Dian wrote: "A true victim is one that is not in control of their life and their chances of being "rehabilitated" are very small." Thank God I moved from victim to survivor. One of the great growth areas for me was in assertiveness training. Here's a segment from the book: "In the assertiveness training sessions, I learned that I was indeed passive-aggressive, allowing emotions to simmer until they exploded like an untended pressure-cooker. An assertive personality considers everyone’s rights while striking a balance between compliance and resistance. I learned that “no” is an acceptable answer all by itself. No. No. No. I had the right to say no, and the right not to feel guilty about saying no.
I learned how body language conveys messages. The psychiatric aide pointed out that I usually stood with my arms folded across my chest, as if to hold myself together. Or I sat on a couch with a pillow over my abdomen, as if to protect myself. In the assertiveness class, the aide encouraged me to practice standing in an upright posture that demonstrated control of my surroundings." Being assertive opened up avenues of empowerment for me.