Abuse doesn’t always look the way people expect. It can come from a family member, a sibling. From people you’ve known your whole life.
Ariana experienced abuse at the hands of her brother, someone who violated the trust of safety that relationship should’ve held. The impact didn’t stay contained to those moments. It followed her. Into her relationships, her dating life, and how she saw herself. It shaped how she moved through the world—often putting others first, while silencing her own needs.
When Ariana began counseling at House of Ruth’s Domestic Violence Support Center (DVSC), she shared how difficult it felt to set boundaries, especially with the people closest to her.
Because of you, Ariana had a safe space to start.
With consistent counseling sessions, Ariana started to slow down and reflect. To sit with her feelings. To understand where those patterns came from and why speaking up felt so hard. With her therapist, she practiced something new: naming her needs and setting boundaries.
This kind of healing takes time. One session doesn’t undo years of trauma.
But recently, something shifted.
For the first time, Ariana was able to express her needs to her family and what she can no longer do for them. Before, she would say yes and shut down. This time, she chose herself.
Ariana is still on her healing journey. However, because of you, she now has the language, the tools, and the support to keep going—for as long as it takes.
