It’s not the kind of thing you talk about at dinner parties, but I was an abused kid. Over the last couple of years I’ve been working on a project that I hope will help others in similar circumstances overcome the odds and become healthy adults.

There are far too many of us out there, and most of us remain silent. Worse, many victims perpetuate the cycle, stuck in their own downward spiral of brokenness and self-loathing, lashing out at everyone around them in a vain attempt to dull the pain. I’d like to help stop the madness. This is not another chronicle of horror stories, though there are some of those. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to move on from the wreckage of the past, break the cycle of abuse, and turn into a reasonably healthy adult.

I am sharing my story and, more importantly, the insights and wisdom I’ve gained along the way in order to help others while they are in the midst of their abusive relationship, and for those that are still bound by the chains of abuse that happened long ago. As a kid, you don’t know that your reality is not “normal.” It’s empowering to realize you are not alone and that there is another way to live a life free of torment.