By Linda C J Turner | Trauma Therapist & Advocate
I wrote it.
Fifteen pages of truth.
Thirty years of emotional abuse, psychological manipulation, gaslighting, control, neglect, threats, and pain—put into words. Poured onto the page for court. For truth. For myself.
And now that it’s over…
Now that the legal process has heard some of it…
People are asking:
“Will you publish it?”
“Will you share it?”
“Will you tell your story to help others?”
The answer is simple—but not easy.
Not yet.
🔍 Because behind every word is a wound.
Each sentence carries a memory.
Each paragraph holds a piece of me I had to survive.
And while I am no longer silenced, I am also no longer in survival mode.
Now, I get to choose what healing looks like—and sometimes, healing means not rushing into public exposure.
🧠 From a psychological perspective:
When you’ve experienced trauma over decades, your nervous system becomes conditioned to stay in a state of high alert. Sharing your deepest truths, even in safe spaces, can re-trigger emotional dysregulation if you’re not fully grounded. The urge to be heard and the need to protect yourself can exist at the same time.
Holding back is not a betrayal of the truth.
It’s a deep act of self-respect.
🌿 I’m not hiding. I’m honouring.
Honouring the years it took to find my voice.
Honouring the delicate layers of healing I’ve worked so hard to build.
Honouring the process of seeking legal guidance, so that when I do share, I do so with clarity and protection.
✨ This part of my story isn’t about being ready to speak—it’s about being ready to breathe.
To enjoy my peace.
To love my dog, my family, and those who show me real kindness.
To wake up and not be triggered.
To feel proud, not panicked.
One day, I might share those 15 pages.
Or I might not.
Because healing isn’t about proving your truth—it’s about living free from the need to.
To anyone holding a story inside you—you don’t owe it to the world.
You owe it to yourself to heal first, to protect your peace, and to share only when your heart says yes.
And if that day never comes?
You are still whole. Still valid. Still brave.
#HealingTakesTime #MyStoryMyTiming #EmotionalAbuseSurvivor #SurvivorNotVictim #YouDontHaveToShare #ProtectYourPeace #TraumaHealingJourney #LindaCJTurnerTherapy #TruthInSilence #HealingOverExposure
— Linda C J Turner
Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment
