Hi Victoria,

I’m so sorry to hear that you were in a relationship were you weren’t treated like the wonderful person I can already see you are. I know in a way it’s horrible to look back and see all the pain, I know you feel angry and guilty, but here’s the thing. Feeling guilty and worrying about what you could have done differently doesn’t change what happened, but it prevents you from doing something else in the present. It keeps you stuck in a past that doesn’t serve you. Yes you made a mistake, you chose a man you didn’t love you the way you deserve to be loved, you trusted him to be a partner and a companion and he was the farthest thing from that. Allow yourself to feel the pain, after all no matter who he was and what he did, you still loved this man. But take your power back, focus on your life, focus on your son, cry when you need to cry and be honest about it. Instead of feeling guilty about everything, just learn from it. Apologize to your son if you feel you have wronged him by exposing him to this person and start re-building that relationship. And most of all don’t be ashamed, never be ashamed of loving someone even if they weren’t worthy of your love.