Why do survivors sometimes feel sympathy for their abuser—even after deep harm?

In this episode of Experts Explain Trauma, UK-based counselling psychologist Dr. Tammy Oluyori unpacks this complex trauma response. She explains how people-pleasing, dissociation, fawning, and worthiness wounds can cause survivors to disconnect from their own pain and focus instead on the suffering of those who hurt them.

You’ll learn:

- Why feeling sorry for your abuser is a trauma response—not a character flaw

- How fawning and dissociation protect us from overwhelming pain

- What it looks like to build safety without needing others to be happy

- The power of anger and rituals in trauma recovery

- How to create healing practices that rewire your nervous system

Connect with Dr. Tammy Oluyori

Website: https://drtammyoluyori.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.tammy.oluyori

Ebook: Staying Rooted (https://drtammyoluyori.com/staying-rooted/)

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