizing others. DARVO stands for Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender. It disrupts the relational context that helps people stay grounded in truth and … Continue reading
Posted in Abuse
Tagged abusers, boundaries, DARVO, DARVO tactic, Interoception, silencing, truth, witness
Leave a comment