Emotional abuse is difficult to recognize. I want women, through my stories, to be able to see the secret bruising and scars that touch our souls, but not our bodies. This is my story, but it represents millions. It is an account of how I recognized the signs of emotional abuse and the damage that was happening to me. My life began with my emotionally unstable and abusive mother holding tight to an umbilical cord leash using fear, “don’t do that, you might die and then I would have to kill myself”. Screaming, crying and unpredictability were her weapons. Early in life, I found protection with a metaphorical glass dome which I was able to use at will. It allowed me to see and hear, but I didn’t have to experience the feelings of abuse. With my glass dome in place, I innocently walked into marriage with an emotionally abusive man. He stated that he had me on a leash. But for years, unbeknownst to him, I was snipping the threads until the leash was severed. Then in just one moment of complete understanding, I was able to break free to live a life of my own design.
Joy
Pinned on February 10, 2013 at 10:54 am by Lindsey Nelson
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Comments
WOW!! Joy is a winner beyond words!It should DEFINITELY be sent to a great female movie director such as Penny Marshall for consideration!!!It’s been a LONG time since The Three Faces of Eve, Sybil, Burning Bed, etc dealt with associated issues.The time could be VERY RIGHT for this RIGHT NOW!!!!
Thank You! Thank you, Joy Willows, for writing this book. I can’t imagine how many women this will help. I can’t believe what you lived through, but I know if you weren’t so strong, you wouldn’t have made it through. You give other women in this terrible situation the knowledge that they can get through it. Thank you for surviving and telling your story.Joy is a woman who suffered emotional abuse throughout her life at the hands of her mother and first husband. She persevered and raised three children while shielding them and helping other children through music. She is truly an inspiration and anyone who is has suffered emotional abuse or knows someone who has would benefit from reading this thoughtful, emotional, inspiring book. Thank you, Joy.
This woman has walked into my office untold times. Her body seems to be taking up as little space as possible and she is reluctant to give voice to what she knows about who she is. I have given this book to a half dozen clients in as many weeks. Each has said some version of, “I get her. This could be my story. I had always felt so alone. How did she get the confidence to leave? Is she happy now?” I have seen “hope” begin to emerge, postures change, eye contact improve and bits of courage be put into use. “If she can do it, so can I,” seems to become the matra. I would recommend this book to any woman who has felt herself a failure because she was repeatedly told she was “less than” or “incompetent.”