After spending my entire adult life in therapy, I learned a lot. Such as...I like more things about myself than just my hair. I like me(!) more days than not. How to avoid being beat up by someone else. Also, how to sleep at night instead of lying there beating myself up for all the things I did wrong. How to make a new plan, walk away while I still can, run, duck, and best of all to pick better friends. (Don't judge me by my relatives--please--but everyone judges me by the kind of people I call friends.)I learned to take care of myself and others in need of a helping hand. I learned that I am about a whole lot more than just sex. Sex should not hurt. I can say no. I can say no and mean it. I can say no with attitude. I can say no really loud. I can say no. I have the right to say no. The laws of this country I live in agree with me. I say no when I have to even when I want to say yes. I can put my needs first sometimes. I learned to say "I deserve(d) better than that". I learned I'm not alone. I also learned to smile with my whole self and not just my mouth. I learned to laugh--often. I learned to survive. I am a survivor. I am not always able to prevent myself from being a victim, but I do my best to not be a Victim. There is a difference. I learned to love. I learned to trust. I learned to live.