btr.org - btr.org has daily, online Group and Individual Sessions for victims of emotional & psychological abuse and sexual coercion. For women experiencing pain, chaos, and isolation due to their husband’s lying, gaslighting, manipulation, porn use, cheating, infidelity, emotional abuse, and narcissistic abuse. Labeling a victim as "codependent" is a form of victim blaming. Pornography addiction / sex addiction are a domestic abuse issue. Narcissistic abuse is not a communication issue. We help women who are married, separated, or divorced heal through establishing emotional safety. If you suspect your husband is a narcissist, a pornography addict, or emotionally abusive, this podcast is for you. Every woman on our team has experienced betrayal trauma first hand. To learn more about Betrayal Trauma Recovery, visit BTR.ORG
https://www.btr.org/podcast/
episode 129: Self-Care For Betrayal Victims
When women discover their partner's secret pornography use, they experience betrayal trauma.
Loss, devastation, terror, fury, grief, numbness... are all manifestations of betrayal trauma, and each emotion can be debilitating.
VIctims of betrayal can take small steps to begin practicing self-care, which is the only way to truly process and ultimately heal from betrayal trauma.
Trish White, a coach and counselor, meets with Anne on the free BTR podcast to empower victims to begin their own self-care regimen right away, which will empower them to begin their own journeys to healing. Listen to the free BTR podcast and read the full transcript below for more.
Self-Care Feels Wrong To Victims of Betrayal
Abusive men, including pornography users, condition victims to ignore their own needs. For many women, this means that they have forgotten how to practice self-care and when they do initiate self-care practices, they feel like they are doing something wrong.
When victims of betrayal begin practicing self-care, they often feel:
* Guilt* Shame* Embarrassment* Gluttonous* Selfish* Silly
Victims can become empowered by understanding that these negative emotions are a product of their abuser's behavior - they are not reality. Self-care is not selfish and women who practice it are practicing self-love.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF7AIJ3JWPs
Self-Care Is A Process For Victims of Betrayal
Practicing self-care isn't a destination, it's a journey. Self-care needs may change over time. What women need now may be different several months or years into the healing process.
When women practice self-compassion and give themselves time to try new methods of self-care, they may find more freedom and joy in the process. As Anne explains:
If we’re committed to self-care and we’re willing to be honest with ourselves and gentle with ourselves, we’ll see what’s working and what isn’t. The cool thing about being committed to self-care is that it can be an experiment.Anne Blythe, founder of Betrayal Trauma Recovery
Self-Care For Victims of Betrayal Includes Four Components
For some victims of betrayal, self-care seems confusing and overwhelming. They wonder how to actually practice self-care in real life.
Every victim's self-care will be specific to her needs at any given time. However, effective self-care is built on these four components that Trish White shares on the free BTR podcast:
* Soothing* Nurturing* Discipline* Compassion
When women use these four components as a guide in their self-care decisions, they are better able to meet their own needs as they work through betrayal trauma.
Betrayal Trauma Recovery Group Supports Victims of Betrayal
At BTR we know how difficult it can be to implement self-care after discovering betrayal.
The intense and relentless emotional waves that seem to bury victims alive can be so overwhelming that self-care feels out of the question.
However, at BTR, we believe that self-care is the foundation for healing and thriving after betrayal and abuse.
The Betrayal Trauma Recovery Group meets daily in multiple time zones and offers women a safe place to process trauma, ask questions, express difficult emotions, and connect with other victims who get it.