You Don’t Have to Go Through This Alone
Abuse convinces people they’re the exception, the one whose situation is too complicated to say out loud. This final post in our October series is about the silence that isolation creates, and why reaching out for support doesn’t require you to have a plan yet. It covers the real statistics behind #Every1KnowsSome1, why one person is enough to start, and where to find support at whatever stage you’re at. No matter what you go through, nothing will take your light.
I Am Being Abused. Why Is It So Hard to Leave?
If you’ve named what’s happening to you and still haven’t left, you’ve probably asked yourself why, or had someone else ask you in a way that stung. This post walks through the real reasons leaving is so hard: trauma bonding and intermittent reinforcement, fear that’s informed rather than irrational, hope that isn’t naivety, and isolation that makes everything harder. None of it is a verdict on your strength. No matter what you go through, nothing will take your light.
Am I Being Abused? (Signs of Domestic Violence)
Maybe it's not one dramatic moment, just a slow accumulation of small ones: a joke that stings, a door you can't leave through, a feeling of relief when they're finally gone for the day. If you've found yourself quietly googling "am I being abused," you're already further along than you think. This guide walks through the real signs of domestic violence survivors describe most often, physical, emotional, controlling, and sexual, without judgment and without requiring a single dramatic incident to validate what you're feeling. We'll also connect you to real support: the National Domestic Violence Hotline, RAINN, and the #Every1KnowsSome1 campaign, a reminder that this is far more common, and far less isolating, than it feels right now. Whatever stage you're at, naming what's happening is enough for today. No matter what you're carrying, nothing will take your light.
Reclaiming Your Dreams After Trauma
At some point after the trauma, you stopped dreaming. Survival took over, and the future started to feel far away or even impossible. In the final post of our Still Standing series, we are talking about what it means to want your life back, to give yourself permission to dream again, and to take real steps toward the future you deserve. This one is for every survivor who has made it through the hard part and is ready, or almost ready, to go somewhere beautiful.
The Quiet Courage of Everyday Healing
Most of healing does not look like a breakthrough moment. It looks like getting out of bed on a hard day. It looks like choosing yourself in a quiet moment when no one is watching. In Part 2 of the Still Standing series, we are talking about the kind of courage that never gets recognized, the everyday work of surviving and healing that survivors do in the spaces in between. If you have ever felt like your healing is not dramatic enough to count, this one is for you.
You Are More Than What Happened to You
What happens to your sense of self after trauma? For many survivors of sexual assault, the hardest part is not the immediate crisis. It is the quiet question that shows up later: Who am I now? In this first post of the Still Standing series, we are getting honest about how trauma reshapes identity, why you are not defined by what happened to you, and how to start reclaiming the parts of yourself that were never truly gone. This is for the woman who is somewhere in the middle of healing and needs a reminder that she is still standing, and that her story is far bigger than her worst chapter.
Rebuilding Identity and Self-Worth After Abuse
When abuse ends, the damage to your sense of self does not always end with it. Many survivors find themselves asking who they are now, feeling disconnected from the person they used to be, and struggling to trust their own perceptions after years of having those perceptions questioned or denied. Rebuilding your identity and self-worth after abuse is not about going back to who you were before. It is about discovering who you are now, with everything you have survived, and building something real from that foundation. In this post, we walk alongside you through the process of reclaiming your sense of self, reconnecting with your values, and learning to believe in your own worth again. You will find practical tools, self-compassion strategies, and trusted resources to support your healing. No matter how far away your sense of self may feel right now, it has not gone anywhere. It is waiting for you.
How to Start Over With No Money After Leaving an Abusive Relationship
Starting over with no money after leaving an abusive relationship is one of the most overwhelming things a woman can face. The fear is real, and so is the help. This guide walks through emergency shelter, financial assistance, housing rights under VAWA, career rebuilding resources, and how The 1st 28 Foundation's Next Chapter program can be part of your next step.
Narcissistic Abuse Signs and Recovery - You Are Not Crazy, and You Are Not Alone
If you have spent time wondering whether what you experienced was really abuse, whether you were overreacting, or whether you were somehow the problem, this post is for you. Narcissistic abuse is real, recognized, and its effects run deep even when no one else could see them. We walk through the most common signs, including gaslighting, love bombing, and emotional isolation, and offer compassionate, practical steps toward healing. You do not have to figure this out alone. The 1st 28 Foundation is here with free resources, community, and people who truly understand.
What Financial Abuse Looks Like (And Why It's So Hard to Name)
Financial abuse is one of the most common forms of domestic violence, affecting 94 to 99 percent of survivors. Yet because it leaves no visible mark, it is one of the hardest forms of abuse to name and recognize. If you are a financial abuse survivor, you may be starting over with damaged credit, no savings, and no financial history in your own name. That is not a character flaw. It is the direct result of economic abuse, and it is not your fault. In this post, we walk through exactly what financial abuse looks like, why it is so easy to miss, and the very first steps you can take to begin rebuilding, even when starting from zero. You do not have to climb the whole staircase today. You just have to take one step. We are walking it with you.
Tips on How to Leave an Abusive Relationship When You Have No Money
If you have ever thought "I would leave if I could afford to," you are not alone, and you are not without options. At The 1st 28, we are not here to tell you what to do. You know your situation better than anyone. What we can share are some things we have seen help other survivors take steps toward safety, even when money felt like the biggest barrier in the way.
Financial abuse is real, it is deliberate, and it is one of the most common reasons survivors stay. The lack of resources you are facing right now was not an accident. There is more help available than most people realize, from free shelter and direct cash assistance to legal aid and community support.
This post walks through practical tips on safety planning, building a quiet emergency fund, accessing free resources, and finding people who can walk this road with you. Take what is useful. Leave the rest. Your light has not gone anywhere.
When You're Running on Empty. Healing Burnout and Chronic Exhaustion
Have you been running on empty, or too tired to rest and too depleted to feel like yourself? Burnout and chronic exhaustion are real, and for trauma survivors and caregivers, they often run deeper than ordinary tiredness. In this post, we explore what burnout really is, why it is so closely connected to trauma and healing, and what you can do to begin gently reclaiming your energy and your light. Whether you are in the middle of your own recovery or you are supporting someone you love through theirs, this post is for you. You are not broken. You are not alone. Let's talk about healing together.