Beyond Survival to Freedom
Beyond Survival to Freedom is a journey that honors every stage of healing—Victim, Survivor, and ultimately, Freedom. Each phase is vital, but surviving is not the finish line. Surviving is about what happened to you; Freedom is about reclaiming your power, choosing your path, and creating a future that’s no longer defined by the past. Our DV Victim course is designed to walk with you through this process, helping you move beyond survival and into a life of purpose, strength, and self-defined freedom.
Victimization
Mindset: Defined by the trauma; feeling broken, powerless, and trapped. (denial, shock, or self-blame).
Emotional State: Dominated by fear, confusion, shame, and helplessness.
Focus: The primary focus is on enduring, getting through the moment, or simply surviving the experience. There is little to no emotional energy for anything else.
Survival
Mindset: Acknowledging the abuse and its impact. The thinking shifts from "This is my reality" to "I’ve survived something horrific"
Emotional State: A wide and often conflicting range of emotions, including anger, grief, deep sadness, and anxiety, but also glimmers of hope and determination.
Focus: The focus vacillates between to actively acknowledging the trauma: learning coping mechanisms, setting boundaries, seeking therapy, and building a support system, while still deeply affected by the psychological, emotional, and sometimes physical fallout of a past traumatic event.
Freedom
Mindset: "The abuse is part of my history, but it does not define who I am." There is a sense of responsibility, acceptance and peace.
Emotional State: While memories may still exist, they are no longer emotionally overwhelming. The dominant feelings are peace, self-worth, confidence, and joy.
Focus: The focus is on living a full and authentic life, grounded in awareness and humble confidence. This means embracing the present, looking toward the future, and moving forward with responsibility and accountability in all aspects, including building healthy relationships, pursuing passions, and experiencing new things.
© 2025 Dr. Denise Healy and Dr. Jennie. All Rights Reserved.
The Survivor to Freedom theory is the intellectual property of both Dr. Denise Healy and Dr. Jennie and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law. No part of this content may be copied, reproduced, distributed, or republished without express written permission from the authors.