Hello_New Here

[joyagain]

Hello isurvive community,

I will be brief and share more of an intro in the forum "Our Stories".

I'm in need of support as I too am a survivor of trauma experienced as a child both from sustained emotional (EA) and sexual (SA) abuse, and later as an adult in relationship to intergenerational abuse.
The relationships within my family are therefore fraught with difficulty and pain, and can feel like abandonment or a mine-field, and yet also to me an experience of deep satisfaction, meaning and even joy. It's been incredibly challenging at times, and as of late, I've spun out in despair.

Primarily, my healing has been a solo journey - wherein over the years I've developed coping skills some healthy, and some likely not so healthy. I at times feel proud of myself, my courage, my self-advocacy, and in other times, depending upon what arises, despair and through-out the years, everything in-between.

As, I move into my sixties this year, and now, finally, with a little over a year of therapy under-my-belt, I finally have found you all - a community of survivors, hopefully where I can share and support others with understanding and empathy, as I continue my journey.

joyagain

[Crow]

Hi joyagain,

Welcome to isurvive. Take your time. Settle in. No hurry to share your story. All at your own pace.
You will find a wealth of support here.

Crow

[Jonesy]

Hi joyagain

A very warm welcome from me - so glad you found us

[Rosahope]

Welcome joyagain! You have a great name.

[joyagain]

Thank you Crow, Jonesy, and Rosahope for the welcome. I do appreciate it.

[joyagain]

Welcome joyagain! You have a great name.

Thank you! It does coincide with yours - (perhaps) a blossoming of hope and joy once again.

[Oceantide]

Welcome, joyagain! I trust you'll find this to be a supportive place to continue your healing process. Take care, Oceantide

[joyagain]

Thank you Oceantide. I trust I will, too. There is soooo much here, that I didn't know where to begin, so just did. I'm following a few topics and bookmarked a long long one by mustard seed started years ago and finding it so beautiful how much support there is here. I'm also so impressed by the care is given to keep this forum a safe and healing place. I already appreciate the Directors and moderators without really yet knowing any of them, but because there care is evident in the format itself.

I look forward to getting to know you more.

edited: MT to NT

[Oceantide]

Dear Joyagain, I agree! There’s so much care that goes into making this a safe, supportive space. I look forward to hearing more about your journey over time. Take care, Oceantide

[joyagain]

Hello again isurvivor crew - checking in

Still feeling New Here. It's been just over a week since I joined and first posted here to introduce myself.
I'm not ready yet to share the intimate details of my abuse story, but I want to get there.
I'm being patient with myself, and partly due to the encouragement from others here to do just that. Thank you.
Meantime, I've been reading, following, bookmarking in quite a few topics, and keeping up mostly with new posts.
I'm familiarizing, getting comfortable, with it and all active here.

At first it was a bit overwhelming, and so I decided to spend a few days just reading a couple non-active topics that started years back. That was enlightening and gave me a great sense of how valuable others here are to each other in support.
Then, I've focused more so on the newer posts and replies and I'm now blown away by some of you longer-time posters understanding, insights, maturity, and clearly the inner-work you have done. I am humbled and yet also not wanting to put anyone on any pedestals either. Very human and authentic here, too. What a privilege to be here, that's my main-point.
I'm also a bit stunned by learning first-hand stories of how difficult members lives have been; the quantity of abuses and level of traumas - it's outstandingly mind-blowing that we humans do any of this to each other - and furthermore, than anyone can heal or recover. It's made me reflect on how much worse others have had it than I have, while knowing that it's not really that helpful to compare - all abuse is damaging. And, it isn't helpful to diminish that. So, I'm just processing all that for myself.

And on a lighter note, I've been enjoying posting in the One Happy Moment a Day topic. I think it's helping me to stay balanced and active while I reflect upon more perhaps challenging and / or triggering content.

namaste, isurvivor crew,
joyagain