Before I share individual experiences, I want to set context. Not emotion.Not detail.Simply the timeline those experiences grew inside. I was born in 1981.By the end of 2025, social services will have been present in my life — directly or indirectly — for 44 years.Of those years, 36 involved active, known involvement.A further 9 involved… Continue reading Before the Stories: Context
Tag: healing
Behind Closed Doors: The Silence That Speaks Louder
When people speak about social services, the narrative is rarely simple. It swings between outrage and relief, trauma and transformation. For some families, intervention marks the beginning of healing. For others, it’s the start of a long and painful journey. What’s often overlooked, though, is that even in the rare instances where support leads to… Continue reading Behind Closed Doors: The Silence That Speaks Louder
They Say It’s My Fault My Mind Is Broken
They say it’s my fault.That my mind is broken because I didn’t seek help.But how do you ask for help when you were taught your voice didn’t matter? As a child, I learned quickly that silence was safer. My pain was invisible to the people who were supposed to protect me. When I cried, they… Continue reading They Say It’s My Fault My Mind Is Broken
Be a Better Parent
Someone on TikTok recently commented,“Be a better parent.”Just three words. Simple. Sharp. Careless. And I wish it were that simple. I won’t sit here and deny my mistakes.I won’t pretend I didn’t fall apart.When my mental health collapsed, I made choices I wish I could undo. I caused pain—real pain—and I carry the weight of… Continue reading Be a Better Parent
When Speaking Up Becomes a Weapon
They tell you to speak.To reach out.To be brave and ask for help.They urge you to be honest, to share your struggles, to show them you're trying. But what they don’t say—what they never warn you about—is what happens next. Because the moment you speak, your words stop belonging to you.They become evidence.Twisted.Framed.Used. That cry… Continue reading When Speaking Up Becomes a Weapon
The System Failed Me First
As a child, I suffered in silence. No one came to save me. No one looked closely enough. No one listened when I needed them to. I carried bruises you couldn’t see and wounds that never had the chance to heal. I did what so many children do—I survived the best I could with what… Continue reading The System Failed Me First
thegirlspeaks.uk 