Hell YES!! I went to get through a divorce after my JW husband cheated on me 4 times.....14 years of being a submissive wife was actually me not knowing how to stand up for myself and have a say in my life. I went from my JW parents home to my husbands home and when my world fell apart from his philadering and bipolar CRAZY A$$, I didn't know which end was up and had no way of supporting myself in the lifestyle my children had become accustomed to. So I enrolled in school, started therapy, "drifted away - YAY" and finally I'm LIVING!!! That was 6 years ago and each passing day, month, year is AWESOME!! I, like some others I've seen post, have continued therapy, and I'm actually graduating in December with my Bachelors in Psychology and will start graduate school to become a counselor in the Spring!! I hope to help OPPRESSED women, whatever their circumstance....go to therapy, you'll be glad you did!
Did any of you need counselling or psychotherapy as a JW?
by TimothyT 33 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Band on the Run
Several mds told me they won't treat active JWs b/c of past experience. They break the usual ethical stance about not revealing their personal feelings. It is the d'f'ping and the consequent breakdown of families and loss of all friends that they find frightful.
My JW father was so abusive and getting worse (death was a real possibility) that I wrote to a teen fashion magazine. He targeted me and I accepted it. One night he hit me, routine, and also brutally beat my younger brother or sister. My mom was loving but enabled him. I was so young. The mag had an advice column, a la Ann Landers. I was worried they would print my letter and I'd get beat worse. Wisely, I used a friend's name and address on my letter. They sent me a reply, telling me to absolutely believe them that he was wrong and the telephone number and address of my local social services agency. I was so JW indoctrinated I believed Jehovah would punish me and punish me greatly. Walking far away from home, I kept calling and hanging up the phone. It was like Armageddon was going to be triggered.
My mom found the letter, snooping around my room. She told me and I freaked. I was going to die. To my shock, she telephoned and we went together. JWs were an integral part of the mess. The agency wanted the brothers to intervene. My mom grew up in a family active since Russell and we had many former Bethel members in our family. My dad being one. She explained why it would make matters extremely worse. They wanted me to move far away. I would not leave my mom and siblings. I would not being alive without them. It was the first time I could talk with responsible adults about what happened at home. Venting helped me. My mom never would have survived. Nothing changed until my father died of natural causes. Seeing a counselor broke my isolation. They encouraged me so much to go to college. Heck, they wrote my essays for me.
The Witnesses and my father were no longer right in my mind. Rape seemed imminent. They devised practical strategies that I could get help. For instance, I could no longer go home and ever be alone with my father. My younger sister was not enough ammunition. Only if my mom or my physically large brother were home could I be home. I worked after school some days and other days I just studied in the library until my mom was thru with work.
Everything was done respectfully. I was never told I was at high risk for rape. They told me when I was well into my twenties. I was playing parent to my siblings. They served as surrogate parents. I never told anyone I was going. The agency had other JWs later. My counselor's face revealed so much when she voiced her opinion about the Society. It isn't about doctrine. There was a group called Fundamentalists Anonymous that appeared on Regis Philbin. I called a producer and called the guest. He was working with JWs after 1975 and Armstrong's church. They needed a lot of suicide prevention. Regular people can never appreciate how hard it is for most people to leave. It is hard to leave if you have no other family or friends which is true of most Witnesses.
My transition years were hell. I was so terrified even when I knew at a gut level the Witnesses were as wrong as can be. Thank God for public school and secular employers.
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Think About It
Welcome Miss Nic. That was an awesome first post.
Think About It