Tag: emotional abuse

  • Learning the Difference Between Guilt and Responsibility

    theinkedvoice

    For most of my life, I thought guilt meant I’d done something wrong. Turns out, a lot of the time, guilt just meant I was trained to feel responsible for things that were never mine to carry. That distinction took me a long time to learn. Because when you grow up in a house where… Read more

  • Post 23: The Apology I Had to Give Myself

    theinkedvoice

    For most of my life, I waited for an apology that never came. I waited for my father to acknowledge the damage. For someone to say, “You didn’t imagine it.” For a moment where the past was named, owned, and put to rest. It took me years to realize something uncomfortable. That apology was never… Read more

  • Post 22: The Apology That Never Came

    theinkedvoice

    There are some things you wait your whole life to hear, even when you know deep down you never will. For me, it was simple. Three words. “I’m sorry, Michael.” Not sorry for the yelling. Not sorry for the fear. Not sorry for the moments that shaped the way I walk into a room, or… Read more

  • Post 17: The Quiet Never Left

    theinkedvoice

    When you grow up in a house where yelling is the soundtrack, quiet isn’t peaceful. It’s the pause before the storm. It’s the sound that tells you something’s wrong, even when you can’t name it. You start to feel the tension in your chest before it ever reaches your ears. You scan for signs: a… Read more

  • Post 13: The Baseball Glove That Stayed in the Closet

    theinkedvoice

    I was 27 years old when my baseball glove broke. At that stage of my life, a new one simply wasn’t in my budget. Money was tight, and buying something like that wasn’t a priority I could afford. But I needed a glove. I was playing in a baseball league, and without one, I couldn’t… Read more

  • Post #9: My First Trip to Florida: The Memory That Wasn’t Supposed to Happen That Way

    theinkedvoice

    I was seven years old. My parents had taken me to Florida… my first big vacation, my first time on a plane, my first trip to Disney World. It was supposed to be magical. It was supposed to be one of those bright, happy core memories that lives in a child’s heart forever. And I… Read more

  • Post 2: How to Break the Cycle: Small Steps to Heal from Childhood Emotional Abuse

    theinkedvoice

    Recognizing that you’ve carried toxic patterns from childhood into your adult life is a gut punch. It’s freeing but man it’s heavy. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. And then the big question hits you: Now what? I’ve been there. Maybe you’re there right now. So I want to share what I’ve learned: You… Read more