Abuse Recovery
Abuse occurs in relationships where one party intentionally harms another and these relationships are centered around power and control. Some kinds of abuse include: physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, verbal, elder, financial, spiritual, and neglect. Abuse can be hard to recognize inside a relationship because the abuser will control the narrative of the victim and influence the opinions of those outside the relationship. An outside perspective can be especially valuable in recovering from abuse to help counteract the stories the abuser used to control the victim. One central fact of abuse is that the abuse is never the fault of the victim. The abuser is the person who is responsible for their own actions.
When recovering from abuse, a therapist can help guide the survivor through the stages of recovery: safety and stabilization, remembrance and grieving, and finally reconnection and integration. Having someone who is objective can help to untangle the manipulations that abusers will use to control those around them. Over time, survivors of abuse can learn how to trust themselves to establish healthy boundaries and mutually respectful relationships.
