Meredith Vieira welcomed Sarah Hyland to her show recently, and the two had similar stories of physical abuse to talk about.

Hyland, who recently got a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend Matthew Prokop, was able to open up to Vieira a bit about her trying experience, perhaps because the talk-show host could commiserate.

Vieira asked the 23-year-old actress, who visited The Meredith Vieira Show with her dog Barkley Bixby, about “moving beyond an abusive relationship.”

Vieira shared that when she was also 23, she went through “something similar,” and asked Hyland how she dealt with the adversity she’s faced in her life. They both counted themselves lucky to be out of the relationships.

Sarah Hyland addresses abusive relationship with her ex: 'The only way out is through' http://t.co/sfjM4euoC5 pic.twitter.com/KxhJiDVK0O

— USA TODAY Life (@usatodaylife) October 28, 2014

According to Hyland, she relies on the words of literary giants to find the strength to keep going through difficult times.

“There are two quotes that I want to say. One is a Dylan Thomas poem, ‘Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light,’ which is one of my favorite poems,” Hyland shared. “It just strikes a chord in me. And also Robert Frost’s ‘The only way out is through.'”

On September 19, 2014, Hyland obtained a restraining order against High School Musical 3 actor Matthew Prokop, 24. In court documents, she claimed the actor choked her, threatened to harm her dog and threatened to burn her house down.

Hey guys! I'm on the @meredithvieira show today!!! Special guest? Barkley!! Tune in! pic.twitter.com/Tr7YedqowW

— Sarah Hyland (@Sarah_Hyland) October 27, 2014

Hyland and Prokop first met in 2008 at an audition for High School Musical 3 and later co-starred in the Disney TV movie Geek Charming. They dated for five years before splitting up in August.

Hyland has kept a positive perspective despite the gravity of the situation.

“People have to go through things in order to become the person that they are today,” Hyland said. “And that’s that.”