[Kate*]

I tell other people what you have done to me and THEY use the word abuse without my prompting. I've obviously given you more respect than you deserve by not wanting to call it that.

How do you get over being abused by so many people, in different settings, in different ways? I can accept that one or even a few people were ridiculously out of line, but I have a hard time believing that they ALL were, which is how I came to the false belief that there was something about me that meant that I deserved it. How do I get my confidence back and believe in myself again? And if you say that you can't tell me we're going to have problems. Even if that's not your role with me, you should be able, as a professional, to understand and offer me SOMETHING to start with.

I'm stubborn, but you said it yourself, I'm not stupid; when asking for help has backfired EVERY TIME you've tried it for your entire life, you eventually learn to stop doing it. And then you get in trouble for NOT asking for help, you can't win and you give up. It's a wonder I haven't quit already.