By Linda C J Turner | Trauma Therapist & Survivor Advocate
Every morning, I wake up to peace.
Not chaos.
Not silence full of tension.
Not the weight of eggshells underfoot.
Just peace.
The soft breath of my beautiful dog beside me.
The stillness of the morning sun.
The unconditional love that never judges, never manipulates, never withdraws.
This is what healing looks like.
Not perfection. Not forgetting. But peace—something I never truly knew until I chose myself.
🌿 Seven months apart from abuse, and here’s what I’ve learned:
- Love doesn’t make you afraid to speak.
- Kindness isn’t a transaction.
- Peace is not boring—it’s sacred.
It’s taken three therapists and decades of inner work to teach me what love is not.
And now I know.
Love is not criticism, control, name-calling, gaslighting, or shame.
It’s not being shut down, locked out, blamed, or made to feel small.
It’s not having to chase connection or beg to be seen.
💔 Sometimes, it’s not just the partner—it’s the entire family system.
The same cruel humor.
The same denial.
The same manipulation, judgment, and lack of empathy.
When you finally break free, you realize:
“It was never just him. The whole system was broken.”
But here’s the gift in that painful truth:
🌼 You get to walk away.
🌼 You get to block them.
🌼 You get to say, “This is not mine to fix.”
And you’re not heartless for doing so.
You’re finally putting your heart in safe hands—your own.
These days, I feel grateful.
Grateful for peace.
Grateful for the family that truly loves me.
Grateful for friends who show up with kindness and warmth.
Grateful even for the journey—because it led me here, to clarity.
I am hopeful.
I am healing.
I am comfortable around some, and still cautious around others—because healing doesn’t mean forgetting, it means learning.
To anyone waking up still surrounded by emotional chaos, know this:
🕊️ Peace is possible.
💛 Love doesn’t hurt.
🚪 You’re allowed to walk away from anyone who makes you feel unsafe—even if they share your blood.
You don’t need permission.
You don’t need to justify it.
You just need to choose you.
#SevenMonthsFree #HealingAfterAbuse #TraumaRecovery #PeacefulMornings #BreakingTheCycle #GenerationalTraumaStopsHere #LindaCJTurnerTherapy #WhatLoveIsNot #KindnessIsHealing #BoundariesAreBeautiful
— Linda C J Turner
Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment
