losing-my-mom-after-abuse-and-finding-clarity
Abuse Survivor Stories

Losing My Mom After Abuse and Finding Clarity (Brigid’s Story)

For many, abuse is a well-kept secret.  This was true for “Brigid” who grew up watching her mother experience constant verbal, emotional, and mental abuse from her father. Now, in the wake of grief following her mother’s death, she has found the strength and clarity to speak out about the abuse her family experienced.  In this story of

Read More
A-Story-of-Survival-and-Overcoming
Abuse Survivor Stories, Blog

A Story of Survival and Overcoming, by Lyn

Lyn’s story demonstrates beautifully the path from victim, to survivor, to heroine. Please remember, it is not always easy to hear about the abuse someone endured for years. We hope that in reading this story, you will learn and understand:More about abuse and Double AbuseThat if you are a victim or survivor, you deserve to be

Read More
Institutional-abuse-in-the-church
Blog

Institutional Abuse in “The Church”

We hear of and see Institutional Abuse happening over and over again, notably and repeatedly within churches across our country. One of the challenges in discussing “Institutional Abuse” is the name alone dehumanizes the issue and allows us to separate ourselves from the humans who make up the institution. Over time, we tend to forget

Read More
From-Darkness-to-Dawn_AdaJourney
Emotional Abuse Stories

From Darkness to Dawn: Ada’s Journey

‘There will be joy in the morning,’ she said as she prayed for me one day. ‘Joy in the morning.’ After the pain, hurt, and grief I’d been feeling for so long, this was music to my ears. But it was much more than that as I felt a sudden shift within me responding to

Read More
Emotional Abuse from Parents
Blog

5 Emotionally Abusive Mistakes That Some ‘Good’ Parents Make

The vast majority of parents want to parent well. If they knew that their words or actions were harming their children or even causing trauma, they would work to stop. There are some common things parents say and do to their children without even realizing how harmful their words or actions are to their child’s

Read More
why abuse victims stay silent
Blog

Why Victims of Abuse Stay Quiet

Have you ever wondered why victims stay quiet about the abuse they’ve experienced? In this article, we will unpack the answer to this question. We will cover:The important truth about abuse you might be overlookingHow abuse startsA few significant reasons victims remain silentLet’s have a look!What’s Helpful to UnderstandAs an outsider, it’s hard to understand when someone

Read More
gain-clarity
Blog

Welcome to Finding Clarity and Healing

Thank you for making the decision to join our “Finding Clarity and Healing in Difficult, Confusing or Abusive Relationships” course. We are excited to come alongside you in your healing journey. Let’s get started! On this page, you will learn the specific next steps to take to get access to the course (to start learning

Read More
Blog

Pillars of Abuse | The MEND Project

The MEND Project works to educate survivors and responders to identify cultural and faulty thinking structures that cause abusive behaviors.. To understand the nuances of abuse that reveal the faulty thinking patterns and belief systems of the abusive one MEND founder and CEO, Annette Oltmans conducted extensive research, including interviewing hundreds of victims/survivors and reviewing

Read More
therapist-doesn't-believe-me
Male Story of Abuse

My Therapist Doesn’t Believe Me: Phillip’s Story

Phillip, a male survivor of abuse, spent years trying to figure out why he felt like a slave. “It must be due to my childhood. That’s why I struggle so,” is what he thought. He saw a therapist and tried to get help—only to realize the shocking truth, and to experience Double Abuse from his

Read More
Silent Treatment Abuse
Blog

Recognizing and Addressing Silent Treatment Abuse

Has your partner ever refused to talk to you or even look at you? Arguments and misunderstandings happen to everyone, and sometimes, we need to take a short break from communication to allow our strong emotions to subside and gain an accurate perspective. There are healthy ways to take “timeouts,” but using the silent treatment is abuse. Today,

Read More