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Escape the Paradox

Escape the Paradox

By: Helena Hickman
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About this listen

Covering: Coercive Control | Domestic Violence | Childhood Trauma | Childhood Abuse | Healing after Abuse | Healing after Trauma | PTSD | C-PTSD | Trauma Recovery | Emotional and Psychological Abuse


Welcome to Escape the Paradox, where I expose the hidden reality of coercive control and domestic violence including psychological, emotional and physical abuse.


I’m Helena, a survivor of childhood abuse. I'm a mental health nursing student and advocate, here to support you in breaking free from the confusion, fear, and isolation that abuse creates.


Home should be the safest place, but for many, it becomes the most dangerous.


In each episode, I share my personal story and dive into my own experiences, as well as survivor experiences, trauma-informed insights, and expert research to help you understand the mechanisms of abuse and begin your healing journey.


We’ll explore tactics such as gaslighting, and how abusers wield and seek power and control, not to diagnose, but because naming abuse is the first step in reclaiming your reality.


If you're ready to reconnect with your truth and rebuild your self-worth through clarity and understanding, you’re in the right place.


Follow Escape the Paradox on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok: @escapetheparadox.

© 2025 Escape the Paradox
Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Choosing a Therapist or Counsellor | During and After Coercive Control, Abuse, Domestic Violence, Childhood Trauma
    Aug 5 2025

    Send us a text

    Coercive Control | Domestic Violence | Childhood Trauma | Childhood Abuse | Healing after Abuse | Healing after Trauma

    Finding the right therapist or counsellor can feel overwhelming, especially after experiencing abuse or trauma (or maybe while you're still experiencing it). In this episode, I share practical tips for choosing a professional who truly understands coercive control and can support your healing journey.

    Welcome to Escape the Paradox, a podcast dedicated to exposing and exploring the truth about coercive control, emotional abuse, and the long-term trauma caused by abusive relationships.

    Whether it's childhood abuse from a parent, intimate partner violence, or domestic abuse in any form, this podcast dives into the patterns, dynamics, and the psychological impact.

    My name is Helena, and I am your host! I share my own lived experience as a survivor of childhood abuse, while also creating space for survivor stories, expert insight, and compassionate support.

    Healing is non-linear, and a complex and difficult process.

    If you're looking for support, please visit escapetheparadox.com to learn more about my services in abuse consulting and advocacy and 1:1 sessions.

    Don't forget to subscribe (follow) wherever you get your podcasts!

    Remember: It's not your fault, and your story matters!

    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • Smear Campaigns | What They Are, How to Spot Them, and How to Cope
    Jun 22 2025

    Send us a text

    Coercive Control | Domestic Violence | Childhood Trauma | Childhood Abuse | Healing after Abuse | Healing after Trauma

    When you leave an abusive relationship, especially one marked by coercive control, it’s not uncommon for the abuser to launch a smear campaign. This is a deliberate attempt to discredit you, isolate you, and control the narrative after you’ve left. In this episode, I break down what a smear campaign is, the red flags to watch for, and how you can protect your peace without exhausting yourself trying to prove your side.

    Together, we will also explore why people often believe the abuser, and how to respond when they do.

    Whether you're navigating family fallout, social betrayal, or character assassination, this episode offers clarity, validation, and useful tips to help see this through.

    Welcome to Escape the Paradox, a podcast dedicated to exposing and exploring the truth about coercive control, emotional abuse, and the long-term trauma caused by abusive relationships.

    Whether it's childhood abuse from a parent, intimate partner violence, or domestic abuse in any form, this podcast dives into the patterns, dynamics, and the psychological impact.

    My name is Helena, and I am your host! I share my own lived experience as a survivor of childhood abuse, while also creating space for survivor stories, expert insight, and compassionate support.

    Healing is non-linear, and a complex and difficult process.

    If you're looking for support, please visit escapetheparadox.com to learn more about my services in abuse consulting and advocacy and 1:1 sessions.

    Don't forget to subscribe (follow) wherever you get your podcasts!

    Remember: It's not your fault, and your story matters!

    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Feelings of Guilt After Leaving Abusive, Coercive Relationships
    May 18 2025

    Send us a text

    Coercive Control | Domestic Violence | Childhood Trauma | Childhood Abuse | Healing after Abuse | Healing after Trauma

    "I feel guilty"

    If you’ve escaped coercive control or domestic violence, you’re probably no stranger to guilt. Feeling responsible for the pain your abuser claims to suffer after you leave is common. In this episode, I explore what guilt is, why it's not always trustworthy, and how guilt can also be used by abusers to manipulate.

    Your safety and healing come first. You’re not alone, and that guilt doesn’t mean you made the wrong choice.

    References

    The psychophysiology of guilt in healthy adults - This study explored the neurobiology behind the feeling of guilt, and I mention it in the episode.

    Welcome to Escape the Paradox, a podcast dedicated to exposing and exploring the truth about coercive control, emotional abuse, and the long-term trauma caused by abusive relationships.

    Whether it's childhood abuse from a parent, intimate partner violence, or domestic abuse in any form, this podcast dives into the patterns, dynamics, and the psychological impact.

    My name is Helena, and I am your host! I share my own lived experience as a survivor of childhood abuse, while also creating space for survivor stories, expert insight, and compassionate support.

    Healing is non-linear, and a complex and difficult process.

    If you're looking for support, please visit escapetheparadox.com to learn more about my services in abuse consulting and advocacy and 1:1 sessions.

    Don't forget to subscribe (follow) wherever you get your podcasts!

    Remember: It's not your fault, and your story matters!

    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
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