Norm Therapy, Columbus, OH (2026)

01/27/2026

WARNING: This post has discussions of Domestic Violence. Discretion advised.

The Mask of the “Perfect Couple”

In public, they looked like a postcard version of devotion. She spoke with a soft steadiness that put people at ease; he carried himself with the quiet confidence of someone deeply grounded. They remembered anniversaries, finished each other’s stories, and never once raised their voices in front of anyone. Their friends insisted they had a kind of love that “rarely exists anymore,” a bond polished to perfection.

But that was the version of themselves they curated, an exhibit they maintained with precision. Because the moment the door closed behind them, the choreography fell apart. She felt the shift first: the subtle tightening in his jaw, the way his eyes clouded. He noticed changes in her, too, how her smile flattened as soon as they were alone, how her breath grew shallow like she was bracing for a storm.

The arguments never began with shouting. They started with doubts, with suspicions sharpened over years of small betrayals, imagined or real. A misplaced comment became an accusation. A late return home turned into a reminder of old wounds neither of them had ever healed. They fed on each other’s insecurities, twisting them in ways only two people who knew each other intimately could.

She was not just afraid of him; she was afraid of herself, of the sharpness in her own voice, the way anger rose so quickly she barely recognized it. He, too, felt trapped by impulses he hated but couldn’t seem to slow. They mirrored each other’s darkest parts, reflecting every weakness, every unresolved resentment.

On National Spouses Day, the flood of messages and well-wishes only tightened the knot inside them. Their phones buzzed with admiration and little hearts, digital affirmations of a relationship that didn’t exist. They posted a photo, an old one, taken on a good day, when they still believed they were salvageable, and the world applauded.

But inside their home, the silence lingered like fog, heavy and choking, settling into the spaces where love had once lived. They weren’t partners anymore; they were adversaries bound by routine, by fear, by a promise long since broken but still worn like a shackle.

Their story is a reminder: some couples don’t suffer despite the love they share; they suffer inside the version of love they can no longer escape. And while the world admires the perfection they display, the truth is buried in the quiet, suffocating darkness that begins the moment the door closes.

Behind the smiles and photos, the danger can be real. Intimate-partner violence contributes significantly to violent crime. Many homicide Victims are killed by a current or former partner, reminding us that the private horrors some couples endure are not only emotionally devastating, but sometimes lethal

Sustain the lifeline. Set up recurring giving at AbuseRefuge.org.

01/22/2026

A Day That Reminds Us What’s Lost

He moves through the day weighed down, each step a struggle, each breath a reminder of absence. Photographs blur before his eyes, faces frozen in a past that feels impossibly close. Every sound twists into a reminder that someone who once filled the space is gone. Grief is no longer a feeling; it is a shadow that follows him relentlessly, refusing to lift, refusing to forgive. Even in light, he walks in darkness.

They call it “Celebration of Life Day,” as if loss could ever be festive, as if absence could be wrapped in ribbons and balloons. But for many, this day is not a celebration; it is a reckoning. It is a day when grief sharpens, when empty chairs at the table scream louder, when the silence of absent voices presses in until it is almost unbearable. It is a day that holds a mirror to loss, reflecting all that cannot be reclaimed, all that will never return.

For those who mourn, the day is heavy. We touch photographs, linger over mementos, and feel the weight of the lives that once filled rooms, now hollow and still. Memories surface like specters, sudden and unrelenting, reminding us that life and laughter have departed, leaving only a shadow.

Roughly 6.4 million children in the United States will lose a parent or sibling by the time they turn 18. Each number represents a life upended, a childhood fractured, a bond severed too soon.

These are not abstractions; they are millions of empty chairs at school lunches, nights spent staring at beds no longer occupied, voices that will never answer a call again.

For those who grieve, this day is not a denial of joy, but a confrontation with truth. It is a testament that love does not end with death, that memory breathes as fiercely as life once did, that those who are gone continue to inhabit the spaces they once filled. On this day, while the world may celebrate, we honor. We honor absence. We honor lives that touched ours and departed too soon. We honor love that endures beyond the grave.

Yet within this darkness lies a different kind of honoring. We remember. We speak names even when no one else listens. We acknowledge the void. We carry stories, laughter, love the remnants of lives that have departed. What the world calls celebration, we turn into a quiet vigil, a sacred space where grief is seen and allowed to exist.

Celebration of Life Day may shine for some, but for others, it is solemn, relentless, and unyielding. It is a day to let grief stand tall, to let sorrow speak, to let memory burn like a quiet fire. It reminds us: the love we bear for those lost does not end. It cannot be measured, silenced, or erased. It simply remains, held close in the shadows, in the silence, in the heart.

Loss is vast, unrelenting, and often whispered about in quiet corners.

Grief is a shadow that lingers long after the loss itself, shaping every milestone, every birthday, every quiet moment.

Help us create the sacred space where grief is seen and allowed to exist. AbuseRefuge.org

01/21/2026

Is ma*****na helping you cope — or quietly affecting your mental health?

For many people, ma*****na is seen as a way to relax, numb stress, or manage difficult emotions. It’s often normalized as harmless self-care. But when cannabis becomes a primary coping tool, its impact on mood, motivation, and emotional regulation can be easy to overlook.

In this week’s Norm Therapy®️ blog post, Journalist Dylan explores how ma*****na can influence anxiety, depression, emotional resilience, and overall psychological well-being. The article breaks down why these effects aren’t always immediate, and how this reliance can sometimes deepen the very struggles it’s meant to ease.

Moving beyond shame and restriction allows you to see your relationship with substances for what it is: an opportunity for deeper self-awareness and more intentional mental health support.

Discover how ma*****na affects your mind and find practical, healthy ways to cope by reading the full article.

https://normtherapy.com/blog/behind-the-high-how-ma*****na-use-impacts-mental-health/

Take action at:
AbuseRefuge.org | NormTherapy.com

01/20/2026

Are you silently carrying the weight of political harm or reclaiming your voice?

For many people living amidst political pressure and systemic hardship, the daily grind of bureaucracy, rising costs, and controlled narratives becomes normalized, almost invisible. What starts as “just another announcement” can slowly erode hope, freedom, and emotional well-being, making resilience feel like a personal burden rather than a shared reality.

In this week’s Norm Therapy®️ blog post, Journalist Zeynep shares a vivid, personal narrative of how political structures can quietly shape despair, exhaustion, and constrained freedoms in everyday life, from public transportation struggles to the invisible barriers that limit movement, choice, and agency.

Political Abuse isn’t only about overt violence, it’s about the small, everyday ways systems infiltrate emotional life, normalize compromise, and make hope feel like a private, rationed habit.

Read the full article to reflect on how political environments impact mental health, experience, and emotional resilience:

https://normtherapy.com/blog/living-under-political-abuse-a-personal-account-from-turkiye/

Explore deeper insight at:
NormTherapy.com | AbuseRefuge.org

01/16/2026

Are your words driven by understanding or by fear of being wrong?

In a culture obsessed with moral certainty, language has become a shield. Carefully chosen terms are often used to signal safety, virtue, or belonging rather than to foster genuine curiosity or connection. When fear leads the conversation, nuance disappears, and empathy soon follows.

In this week’s Norm Therapy®️ blog post, Journalist Zeynep examines how emotionally charged language reflects collective anxiety and how it can quietly erode honest dialogue, self-reflection, and psychological growth.

Growth requires courage, the courage to sit with discomfort, to listen without defensiveness, and to speak with integrity rather than performance. Healing begins when we allow language to illuminate rather than divide.

Read the full article to explore how fear shapes modern communication and how reclaiming thoughtful, grounded language can deepen connection and self-awareness:

https://normtherapy.com/blog/the-morally-clean-vocabulary-of-a-frightened-age/

Continue the conversation at:
NormTherapy.com | AbuseRefuge.org

01/12/2026

WARNING: This post has discussions of the kidnapping, r**e, and Domestic Abuse of a child. Discretion is advised.

Die Waiting or Trying: The Shackles of Human Trafficking

She was only 14 years old when she was r**ed by an older man.

He was supposed to be her friend, someone that she could trust. He lured her in with his friendly smile and attitude. His kind words and actions felt safe. He would never hurt her, right? He would, actually. Far too easily.

He took advantage of her, physically and psychologically. He got her pregnant. He forced her into a controlling relationship after. He beat her so badly that she ended up in the hospital. He beat her so badly that her mother could not recognize her.

Others eventually got involved. More people she thought she could depend on as friends. They kidnapped her. They hogtied her and beat her for days at a time. All while her abuser stood by silently.

She felt that she had no way out. He knew where she went to school. He knew where she worked. He knew where her daughter went to daycare.

She was left with two options: wait and be killed, or get out. She thought that both of these were death sentences, but knew that she at least had to try. She stayed at work one day with her coworkers protecting her so that her abuser could not take her. She called the law enforcement narcotics division when she knew her abuser was carrying.

He was eventually arrested, and she was “free.”

This is the story of Pamela Dukes, an abuse Survivor and advocate.

Over 27 million people are Victims of human trafficking every year worldwide (DHS, 2025). The reality of trafficking is far more complex and widespread than the sensationalized images often portrayed. The typical scenario, that of a person being taken by strangers on a street corner, paints a false picture of this horrific problem.

Traffickers are not always scary strangers. They can be family members, romantic partners, or trusted acquaintances who capitalize on poverty, instability, and a lack of opportunity (DHS, 2025). Traffickers hide their sinister intentions by providing the security that these people are searching for.

Victims are often the most vulnerable among us, those who do not have security in their lives. They are those facing poverty, political instability, displacement, or discrimination. These people have nowhere else to go. No family. No friends. No stable income or housing. How are they supposed to give up the only "support" they have ever been given?

On this National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, we must think of those still trapped by the shackles of their captors. We must face the truth: trafficking ruins the lives of millions, of both children and adults. It destroys its victims physically and emotionally.

By refusing to look away, we can help dismantle these invisible chains and restore dignity and freedom to those caught in its grip. Silence is not an option.

Fund the support that sets them free. Donate at AbuseRefuge.org.

01/10/2026

WARNING: This post has discussions of Domestic Violence and su***de. Discretion is advised.

Brutality Behind the Badge: When Those Who Serve Can’t Protect

Some may know the name of David Brame, a man who served as a police chief in the early 2000s. You may expect him to be known for the service he provided under his role. For the lives he protected and saved.

This is not the case, though. Brame is known for killing his wife Crystal, then killing himself shortly after.

Brame had prior abuse allegations against him, most notably a r**e accusation from 13 years prior. He did not face legal repercussions. His position of authority was still held.

The consequences? A brutal murder-su***de witnessed by his children (Writer, 2014).

A similar incident followed six years later. Joseph Longo Jr, a police investigator, stabbed his wife Kristin to death. He then pointed the knife at himself.

These horrific situations are not isolated. Up to 40% of law enforcement families experience Domestic Violence (French & Fletcher, 2022). The exact percentage is unknown, however, due to the secretive nature of officer relationships. The expectation to brush off misdeeds, to follow a code.

This is not actual protection. It does not address the reasons behind the brutality that officers enact in both public and private.

Why were both Brame and Longo Jr. violent toward their wives and themselves?

Every day, police officers step into the chaos the rest of us try to avoid. This constant, cumulative exposure to trauma is the silent crisis of law enforcement, inflicting severe and often hidden wounds on the men and women sworn to protect and serve.

Officers face significantly higher rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety compared to the general population (Walden University, 2024). A single officer may be exposed to hundreds of traumatic events over the course of their career. This is a slow, steady erosion of their mental well-being. A cumulative burden that wears down their resilience.

The mental trauma combined with work overload, lack of institutional support, and a culture that breeds silence, unsurprisingly, leads to terrifying outcomes.

The mental health crisis among law enforcement is an emergency that demands immediate and systemic change. We must shift the narrative from seeing mental health support as a weakness to viewing it as essential.

On this National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day we need to step up for those who run toward the danger. This is not just a moral obligation, it is critical for public safety. When an officer’s mental health suffers, their judgment, performance, and ability to engage empathetically with the community are all compromised.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of su***de, call or text 988 immediately to reach the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline in the United States and Canada. Help is available 24/7.

Be the first responder for safety. Provide support at AbuseRefuge.org.

01/01/2026

Happy 2026! A new year means 365 new opportunities to create value and drive change. ⭐

We are ready to seize them with you!

Wishing everyone a year filled with powerful moments and breakthroughs. 🎉

01/01/2026

Tonight, on the eve of the New Year, we extend our sincere wishes for safety and peace. 🎆🕊

We take this moment to reflect on the significant impact made possible by your support and the spirit of kindness that sustained our efforts.

Here’s to conquering new challenges and celebrating countless victories in the coming year. 🍾🎉

12/28/2025

WARNING: This post has discussions of murder and gun violence. Discretion advised.

The Night Laughter Turned to Screams

The warmth of Christmas Eve should have wrapped Elle Edwards in comfort.

The clinking glasses, the chatter of friends, the scent of festive cheer, it all felt familiar, even normal, but most of all, safe. At 26, she had her whole life ahead of her, laughing freely, dreaming boldly. A normal and carefree night at a pub with friends.

At 11:50 pm, that normalcy was shattered. A gunshot tore through the air in the quiet English town of Wallasey Village, in Merseyside. One bullet. One moment. One life stolen.

Elle’s body fell amidst the celebration, blood pooling on the wood floor, echoes of Christmas music mixing with screams. Connor Chapman, then 23 years old, who was later convicted of her murder, had taken her future in a single, horrifying act.

Imagine, one minute, holding a glass of sparkling wine, a toast on the tip of your tongue, and the next, feeling the burning sting of metal tearing through flesh. The horror froze Elle’s friends' faces mid-laughter, their expressions contorting in shock as reality collided with a nightmare they couldn’t wake up from.

But long after the sirens faded and the pub was emptied, a different kind of silence settled over the place, a hollow, lingering quiet that felt heavier than the gunfire that caused it. It was the silence of lives abruptly rerouted, of futures rewritten without consent. In that darkness, the ghost of that night still clings to the walls: a reminder that violence doesn’t simply take a life, it sends aftershocks rippling through every soul left behind. What was once a place of laughter became a monument to absence, a chilling testament to how swiftly joy can be swallowed by terror.

Violence does not wait for holidays. It does not pause for joy. It barges in, uninvited, leaving devastation in its wake. According to the Office for National Statistics (2023), nearly 2 million adults in the UK experienced violent crime in 2022. Too often, the stories of those lost, like Elle, are reduced to numbers. Elle and Connor were complete strangers, and police discovered that gang disputes led to the shooting. Connor callously saw Elle as simply collateral damage.

On nights meant for celebration, victims like Elle and those she loved face the unimaginable: a life cut short, memories tarnished, families forever altered. A cruel reminder that trauma and violence can lurk in places that feel the safest.

Anyone in the world can get caught in the crossfire of violence at any time of year.

This holiday season, as we decorate and sing carols, let us not forget the Victims silenced in the shadows. Let us honor them by standing up against the brutality that claims the innocent.

Learn, act, and protect. Understand the signs, support Victims, and help prevent tragedies like Elle’s from happening again.

Fund Safety. Make a donation at AbuseRefuge.org.

12/25/2025

Wishing you a night filled with peace, warmth, and joy. May you find stillness and comfort as the holiday begins.

We send our very best wishes to you and yours. 🎄✨❄️

12/23/2025

WARNING: This post has discussions of Domestic Violence. Discretion advised.

Tinsel, Trauma, and the Truth: The Rising Shadow of Holiday Violence

Christmas is painted as a season of joy, a time when families gather under warm lights, exchanging gifts and laughter, forming core memories.

But beneath the glowing surface of holiday happiness lies a truth rarely discussed: for many, Christmas is a time of fear, tension, and hidden suffering.

Behind closed doors, cheer is replaced by dread. Houses displaying sparkling lights outside may be filled with intimidation, manipulation, and violence inside. While the world celebrates, some family members walk on eggshells, trying to avoid the next outburst.

Domestic Abuse is a global issue, and cases rise disturbingly during the Christmas period. Reports show a 15% increase in incidents (French, 2024), with countless more unreported. Financial pressures, unrealistic expectations, and increased alcohol consumption often escalate existing tensions, but none of these factors excuses violence.

It must be clear: Christmas does not cause abuse. Abusers do. The holiday season simply exposes what already exists behind the façade of a “happy family.”

A powerful example is the story of Samantha Billingham, who openly shares the hidden terror she lived through.

She recounts her first Christmas with her abuser: “On Christmas Day, instead of laughing around the table with my family, I sat in an armchair alone, staring into space as he visited his parents” (Billingham, 2022).

Her second Christmas was darker. Samantha describes how her then-boyfriend destroyed the Christmas tree and ripped down the ceiling decorations, shredding symbols of joy in anger before punching her in the head.

Almost a year later, he slapped her so hard he split her lip while she was holding their baby. That moment forced a truth upon her: it wasn't going to get better. It was going to get worse.

That was the day she decided to leave. Her daughter was the reason for taking this terrifying next step.

After escaping, Samantha learned what peace actually felt like during the holidays. Today, she celebrates Christmas with her daughter, free from fear. “Being a mother and watching the daughter who saved your life open her presents in a safe environment is such a magical feeling.”

Her story shows a hard but powerful truth: even in the darkest situations, there is a way out. There is hope. And there can be life after abuse, one where Christmas truly becomes a season of peace again, not pain.

You can help others turn silence into strength, just as Samantha did. Support our mission at AbuseRefuge.or.

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