Episode 44 - Finding Your Voice After Emotional and Financial Abuse with Amanda J. Scott
By Jessica Garrison
Episode trigger warning: abuse
Through our connections with Podmatch, we have been able to meet so many extraordinary women, and Amanda J. Scott is another one we can add to our growing list. She is a passionate, kind, and empathetic person to herself as well as others.
Amanda describes her why and values as a compass that guides her, explaining how she ended up in the work that she does. During her 17 years of marriage, she experienced emotional and financial abuse, and a common aspect of abuse is isolation. Amanda didn’t want to keep the journey to herself, so it’s important for her to let other women know that they are not alone. For a long time Amanda says that she didn’t have a voice, and she doesn’t want that to ever happen again, to her or to anyone else. The power of women supporting women, especially in living unapologetically, is a discovery that changed her life. Amanda shares how critical it is for women to have at least one female friend who knows and understands them. Your friends are also there to remind you of your worth and are a great support for your path forward.
Women’s stories matter, though there isn’t always a platform for women to share their stories in a safe way. It took time for Amanda to not only come back to herself, but to also put her experiences into words. She wrote a book entitled Finding My Way Back To Me, detailing the days that led up to her courageous decision to leave her husband and how she reclaimed her life. Embracing her layers have made her feel strong and empowered, contributing to her resilience and the reason why she could leave her abusive relationship.
Amanda also says how she stopped tolerating people who were disrespectful towards her, and this gave her a greater sense of self-respect. She lives her life authentically, and this helps those around her do the same. If we see someone we look up to treating themselves kindly and living the healthiest life they can, then we are inspired to do the same. This has also deepened her connection with her daughters, which warms my heart even more to know that her daughters have such a wonderful role model in their lives.
I want to end this blog with a comment Amanda made for everyone to remember. If you take nothing else away from this episode, remember that “it’s never too late to come home to yourself.”
Ways to Engage: Ask yourself, “What does love look like for me? What does a healthy relationship look like to me?” Don’t look at what other people have or what other people say you should have. Ask yourself these questions and answer honestly, intentionally, and without expectations. Once you have your answer, start the journey towards living this.
Resources:
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Text START to 88788
The Center For Relationship Abuse Awareness (Education & Action)
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