How to talk about abusive relationships

When I tell people what I do for a living, they usually say, “Wow! I could never do that. It must be so hard!” I always respond with, “Oh, but it’s so rewarding.” 

Every time this conversation topic comes up, I am struck by how intense people’s reactions are. Few people believe they would be capable of handling the kind of work that I do, and I want to change that.

I am a mental health counselor who specializes in working with people who have experienced sexual assault or intimate partner violence at some point in their life...