The holiday season can be loaded with deep emotions.

For some people (whose needs are being met and values are held), the holiday season can be a time of feeling deep delight, joy, connection, cheer, security, and warmth. For some people (whose needs are not being met and values aren’t being held), the holiday season can be a time of feeling sad, scared, overwhelmed, detached, helpless, and fatigued. These are just some of the deep feelings people can experience. What seems to be a common experience is that the holiday season often intensifies what people feel and what people expect they should be feeling.

Survivors of child sexual abuse and other forms of violence and oppression have experienced deep harm, betrayal, and violations of trust and sense of self. The harm, betrayal, and violation occur because a relationship that should have been safe was made unsafe when a person became sexually, emotionally, and/or physically abusive. The harm happened in relationship.

Healing also happens in relationship. And we want to connect you with some love and warm wishes from other survivors.