Fort Refuge
Welcome to Fort!
Everyone here, from the founding administrators to the newest members, is on a journey of healing from abuse we suffered: child abuse, incest, sexual assault, rape, domestic violence, ritual abuse, or psychological and verbal abuse. We feel that all types of abuse are damaging, and we do not minimize any person's experiences. It is our goal to reach out to as many fellow survivors as we can with compassion, understanding, and encouragement. This healing journey we all are on can feel overwhelming and isolating at times. We offer peer support and resources to help you tackle some of the difficult issues faced by abuse survivors, as well as the opportunity to give support to others.
The inner strength of people who, like you, have survived a traumatic or abusive encounter is truly amazing, and we hope that you will find your place among us and feel a sense of belonging here. Many of us battle PTSD. Many are DID/MPD. Many struggle with Self Injury, Eating Disorders and Addictions. We are each at different places on this journey, but there is comfort in knowing that we are not alone. As we share our stories, thoughts and feelings, confusions and discoveries, philosophical ponderings and raw rants, poems and artwork, light-hearted jokes and craft projects, in essence - our strength, our journey is enhanced by what we learn from each other. Fort Refuge is all of us, as a whole, including you. Welcome!
Emotions are a good thing to have: they let us know what feels good (so we know to keep it), and what feels bad (so we know to change it). Without emotions we would be clueless as to where do we want to go with life. That’s how it’s supposed to work anyway.
Unfortunately, trauma can shake us up pretty badly, and some things might not fall back into place right away. We end up having emotions that aren’t guiding us towards a better life, but that keep us stuck in pain and misery instead. Moreover, these emotions often flood us at the wrong time: when we are at work, driving, grocery shopping, babysitting, or trying to have a calm evening with a p... 
Gotta tell ya I thought this place would boot me out if I got a little real with what's in my head but they don't - this is a real place where you can totally be yourself and that to me is sweet! ~DT16
Upcoming chats:
Help At Any Cost: How the Troubled-Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids, by Maia Szalavitz. A thourough investigation of the history and present state of this industry and its practices, a moving, often horrifying, first-person accounts of kids who made it through-as well as stories of those who didn't survive.
