Many of my friends are in abusive relationships
Many of my clients are too
Some of my clients are the abusers
But they don’t see it that way
I have to spell it out for them
For the abused also
No one believes it can happen to them
Some days I get tired
I drink too much wine
I do too many drugs
Because this work drains me
Has dried me out
My brain and my body
And then I abuse myself
I’m getting better
I stopped working
And then I went back slow and steady
Then it started to happen again
Now I take long breaks
Because the abusers never stop
despite my malaise
I can no longer do it
I’m gonna let you do it