Therapy for Emotional Abuse : Acknowledge the Wound
“If you own this story you get to write the ending.”― Brené Brown
When faced with verbal and emotional abuse, denial is often our first line of defense. It’s a survival tactic to conceal wounds that can not be fully understood until safety is found. The act of reckoning with denial is in certain ways a difficult concession of the existence of a wound. It can be genuinely terrifying, bubbling up feelings of confusion, anxiousness, shame, self-consciousness and uncertainty. It’s a painful admission of victimhood, an announcement to one’s self that harm has been done.
The relationship we have with ourselves is foundational and not acknowledging pain can have profound effects on our lives. In the short-term, this includes overwhelming feelings of hopelessness. In the long term, it can manifest itself into anxiety and depression. This section will assist you with acknowledging the wound, allowing you to gain acceptance, an emergence of clarity and an increased capacity for resilience as you reclaim yourself.
As you explore the wound, it’s important to do so in a safe space. Ask yourself these questions:
Where is your safe space? (this is a physical place or not)
How do you feel when you are in your safe space?
What does your safe space represents to you?
How can you connect with the the nurturing part of yourself by using each of your five senses in times of distress (acknowledging the wound)? Write down 1-3 activities for each sense.
-Smell- ex: finding a scent that calms you
-Touch- ex: wrapping yourself in a soft blanket
-Taste- ex: chewing your favorite gum
-Hearing- ex: playing your favorite song
-Sight- ex: watching your favorite movie
Affirmation to help acknowledge the wound:
I am worth protecting. My pain matters.