I’ve told Tom that it’s over and that I will be moving out as soon as I can. He keeps trying to hug me, but I brush him off. We haven’t had any physical contact for six months and no longer sleep in the same bed, so why now?

I know now that he will never change. I’m starting to understand why I was attracted to him in the first place, and I’m putting plans in place to leave him. When I go, I will have no money and no furniture, but I don’t care. I will have my children, and we will have our future happiness.

He has agreed to give me a small sum of money for a deposit; everything else will come bit by bit, but I’ll manage. Thankfully, the therapy has helped me see how strong and resilient I am, and I know I’ll cope even though it will probably be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.