This hits home and sours my stomach. I feel that verbal abuse has to be the worse. I’m so thankful to know my worth and to walk away from such a time in my life that seemed hopeless. Thank you CJ!
Hello Andrew. Thank you for your comment and thoughts. You’re right. He was a great therapist —I was fortunate. He was referred to me by the VA years before when my first husband was KIA in Vietnam. He was a big help to me then and a natural to call when I needed help again.
Oh Kathleen, I’m so sorry! My heart aches for the little girl still inside you and I pray that you got out of the abusive relationship. Yes, any kind of abuse is painful and so wrong.
I don't really want to display the litany of slurs Mom threw at me often, but one that has been "following me around the house" lately was "earn your keep." I tell myself, that's the statement of a parent who was a child during the Depression. That makes it a tad easier to kick it back out the door, but is was indicative of the extreme burden children were to people who couldn't affoard to feed them.
It sounds like you had your own private hell, Sue, and I’m so sorry. It seems there are a lot of people here who heard things while growing up that children shouldn’t have to hear.
This lands hard. The names that were flung wildly are now solely hurled incessantly at the one who chose to stay. Idiot is the word of choice and each time I hear that word I have a physical reaction. It is forbidden in my household in any context. Verbal abuse cuts deep. I like your therapist’s exercise. In my opinion, cutting the labels is not enough. They must be burned.
Thank you, Jo-Ann Petrarca and Harley King for the restack. It means a lot to me.
This hits home and sours my stomach. I feel that verbal abuse has to be the worse. I’m so thankful to know my worth and to walk away from such a time in my life that seemed hopeless. Thank you CJ!
You're welcome. I'm so sorry you also lived through it, Jo-Ann. It's insidious and I'm glad you got out.
I’m over it but thank you. I guess we have a few things in common. 🤗
Yes, we do —soul sisters?
CJ, My heart goes out to all who felt less than. Thank you for sharing the label exercise. D
If the label exercise helps even one survivor, then it was worth writing about. Thank you, Dave!
Thanks for this great exercise!
Hello Diana. Thank you for your kind comments. I’m glad you saw some value in the therapist’s helpful exercise.
Thank God that you found a wise therapist! There are so many charlatans out there who think the only way to get over anything is another prescription.
Have a great and blessed day, C. J. !
Hello Andrew. Thank you for your comment and thoughts. You’re right. He was a great therapist —I was fortunate. He was referred to me by the VA years before when my first husband was KIA in Vietnam. He was a big help to me then and a natural to call when I needed help again.
Thank you again, Andrew.
You are very welcome, C. J. !
❤️💕
As a child, it was emotional abuse. As an adult, it was physical. Both hurt.
Oh Kathleen, I’m so sorry! My heart aches for the little girl still inside you and I pray that you got out of the abusive relationship. Yes, any kind of abuse is painful and so wrong.
hugs
The exercise at the end is a great one. Thank you for sharing your heart and experience.
Thank you for your kind words, Alicia. I’m glad to share anything I have learned if it might help even one other person in the same situation.
Thanks again! ❤️💕
I don't really want to display the litany of slurs Mom threw at me often, but one that has been "following me around the house" lately was "earn your keep." I tell myself, that's the statement of a parent who was a child during the Depression. That makes it a tad easier to kick it back out the door, but is was indicative of the extreme burden children were to people who couldn't affoard to feed them.
It sounds like you had your own private hell, Sue, and I’m so sorry. It seems there are a lot of people here who heard things while growing up that children shouldn’t have to hear.
Thank you for sharing your story.
Thank you, C.J. I'll stop now. Time to rebury the past.
Thank you, Robert Cosmar, for restacking this post! 💋💋💋
This lands hard. The names that were flung wildly are now solely hurled incessantly at the one who chose to stay. Idiot is the word of choice and each time I hear that word I have a physical reaction. It is forbidden in my household in any context. Verbal abuse cuts deep. I like your therapist’s exercise. In my opinion, cutting the labels is not enough. They must be burned.