Trauma runs deep. It imprints your mind, impacts your body, and immobilizes your emotions. For many survivors, the pain lingers, whispering lies like “You’re unworthy” or “You’re broken.” But there’s hope. Talking won’t erase the trauma, but it breaks its power. For much of my life, pain was my constant companion. From the age of six until seventeen, I endured the unspeakable trauma of sexual abuse. At the same time, I lived in a home marked by physical and verbal abuse from my parents, who were supposed to protect me. They exchanged safety and nurturing for fear and shame, with nowhere to turn. My family’s dynamic only deepened the wounds. I grew up surrounded by narcissistic family members who denied my reality and weaponized my pain. They silenced me with blame, making me feel that speaking out was a betrayal. My hurt became their tool—a means to control me and invalidate my experiences.