By Dr. Jeanne King, Ph.D.
Women and men in all walks of life leaving abusive relationships ask the question, “How do I heal from the trauma of being abused?” Some of these people will have lost their homes, their savings…the lives they once knew, including contact with their children.
Then, there are those who suffered a physical blow so debilitating that they continue to pamper a lingering medical condition or seek to adapt to an alteration in their physical appearance.
Some domestic abuse survivors are fortunate to say that all they lost was time and they gained wisdom. Whatever your circumstances when you leave an abusive relationship, there will be the need for healing from within.
Healing Domestic Abuse From Within
Healing from within means…
- Finding the joy within and the joy will pull out the pain.
- Or finding the peace within and the peace will pull out the conflict.
- Or finding the clarity within and the clarity will pull out the confusion.
- Or being the harmony within, through which the stress releases.
It all happens within. Think about it. Healing is an inside job. It may be inspired by some external maneuver, but the building blocks of repair are internal.
So let’s look inside together for the place within you that you can draw from to heal from domestic abuse.
Be and Do What You Love
When you are engaged in that which you love, time disappears and so do the points of pain from living in an abusive relationship. Now this may sound simplistic and it is, but its effects are quite profound.
Even though you have current life demands and realities, trust you can taste the healing place beyond that. For some it may be through nutrition, for others it could be physical exercise or a spiritual practice of meditation. Or, you could campaign a cause that you feel deeply about to usher you into communion with your personal healing.
Doing what you love is a good place to start because it is universal to all of us. As long as you are alive, there is something that you love. There is something that ignites you being “enjoy.” See yourself embracing that and feel the experience of being/doing that which you love in some small way everyday.
Consistency and Success
Now another key element to healing from within is consistency and continuity. You will want to bring the gem out into your life on an ongoing basis with clear regularity and consistency. It’s not something that you are or do in one moment and set it aside until you get back to it “later.”
Rather, it is something that you indulge as a discipline routinely and with consistency. It’s the little things you do everyday that make the biggest difference in your success and in your life. Ask yourself what you are drawn to do, and let the regularity of this regimen step you into your wholeness and well-being.
For more information about domestic abuse healing from within, visit www.enddomesticabuse.org/healing_from_within.php and step into wellbeing and peace. Psychologist Dr. Jeanne King, Ph.D. helps individuals nationwide end and heal from domestic abuse.
© Jeanne King, Ph.D. — Domestic Violence Prevention and Intervention
I have been struggling with the after effects of domestic abuse for four years. It has been difficult for me to move forward when I had lose ends to tie up, but I keep finding myself talking about the things I went through while I was in the relationship. For example, I’ll describe an incident that occurred, or I’ll just bring him up for no particular reason. It was a huge loss being with him, and I’m still grieving because he is doing just fine while I still suffer. Any suggestions?
Victoria, Deep healing of the emotional psychological trauma is in order. Let me know if you want personal help. https://www.preventabusiverelationships.com/consulting.html We are here for you. Blessings Dr. King