Finding My Voice

A True Story About Domestic Violence in Thailand & Expat Community Silencing

De: Juanelle Louise Holl

Narrado por: Juanelle Louise Holl

A TRUE STORY

Follow the author's heart-wrenching story about her domestic violence experiences with her Thai ex-partner and the secondary trauma of not being believed, being pressured to stay silent by some of her expat community, and being gaslit into questioning her reality. It's about a mother fighting to protect herself and her two babies from psychological abuse during the COVID pandemic lockdown on a remote island in Thailand. In this raw memoir, Juanelle courageously breaks years of enforced silence to share her journey from survivor to advocate.

"Did it really happen?" "Was I being dramatic?" For years, she dealt with intrusive thoughts and feelings of confusion and betrayal. Silence wasn't protecting anyone—it was eroding her authenticity. Writing became her lifeline, forcing her to trust her perceptions again.

Psychological abuse, such as threats, intimidation and manipulation, has been legally classed as domestic violence in Western countries since the 1980s, with Thailand following suit in 2007. Despite this widespread legal recognition, many people still don't realise that psychological abuse is domestic violence and can result in legal proceedings. The taboo nature of this subject perpetuates misinformation within uninformed communities. When communities silence victims to avoid 'drama, ' they enable abusers who learn that there are no social consequences for psychological abuse. Victims are re-victimised and prevented from accessing appropriate help.

Finding My Voice is more than a survival story—it's a roadmap for recognising the signs of psychological abuse, understanding your legal rights, and proving that speaking your truth is the path to authentic healing.

From Bangkok to remote islands, expat women face unique vulnerabilities. Juanelle's story exposes the hidden patterns that put women at risk and reveals how knowledge and self-advocacy can save lives.

Because ultimately, your safety and healing matter more than anyone else's comfort.

©2025 Juanelle Louise Holl (P)2025 Juanelle Louise Holl

Made me cry

This book cracked something open in me. This is a mirror for anyone who’s ever been silenced or doubted their own truth. It left me shaken and inspired. I didn’t expect to cry, but I did.

Very impactful story

If you want to be inspired and learn how truly resilient people can be. If you’re in a bad relationship right now this is a good book to pick up.

engaging!

It's a very interesting story, sometimes it has hard situations as it's a true story based in real life, but it teaches a lot of lessons while being engaging and getting you into the story

A Vital Voice for Healing and Awareness

"Finding My Voice" is an incredibly brave and profoundly important memoir that fearlessly confronts the insidious nature of psychological abuse and the devastating impact of community silencing. I deeply admired was Juanelle's raw honesty in sharing her heart-wrenching experience as a mother fighting to protect her babies during the COVID lockdown, while simultaneously battling the gaslighting and disbelief from her expat community. This book truly emphasizes that your well-being matters more than anyone else's comfort.

humbling yet incredibly inspiring

This is a powerful story that helps us appreciate the many stakeholders and ripple effects of what can make domestic violence the perfect storm that can happen no matter your training or background and the issues that can persist long after it happens. It's challenging for many to listen to things that may be inconvenient or rather unconfortable but I love how this story is uncovering it all. It's important for everyone to listen and learn the ways that the perfect storms can unravel, how to support and acknowledge these occurrences while preventing them at least from being taken so far and from happening in the first place. Thank you for sharing and shedding light on such an important issue.

A Courageous Call to Break Silence

"Finding My Voice" is an incredibly brave and profoundly important true story that sheds much-needed light on the insidious nature of psychological abuse. I liked most was the author Juanelle's unflinching honesty in sharing her harrowing experiences with domestic violence, coupled with the painful secondary trauma of being gaslit and silenced by her own expat community in Thailand. This book is a powerful testament to the liberating and healing power of speaking your truth, reminding us that safety and authenticity always come first.

Highly recommend

I didn’t expect this book to hit so close to home, but wow… it did. Finding My Voice is raw, real, and deeply personal. Juanelle’s story isn’t easy to read at times, but it’s so important. She shares what it was like living through emotional abuse while being isolated during the pandemic, and the way people around her tried to downplay it or make her feel like she was overreacting really struck a nerve.

Powerful and brave memoir

This book is raw, honest, and so important. Juanelle's story shows how psychological abuse can be just as damaging as physical violence, and how hard it is when your community doesn't believe you. I admire her courage in sharing such painful experiences and breaking the silence. Her journey from confusion and fear to clarity and self-advocacy is inspiring.

This memoir is not only moving but also educational. It sheds light on the realities of domestic abuse and why speaking out matters. Highly recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the hidden side of abuse and the strength it takes to heal.

A Courageous and Essential Read

"Finding My Voice" is an incredibly powerful and raw memoir that left a profound impact on me. I found most compelling was the author's immense courage in sharing her deeply personal and heart-wrenching experiences with domestic violence, especially the often-overlooked secondary trauma of community silencing and gaslighting. It's a must-read for those who believe that safety and healing should always take precedence over societal comfort.

A Brave and Necessary Voice

Finding My Voice is a raw and powerful memoir that left me deeply moved. I liked most about this book is the author’s courage to speak openly about the realities of psychological abuse and the silencing that victims often face in their own communities. Reading it gave me both empathy and hope, and I believe it will give strength to many others as well.