Find Your Emotional Ground​

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1. Acknowledge Your Feelings: Allow yourself to feel the full range of emotions—anger, sadness, fear, relief. It's okay to grieve the relationship and experience all of the emotions that were attached to it. 

2. Express Your Emotions: Once you acknowledge your feelings it's important to release them. Find healthy ways to express your feelings. Journaling, art, creating or listening music, or talking to a trusted friend can help you process your emotions.

3. Validate Your Experience: Gaslighting and manipulation  frequently occurs in domestically abusive relationships. Take time to find your truth, if necessary, and understand that what happened to you was not your fault. Recognize the strength it took to survive and the courage it takes to seek healing. This is helpful to do in therapy, or with people that saw what you went through.

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Build a Supportive Environment for Yourself

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1. Create/Find a Safe Space: Find a physical space where you feel safe and at peace. This could be a room in your home, a friend’s place, or a quiet spot in nature. This is so you can go there if you need to feel safe or have a moment alone.

2. Surround Yourself with Supportive People: Oftentimes survivors of Domestic Abuse are isolated from their loved ones and the outside world. Reconnecting with friends, family, or support groups can offer understanding, love, and encouragement. Understand that you are never alone, even if you are not currently in contact with your loved ones. Its okay to make new friends as well!

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Nurture Self-Compassion

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1. Practice Self-Love: Be kind to yourself. Engage in activities that bring you joy and comfort. To further this, you can try self-love affirmations. Its important to give yourself support when healing.

2. Forgive Yourself: Release any self-blame or guilt. Understand that abuse is never the survivor's fault, and forgive yourself for believing it was your fault. Doing this with the support of a therapist can be extremely productive.

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Seek Professional Support

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1. Therapy and Counseling: As mentioned, a therapist can provide a safe space to explore your feelings, work through trauma, and develop coping strategies. Look for someone who specializes in trauma and domestic abuse.

2. Join a Support Group: Explore resources in your area for survivors of domestic violence. There is usually the opportunity to connect with others who have shared similar experiences within your community. This can provide validation, understanding, and hope.

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Rebuild Your Sense of Self

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1. Rediscover Your Identity: Take time to explore who you are outside of the relationship you were in. Reconnect with hobbies, interests, and passions that may have been neglected and discover new ones.

2. Set Personal Goals: Focus on small, achievable goals that can give you a sense of accomplishment and help you rebuild your confidence.

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Practicing Patience and Gentleness

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1. Be Patient with Yourself: Healing is not linear, and it’s okay to have setbacks. Celebrate your progress, no matter how big or small, and give yourself time to heal.

2. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation: These practices can help you stay present, manage anxiety, and cultivate inner peace. Find a routine that works for you, whether it’s guided meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga, or general practices that clear your mind. This can be helpful in distancing yourself from trauma. 

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Finding Joy and Hope

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1. Seek Moments of Joy: Allow yourself to experience joy and laughter. Engage in activities that make you happy and surround yourself with positivity. Get outside and in the sunlight. Treat yourself when you can!

2. Hold Onto Hope: Believe in your capacity to heal and grow. Visualize a future where you feel empowered, loved, and at peace. Know your worth and don't look back!