Abuse of any kind is always about power and control. Whether someone is inflicting physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, spiritual, or financial abuse onto someone, it is all about the abuser having as much power and control as possible.

An important lesson I realized in my own recovery was that my level of self-respect was at stake every time I allowed my own happiness to be set aside for the well-being of my abuser.

One of my goals is to help de-stigmatize this word so that people will want to get help and move past their traumatic life events and onto a healthier, happier path.

I think it all starts with the messages we receive as children that inform and influence our present-day circumstances (i.e., jobs, relationships, personal happiness, financial abundance, relationship with a higher power, etc.)