October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We will be doubling up on our episodes to bring you the most comprehensive view of domestic violence possible. To learn more about Domestic Violence you can go to https://www.divorcecoalition.com

Many women endure the agonizing ordeal of toxic relationships in silence, their pain hidden beneath smiles and brave faces. It's a harrowing reality that no one should have to endure alone. You don't have to suffer in silence. Seeking support, confiding in friends and family, and reaching out to professionals can save your life and enable you to get the support you need. You deserve love, respect, and happiness, and there is always a path to safe liberation from toxicity. Your voice and your well-being matter, and there are people ready to stand by your side as you break free from the chains of a harmful relationship. Together, they discuss Victoria's recent experience with a client who tragically lost her life due to an abusive relationship, Victoria's own personal experiences, and the valuable lessons she has learned along the way to shed light on the importance of seeking help and support when faced with toxic relationships.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

●     We have this amazing capacity as women to be mothers, and when we are able to tap into that and raise our children, we are so powerful but when we have unscrupulous actors that activate that fixer mechanism within us, it can be exploited dramatically and it might even end up in your death.

●     When you are in an abusive relationship, you have to be aware of how your biology and love hormones are keeping you there. You are chemically attached to the individual terrorizing your life and you need to go even when your brain says otherwise.

●     Love bombing works because we feel incredibly heard, seen, and loved, but the moment they have you and have entrapped you, that is when it all goes away and you are left with the shell of a human being and personality disorders.

●     Strangulation is one of the most dangerous behaviors because it’s a range-driven action and is very personal. A lot of people think that if you are strangled you die right then, but you can pass anywhere from a few hours to a few days which enables your perpetrator to get away with this crime.

●     Never tell your abuser that you are leaving them until you have the support of a domestic violence expert. Friends and family are not trained to help in this dangerous situation.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

●     A lot of us ignore red-flag behaviors in the early stages of the relationship and these behaviors often lead to an abusive relationship. (Victoria)

●     We have to stop jumping from one relationship to another before we even leave the first and learn about ourselves, what motivates us, what attracts us, and what attracted us to that unhealthy marriage because that will be the key to what we will be attracted to again if we don’t do something about it. (Beverly)

●     A lot of times domestic abuse perpetrators are driven by control and the number one mechanism of control in most relationships is money; if you are emotionally dysregulated in your relationships you are going to be emotionally dysregulated in how you use your money. (Victoria)

●     As human beings we want connections, that is the thing we survive and thrive on and it can be so hard to see our actual essence as greater than a relationship that is not serving and is distracting us from who we should be; choosing yourself as a woman is the hardest thing but you deserve it. (Victoria)

●     You...