Behind the Black Belt: Part 2

Aware And Prepared

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Elicia delves deeper into the abuse she endured and and how it affected her adult life. After leaving her abusive relationship and moving out she struggled with the trauma and feelings of guilt instilled by those around her. She explains how her abuser’s manipulation made her doubt herself for years, and it wasn’t until she reflected on her experiences as an adult that she fully realized the extent of the coercion.

She shares the challenges of reclaiming her sense of self-worth and the process of breaking free from the mental grip of her past abuser.

Through teaching others her self defense program, she began to confront her own unresolved trauma and found empowerment in helping women recognize and defend themselves against both physical and emotional abuse. This new purpose gave her the strength to share her story publicly, break the silence around her experience, and become an advocate for other survivors.

LESSONS LEARNED

Healing Takes Time and Self-Reflection: Fully understanding the extent of past abuse and its impact often requires time, reflection, and self-awareness.

Reclaiming Self-Worth: Breaking free from the mental grip of an abuser involves rebuilding self-worth and undoing years of manipulation and guilt.

EMDR Therapy as a Healing Tool: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy helped Alicia process her trauma and confront painful memories, facilitating deeper healing.

Empowerment Through Helping Others: Teaching others, especially in areas like self-defense, can be a powerful way to heal from personal trauma and regain control over one’s life.

Breaking the Silence: Speaking publicly about her experiences gave Alicia a sense of liberation and allowed her to help others who may be suffering in silence.

Turning Pain into Purpose: Alicia’s journey shows how trauma can be transformed into a driving force for advocacy, helping others through her personal experiences.

RESOURCES

Pretty Hands Hard Punches – Elicia's women’s self-defense program, designed to empower women to recognize and defend against both physical and emotional abuse. PrettyHandsHardPunches.com

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