Dissociation After Trauma: A Superpower That Can Hold You Back
Children and adult survivors of domestic violence dissociate to survive: Learn grounding techniques to be more present in the here and now By Lisa Aronson Fontes, PhD Dec 15, 2025…
Blaming Mental Health Issues Lets Abusers Off the Hook
The reality of coercive control, and an abuser’s craving to cause harm By Amanda Kippert and Dr. Christine Marie Cocchiola, DSW, LCSW Key Takeaways: Abuse is about control, not mental…
How Do I Leave an Abusive Relationship?
A guide for where to begin when you know it’s time to escape abuse and find safety and peace By Amanda Kippert Dec 08, 2025 Note: In this article’s title,…
Why Threats in a Relationship Should Be Taken Seriously
By Stephanie Thurrott Jul 09, 2025 Key Takeaways: Abusers' threats are often serious, whether to harm others, themselves, or pets, and are indicators of future violence, not just emotional outbursts.…
Facing Holiday Challenges and Costs as a Domestic Violence Survivor
How survivors are navigating seasonal expectations and financial strain while rebuilding stability By Amanda Kippert Dec 03, 2025 The holidays promise magic, but for many survivors of abuse, they also…
What Is Blame-Shifting?
Abusers often have a very hard time taking responsibility for their actions, blaming the survivor for their choices instead By Amanda Kippert Apr 02, 2025 Key Takeaways: Blame-Shifting is a…
“It’s Really Not That Bad”—Why Some Survivors Minimize Abuse
Playing down or dissociating from domestic violence may give survivors short-term benefits, but it’s harmful in the long run By Stephanie Thurrott Dec 18, 2024 Key Takeaways: Reasons for Minimizing…
What Is Trauma Bonding?
A comprehensive guide to understanding trauma bonding By Amanda Kippert Imagine that you’re with a partner who’s abusive. They’re degrading you verbally, they’re playing psychological mind tricks, they’re gaslighting you…
From Bullying to Domestic Violence
Whether it’s intergenerational violence or schoolyard bullying, if kids don’t learn healthy conflict resolution, they can turn into adult abusers By Amanda Kippert This piece was originally published in 2015.…
Purple Thursday
On October 16, 2025, wear purple to participate in Purple Thursday, a national day of action to raise awareness for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The color purple symbolizes courage, survival,…