By: Mandie Schreck Being a survivor of abuse, especially throughout childhood, creates a common fear of raising children and the need to be the best parent or caregiver you can be. We may think of ways we can create a do-over of sorts. If we grew up in an unsafe, abusive, or neglectful home —...
By: Eileen Shea It’s not uncommon for abuse victims and survivors to stay silent, even after they’ve escaped their tormentors because of the layered fear that exists in sharing their stories. Will they be seen as weak to have allowed the abuse to happen? Will they be seen as needy for asking for help? Will...
By: Mandie Schreck What happens when we are in a work environment or even an institution for medical or mental health care and suffer from abuse? This is where education on what qualifies as Organizational Abuse can help us recognize and bring awareness to this unique type of abuse. We often work in conditions that...
By: Whitney Derman The Department of Health and Human Services defines self-neglect as “the behavior of an older adult that threatens their own health or safety and generally manifests itself by failure to provide themselves with adequate food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medication (when indicated), and safety precautions.” (Godfrey, 2019). Although self-neglect is very...
By: Rashmi Negi TW: Discussions of Self-Harm Self-Abuse can be defined as any behavior that causes damage or harm to oneself. This type of abuse has many different terms and may be more commonly referred to as self-harm, self-injury, or even non-suicidal self-injury (NSII). Individuals who self-harm do so to release painful emotions which can...
By: Whitney Derman For many women, traveling alone can be risky, especially at night or in an unfamiliar location. We want to believe that everyone has the right intentions and there won’t be any issues, but it is always wise to be extra cautious. I have curated a list of inconspicuous self-defense tools you can easily...
By: Rashmi Negi It is always better to be mindful and prepared instead of being in an unprepared and compromising position. Mugging, taunting, or any form of harassment can make a person feel helpless and isolated. It is always good to be prepared for the worst and learn to keep yourself safe regardless of your...
By: Rashmi Negi A person in a healthy relationship trusts their partner the most and feels secure in their presence. However, this can easily change when things fall between the cracks that result in misunderstandings, disagreements, arguments, and other issues in a relationship. There are ways to mend and work toward a healthy relationship, but...
By: Lauren Jacques And Eileen Shea What is Giving Tuesday? Since 2012, Giving Tuesday has been a global event to “encourage people to do good.” The event organizers encourage generosity every Tuesday, but the official celebration will be on November 30th this year. Giving Tuesday started in New York City, and according to the Giving Tuesday...
By: Whitney Derman Being truly there for someone is not a one-size-fits-all package. It can take very different approaches depending on who needs you and the situation. When consoling someone, it is best to use the 90% rule, meaning you listen 90% of the time and talk maybe 10% of the time (Brown, 2020). This allows the...
