When a Victim Doesn’t Know She’s a Victim: Survivor’s Guilt, the “Fawn” Response, Trauma Bonds, and Setting Boundaries

When a Victim Doesn’t Know She’s a Victim: Survivor’s Guilt, the “Fawn” Response, Trauma Bonds, and Setting Boundaries

“I can’t forgive myself.”  Daily, I uttered this phrase.  When I said it, my loved ones were concerned. “But what do you need to forgive yourself for?” They’d ask, perplexed. For them, there was nothing I’d done that needed forgiving.   The voice in my head screamed,...
Standing Alone and Finding Strong Female Friendships After Falling Victim to Mean Girls

Standing Alone and Finding Strong Female Friendships After Falling Victim to Mean Girls

As a woman, I struggled with female friendships growing up. I found many other girls and women notoriously catty, jealous, and downright mean. I liked being “one of the guys” with my guy friends, and I much preferred having a steady boyfriend over being part of a...