The training you have as a social worker will either work tremendously for you,
by knowing to keep a professional distance, or against you, because you have
some inclination how to help her, yet also remain involved on a personal level.
Because of this, your situation is a bit different from many of the posts here.
Believe it or not, you may consider getting some advice on the side from a
collegue for your own well being to better understand the best approach to this.
Ultimately, you also know that healing and the survivor's choice and time to
heal is her journey. Who she takes along for the ride and who can handle it has
been documented by many of us here.


--- In positivepartnersofsurvivors@yahoogroups.com, "pattersonamy67"
<pattersonamy67@...> wrote:
>
> I've been with my partner 14 months. She has been in therapy since November
08. She is currently undergoing EMDR for the sexual abuse trauma and its
helping but its also bringing up so many emotions for her. I beleive she also
struggles with Borderline Personality Disorder. Although I'm a licensed
clinical social worker and "understand" these things professionally, it is
completely different to be a part of it on a personal level. She is having
terrible nightmares and is talking in her sleep, like a re-inactment, of things
that happened to her, begging her abuser to stop. I just laid next to her in
bed crying the other night as I listened to her inner-4-year-old beg and plead.
It was terrible! She's so afraid I will leave her and sometimes is so needy
that its almost suffocating to me. I love her with all my heart though and so
intensely hope we can survive this. I don't want to leave her. She's an amazing
woman. She told me she was sexually abused on our first date. It didn't freak
me out because I had dealt with it professionally many times. But as I said,
its different when its the person with whom you're in love. Any support, advice
or guidance would be so appreciated. Thanks
>