Mental Health
Emerging from the shadows of trauma and breaking the silence
Bernadine Fox was the 2022 recipient of the Courage to Come Back Award in the Mental Health category .
Bernadine Fox Bernadine ' s book Trangression Series
Early life and childhood
Bernadine Fox ’ s life began in the vast openness of Alberta ’ s bald flat prairie , a place known for its wild beauty and expansive skies , but for her , it was a place of darkness . Her childhood was marked by unspeakable abuse and exploitation at the hands of people she was supposed to trust . For years , she carried those early traumas in silence , turning inward , finding strength where most would find only despair . But trauma , especially from childhood , doesn ’ t vanish with age . It shapes how you see the world , how you navigate relationships and how you protect yourself . For Bernadine , it created a quiet strength and a will to survive .
Trusting the therapist
But even with that strength , surviving childhood trauma is not the same as healing from it . Healing , she learned , would take years of reckoning with layers of pain , anger and trust issues that had been forged in those early years . As she began to explore mental health therapy to confront her trauma , she put her faith in the hands of a therapist , who seemed to represent everything Bernadine needed : a guide , a safe place , an ally .
Her therapist was reputable with a sterling reputation , highly respected in the mental health community as a leader in addressing trauma and abuse . She provided hope . She had impressive credentials and accolades . To Bernadine , it felt as if she had found a healer who understood her pain , someone who could help her navigate the shadows and finally emerge . But her therapist , Pam , was hiding something beneath her polished exterior — a dark agenda that would exploit Bernadine ’ s trust and vulnerability .
Betrayal and manipulation
Over time , Pam shifted from a trusted therapist to a figure of manipulation and abuse . Under the guise of ‘ therapy ,’ her behavior became more invasive , leading to inappropriate and ultimately exploitative actions . What Bernadine thought was a therapeutic relationship was slowly dismantled by Pam ’ s harmful motives , which were aimed at satisfying her own needs rather than helping her client heal . The lines blurred until Bernadine felt trapped , manipulated into believing she was complicit in the very actions that were causing her harm . Pam ’ s tactics were classic , grooming Bernadine under the guise of a unique , ‘ special ’
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