Just to say being in an abusive marriage for so long left me on the verge of PTSD.   And by the time we separated, I had also separated from my emotions, dissociated rather severely, and was very depressed.  I took the usual medications for depression and mood stabilization, none of which worked.  What it took was time, more than anything else.  About 5 yrs to reconnect with my emotions and bring all those dark memories/places into the light.  (And yes, the meds might have facilitated my getting to that point.)  Once I could remember the abuse with more clarity and realize I was not physically "there" anymore, that's when I started to heal.  Finally, I wrote it all out and let my therapist read it.  She said, "I feel honored that you chose me to share this with."  That's what I wanted to hear -- that someone was listening and caring.  And after seeing her for 5 yrs and not making any headway, this event led to my seeing her only a few more months.  And the burden lifted significantly.  I could go the rest of the way by mysef.

Donna