Hi Jason, thank you for reading and responding to my story. Your statement “And this can drag on for years, until mom and son/daughter finally get the courage to run away.” is absolutely accurate. I lived in abuse for 34 years; left 15 years ago and I’m just now dealing with the remnants of that experience.

The final paragraph of the story,, which you quote, may sound like survivng abuse is simple. The entire article, however, speaks to encouraging survivors to be pro-active in creating their attitudes, personal growth, mind-set and a safe, happy, healthy life.

As you emphasize, surviving abuse requires therapy, sometimes years of therapy. Personally, I “put myself in the repair shop” for 5 years; coaching, counseling, reading and attending on-line webinars were all part of the reinvention of who I am today. It was difficult, focused work on Me.

Letting someone healthy into our lives can be frightful and is not going to happen unless we do the in-side work on ourselves. Potential survivors remain victims without personal growth. I frequently quote Dr. Wayne Dyer, “When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” I also think Dr. John Maxwell’s quote applies; “We don’t attract who we want, we attract who we are.”

Nowhere within the Surviving Abuse Network do I suggest surviving domestic abuse is easy. We have to be willing to do the in-side work and apply what we learn.

The principals for surviving abuse are simple. I agree with you, they are not easy.