Running

[rav3n]

oh yep you're right, thanks for clarifying that @avant-garde sucks that you have to wait so long while being on 3 waitlists - i hope the one you start in 2 weeks is a bit more useful, i imagine it is tricky hoping between different therapists and not having that consistency at the moment.

amazing!! do you enjoy the drawing or colouring part more? oo cooking and gym sounds fun - do you know what you'll be cooking next week, or do you find out on the day? 

[avant-garde]

@rav3n 

It's definitely taken it's toll on my mental health, having to rehash my story and what's going on over and over again. It didn't help that the one before this one was unprofessional and constantly gaslit me. Breathe. This one at the moment, I haven't been able to talk about it. 

At least with this one I'll be able to come back after I finish with these other agencies. One of the waitlists is to do EMDR with me. 

Drawing I think, but I did find the coloured pencils I had today to be inadequate so got a half decent set afterwards, not a cheap school set. 

Don't know what we're cooking until the day usually. 

[rav3n]

@avant-garde yep, that makes sense and it definitely is a lot to keep rehashing it. ugh so sorry to hear about the gaslighting that happened too!! got my fingers crossed that things speed up with the waitlist. how are you feeling about starting EDMR?

oh yeah, the quality of pencils really make a different, hey! i think i prefer drawing things over colouring too. 

i gotta hop off soon but i'll catch you next week, take care 💙

[avant-garde]

I'm not ok and I need someone to just hear me and not gaslight me, not tell me I'm wrong and not tell me that I'm deaf and hearing things

[rav3n]

hey @avant-garde we're here to listen. what's been happening for you? sounds like someone's been invalidating your experience?

[avant-garde]

I was at my usual Thursday meeting...

TW: rape, sexualised language, violence

Content/trigger warning

One of the ladies likes to make overtly sexualised jokes...
She joked with another one about peeping toms and their "home habits" and they made a joke about a woman raping a male intruder.

They then started talking about "female pleasure" and all the positive feelings...

The woman then approached me and "joked" about beating me and not just like a child...

I spoke up and said it's not ok

They all started saying I was hearing things, they were joking, that it's all in my head, they wouldn't joke about "that", they main "issue" said that this isn't the first time I've been wrong...

Content/trigger warning

The facilitator said that we're all women and it's completely appropriate to talk about "female pleasure"

@rav3n 

@Jynx this one

[rav3n]

wow, those are definitely some concerning 'jokes' to be throwing around... i'm sorry that they didn't acknowledge your response and became defensive instead. @avant-garde 

there is often a lot of taboo around discussing 'female pleasure' and it is an important topic, however i reckon there is a certain time and place to hold those discussions and it sounds like it wasn't being held respectfully in this space today. i also think you have every right to share what is and isn't comfortable for you, and it sucks that they didn't validate that.

[avant-garde]

@tyme 

It hurts you know

The everyday things I missed were home cooked meals, hot chocolate, even having access to a fridge, kettle, microwave...

One thing the homeless woman you know would probably really appreciate is just something she couldn't make herself anymore.

[tyme]

Thank you for sharing your insights @avant-garde . It is so powerful. There's nothing more powerful than hearing it from a person who has gone through it.

[avant-garde]

@tyme 

Maybe in a future edition of the newsletter... maybe even this one... I could write practical tips to mentally support the homeless...