From Trauma to Healing
Victims of domestic violence often feel unimaginable emotions. It’s important to treat victims with care and patience. Domestic violence not only affects a person physically but also mentally, so mental health care is important for healing. To bring awareness to domestic violence month, here are some mental health tips and resources for victims.
Prioritize safety first
Creating a safety plan and knowing where to go and who to call is important when you are feeling unsafe. Keep emergency contacts accessible to you (local shelters, hotlines, trusted friends or family).
Reach out for support
Talking to a therapist could be very beneficial for domestic violence victims. Joining a support group can also help victims feel less alone by hearing others’ stories.
Challenge self-blame
Abuse is never your fault. Whenever you find yourself having these thoughts journaling a list of affirmations can reframe your thoughts. Instead of saying ‘I should’ve done more,’ say ‘I did what I could to survive’.
Rebuild self-trust
Abuse can damage one’s confidence in decision-making. Rebuilding trust in yourself starts with trusting yourself to make small, safe decisions.
Seek trauma-informed care
Specialities such as trauma-informed therapy, EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), or CPT (cognitive processing therapy) can help victims.
At MM Therapy we have licensed therapists who specialize in domestic violence and are trained in trauma-informed therapy. If you or someone you know is interested in these services, please click the button below.
