Today's episode contains discussion of domestic violence and abuse. If you need help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-799-7233. We'll have more resources in the show notes.

When I was 16, I had this friend and she was dating this guy. When I first met him, I can't say that I was impressed, but she was happy, so I kept my opinion basically to myself.

I started to hear some rumblings in the street about him and that he had actually

assaulted a homeless person. I worried about her because he seemed to have a short temper and I

didn't want my friend to be possibly assaulted too. I could see that she was feigning happiness

but would start to stare off into space a lot. One day I sat down with her

and asked her if she was okay. She told me that she was fine and thanked me for checking in with her.

She said she had older brothers, should anything go wrong. She did eventually admit that he had

tried to hit her in anger, but she fought him off.

She eventually told me that she felt guilty for making her boyfriend angry enough to actually be assaulted by him.

I reassured her that how he chooses to behave is not her issue and certainly does not warrant violence.

She told me that he apologized and everything,

but she wasn't going to be with him anymore. But I knew that was a lie. She kept dating her

boyfriend until she let me know that he was actually arrested for the murder of a homeless person

and told me he was accused of setting that person on fire. She later told me that

one of the reasons she found it hard to leave her relationship is because her father would

sometimes hit her mom. She then said that if she left her boyfriend, she was worried that she might

possibly not love her father who had done the same thing in front of her and her brothers.

I told her that guilt and shame should never be a part of a relationship and that I would be there for her should she need anything at all.

I just want to drop it hello.

Taking care of our minds is just as important as taking care of our bodies.

But how do you even start that journey?

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