That really stinks to not have the support you need from your father in order to rebuild your self confidence and to have the needed encouragement to regain your independence.

Of course getting out into the world to make new friends and have new experiences is going to be slow going at first. However, as Eskie, who writes here often will tell, moving accross country and making new connections was life changing in a positive way.

I'd don't think that even for myself, I would be where I am now in life, if I was under the shadow of either of my parents. Old friends live far away. I've made some newer connections through the years and have seen unexpected reconnections with extended family that weren't a prominent presence before.

It takes time to heal, but not being sequestered or geographically isolated matters.