He loves me. He has a really sweet side. I am all he has. If only his boss wouldn't put him under so much stress. At least he doesn't hit me. He won't do it again. I can't do anything right. In this compassionate book written for victims of domestic violence, Joanna V. Hunter helps women face, head on, the excuses they tell themselves that keep them in abusive relationships. Using expert advice complemented by her story and the stories of dozens of other women who have survived and turned away from domestic violence, Hunter teaches women to identify the lies they've accepted understand what healthy thinking sounds like give themselves permission to stop taking the blame for their partners' behavior identify power and control plays stick up for their own needs and plan for their safety practice forgiveness 'Healing from abuse means you've taken back your power . . . My hope is that this book will help you shed labels, transcend the past, and walk into a better life�the one you've always hoped for.' Readers will develop the tools to operate not as victims, but as survivors, understanding the power that they hold to change their lives.