A conversation between Jennifer Parker, MSSW and LaDonna Carey, M.A. LaDonna Carey is a specialist in Betrayal Trauma with over 33 years of experience. She provides psychotherapy virtually and in her private practice in Kingsport, TN. She is the creator of SOS Sharpening Our Skills for therapists. I invited Carey to talk about forgiveness, something she is going to delve deeper into at the Smoky Mountain Symposium on Relational Trauma in October. Jennifer: Forgiveness after b

Understanding the Beliefs Behind Abuse Understanding someone's behavior begins with understanding what they believe.— Inspired by Gavin de Becker, The Gift of Fear You begin to answer why your partner dominates you when you recognize what they believe. Realizing that your partner thinks it is acceptable to harm, control, or dominate you contradicts everything most of us expect from a loving relationship. Give yourself permission to grieve this. This is the final article in a

Survivors of partner abuse often benefit from seeking professional assistance. However, they often hesitate because they hope their partners will change or due to their partner's not to talk. This article identifies two categories of service providers, explains their roles, and encourages discerning whether they have knowledge about abusive partners. It ends with a preview of the final article in this series. It builds on When Survivors Face Unsupportive Reactions from Fa

What Survivors Need and Therapists Should Understand When you begin to talk about abuse in your relationship, family and friends are often the first people you seek support from. Sometimes, that is where your confusion deepens. Recently, a survivor I will name Jasmine made a comment that captures how difficult it can be to communicate what you experience. “Often, fear of the backlash is why people stay in abusive relationships or remain quiet. . . That’s a difficult place to