Returning to My Past to Find My Future
I went back to the domestic violence shelter where I used to live.
Sometimes we need to go back to where we came from to remember who we really are. To see what we are made of and what got us to where we are now.
I returned to the domestic violence shelter where I lived for most of a year to answer some questions about myself and my future.
I sought advice from the women who work there as I did many times while I lived there. I knew they would have some insight into how I could help other survivors as a trauma recovery coach. I also knew they had watched me go from the dirt under a doormat to an independent woman and would know if I could move forward with my plans or not.
Going back was a turning point for me. A door closed on my past and a door opened into my future. I am fully a survivor and ready to move into the role of guide for others who are pursuing their own healing.
Here are some of the observations I made in the days after my visit:
- On the way home I realized how hard I was fighting to survive during the time I lived at the shelter. Living an hour away from my kids, seeing them only once a week, and making the long drive back to the shelter every Sunday after visiting them broke my heart over and…
