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.

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.