Encouraging Domestic Violence Victims to Find Safety and Healing AND Become Domestic Violence Survivors
NOTE: To see Brooke’s video, please link here
A beautiful young woman named Brooke met a charismatic, handsome man who swept her off her feet. They fell in love.As she got to know him and learn his story, she felt great compassion for the difficulties he had endured. She, too had endured traumatic experiences, but she focused on his. She wanted to help him with all her heart, even as he became critical, cruel, and eventually violent: domestic violence actually. She continued to hold to her mission: if I can give him enough love and compassion, I can change him.
This faith in the power of love is beautiful. But it requires someone who honestly takes full responsibility for one’s own misbehaviors for it to work. Apologies are not enough. Continuing domestic violence demonstrates a lack of taking true responsibility for the violent one’s impulses and behavior. Behavior change demonstrates real responsibility.
The handsome “prince” had not developed such a capacity. His habit of devaluing her was stronger than any love he claimed to feel for her. As Brooke said at the Grammy Awards of 2015, “Authentic love does not de-value another human being.”
He eventually threatened her life. When she confided this to her mother, her mother urged her to go to a domestic violence shelter. When Brooke Axtell shared this story at the Grammy Awards, she honored her mother for saving her life.
Brooke has dedicated her life to helping survivors of domestic violence and sex trafficking.
To see the video of her spoken poem from the Grammy Awards as she introduced Katy Perry’s song “By the Grace of God” use the link below
http://comprehensivetherapyapproach.com/emdr-therapy-video/
…and scroll down to her video in the “Self Care, Encouraging Safety” Section.
Learn about Effective Treatments, including EMDR Therapy
Part of getting effective help is getting effective therapy. EMDR Therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy helps people recover from bad experiences and bad self-concepts. EMDR helps you recover the strengths you have had in the past, and the strengths that have always been a potential within you.
We have Certified EMDR Therapists on this website who specialize in treating domestic violence. Please link to our Directory page and select “Domestic Violence” from the Specialty Search Field.
©2015 Dana Terrell, LCSW
