The next 3 ½ years were hell. by Olivia Gentile (Insider)
Account by a young man foreced into reunification with an emotionally abusive father. “The workshop doesn’t repair anything — it just forces you back into a situation where you’re afraid. It’s forced compliance through fear….When I was 17, my dad told me I had to go to court and testify against my mom, and claim that I wanted to live with my dad forever. And I didn’t want to do that, so I ran away. Certain things trigger me. If I’m watching a television show and there’s an abusive parent, I’ll start sweating and get very angry….I have debilitating panic attacks and night terrors. And the problem is, I can’t even go see a therapist about them because I can’t even be in a room with a therapist.“