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686,000 people sought help with Thriveworks in the last year

Discover how starting emotional abuse counseling can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

Good news! We have 52 therapists in Georgia available for an online or in-person session.

Starting Emotional abuse counseling

What is Emotional abuse counseling?

Emotional abuse counseling helps victims heal from abusive relationships. Emotional abuse includes Examples of emotional abuse may include:

  • Blaming others for their own behavior.
  • Publicly mocking, humiliating, name-calling, embarrassing, criticizing.
  • Separating someone from their family and friends.
  • Withholding affection or love.
  • Downplaying another person’s experiences, perspectives, emotions, or thoughts.
  • Using or objectifying people.
  • Denying access to money, medical care, food, transportation, or other crucial resources.
  • Using guilt, threats, or intimidation.

How does Emotional abuse counseling work?

Emotional abuse counseling with our Thriveworks therapists in Alpharetta gives people the safe space they need to identify and understand the harm they've experienced and move forward. Through therapy, many victims have rebuilt their self-esteem and self-worth; recognized that they did not cause the abuse, but their perpetrator is responsible for the choice to harm; identified their wounds and found the treatment they need; healed from the trauma; re-established their personal safety; grieved their losses; formed new, loving relationships; and learned to trust their experiences and emotions.

Is Emotional abuse counseling conducted in person or online?

Emotional abuse counseling at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.

How long does Emotional abuse counseling last?

Emotional abuse counseling with one of our Thriveworks therapists in Alpharetta, GA can last for a few weeks, months, or longer, depending on the individual's exact needs and preferences.

Need more help deciding?

Love, patience, kindness, and encouragement should mark any relationship, but the reality is that they often do not. Manipulation, put-downs, shaming, and accusations can creep into any connection, and when these are controlling and repetitive, they may be emotional abuse. The bruises, bleeding, and broken bones may be absent, but the harm to a person’s spirit is very real.

If a person is experiencing emotional abuse, they may…

  • Experience severe and persistent anxiety and fear.
  • Believe that nothing they do is right or good enough.
  • Be unable to express their own needs, thoughts, and emotions.
  • Walk on egg shells, wondering when the next rage or attack will occur.
  • Not trust their own experiences, memories, and perceptions.
  • Blame themselves for the emotional abuse.
  • Feel helpless and/or depressed.
  • Wonder if they are crazy.

None of these experiences are healthy in any relationship, but unfortunately, they are common. Emotional abuse can occur in any kind of relationship—between spouses, among friends, with a co-worker, from a parent to a child, within a religious community, and more. If you have been abused emotionally or if you are currently in an abusive relationship, know that resources are available for you. Many people need the support of friends and family, but emotional abuse is also a trauma that may need professional care.

Thriveworks Alpharetta offers counseling for emotional abuse because we understand how trauma wounds a person’s spirit. We see the wounds, even if others cannot. Our mental health professionals are committed to providing holistic care as our clients establish their safety and heal from emotional abuse.

Recognizing Emotional Abuse

Disagreements and tiffs are part of every relationship, and when done with respect, they are even signs of healthy individuality within connection. In contrast, people who emotionally abuse use emotional manipulation to control another person. They weaponized feelings to dominate what others do, feel, and think.

Emotional abuse is harder to define than other forms of abuse, but if you have experienced emotional abuse, you know it when you see it. Examples may help to bring understanding. The following may be emotionally abusive:

  1. Destroying or harming another’s possessions (Disposing of a family heirloom, a favorite picture, a meaningful letter, et cetera).
  2. Gaslighting (Making people feel crazy).
  3. Denying access to important resources (Limiting another’s means to education, money, food, transportation, or health care).
  4. Demonstrating extreme and inappropriate jealousy and/or possessiveness (“I own you.”).
  5. Trying to get things through threats, guilt, or intimidation (“A good wife would…”).
  6. Objectifying others (“Man up” or “You are such a girl”).
  7. Exploding with anger (Storming over minor infractions).
  8. Falsely blaming (“You broke [forgot, stole, moved, et cetera]…” when they know you did not).
  9. Withholding love to achieve a certain end (“I won’t be your friend unless…”)
  10. Disregarding or minimizing another’s experiences, opinions, and/or emotions (“you are overreacting/too sensitive”).
  11. Cutting off someone from their family and friends or using guilt to isolate them (“You never spend time with me, but you going to see your mom again”).
  12. Openly humiliating, shaming, embarrassing, mocking, name-calling, or criticizing (“if you used your brain…”).
  13. Being defensive instead of accepting responsibility for their own actions (“Well, you’re not perfect!”).

The details of each example differ, but each follows the same pattern: using emotions to manipulate another person. These tactics often begin slowly and then escalate. At the beginning of a relationship, they can be difficult to detect, and anyone can be the victim of emotional abuse—men, women, rich, poor, every race, and every socio-economic status.

Invisible but Real Wounds

Healthy relationships promote freedom and individuality, and when these are infringed upon, the results are severe. Advocate Aisha Mirza illustrates, “It is not the bruises on the body that hurt. It is the wounds of the heart and the scars on the mind.” Emotional abuse wounds a person’s mind and may result in depression, anxiety, fear, suicidal idealization, psychosomatic pain, substance abuse, hyper-vigilance, and more.

The wounds may not be visible or obvious, but they are painful and real. Healing those wounds takes time and possibly the care of a mental health professional. In a similar way to when people who are injured physically go to a doctor, people who receive wounds to their spirit may benefit from therapy.

Counseling may help victims heal by…

  • Naming and honoring the harm.
  • Determining the right treatment for the wounds.
  • Helping people understand that the abuse was not their fault.
  • Making people’s safety a priority.
  • Restoring people’s self-worth and voice.
  • Learning how to love and trust again.

Healing from Emotional Abuse with Thriveworks Alpharetta

When you read through the examples of emotional abuse, did you recognize any? Is someone in your life engaging in those destructive behaviors? If you or someone you love is being emotionally abused, know that Thriveworks Alpharetta is ready to help. We have appointments for emotional abuse counseling available.

When you call our office, our aim is to provide holistic care from the moment you dial our number. Many new clients meet with a therapist within 24 hours of their call. We work with many insurance companies and accept many insurance plans. Our therapists offer weekend and evening appointments.
Are you ready for a change? Call Thriveworks Alpharetta today.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Alpharetta therapists and counselors accept 21 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia | BCBS

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Blue Shield of California | BCBS

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • First Health Network

  • Humana Exchange

  • Humana HMO/POS

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Self-pay costs at Alpharetta
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

5.0 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
Mark has been a fabulous help to me. He listens well and remembers our previous conversations. He understands my concerns and offers insightful feedback. I would highly recommend him and your company to anyone who needs assistance. He is a great resource and a great representative for the business.
Read more Mark has been a fabulous help to me. He listens well and remembers our previous conversations. He understands my concerns and offers insightful feedback. I would highly recommend him and your company to anyone who needs assistance. He is a great resource and a great representative for the business.
Dale Jan 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Excellent therapist! Mark, is an expert in his field! The only therapist I will ever use! Definitely recommend Mark to anyone in search of a quality therapist!
Read more Excellent therapist! Mark, is an expert in his field! The only therapist I will ever use! Definitely recommend Mark to anyone in search of a quality therapist!
Alpharetta Mar 2022
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Jesslynn Palmer is a great therapist, with helpful techniques to get me through the stressful days and constantly helping me to do better than the day before. Highly recommended.
Read more Jesslynn Palmer is a great therapist, with helpful techniques to get me through the stressful days and constantly helping me to do better than the day before. Highly recommended.
Alpharetta Jun 2021
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Jennifer was absolutely wonderful. Very helpful at a time I was very much in need!
Alpharetta Oct 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Terry Walton is a great listener. Terry is compassionate, empathetic and easy to talk to. I’m looking forward to future appointments.
Read more Terry Walton is a great listener. Terry is compassionate, empathetic and easy to talk to. I’m looking forward to future appointments.
Alpharetta Sep 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Terry Walton is an exceptional counselor. Terry listens effectively and provides guidance to help resolve difficulties and important issues. If you are looking for a counselor that will truly establish a good relationship and allow you to be completely honest about your thoughts and feelings, he is the one. I am looking forward to my next session with Terry.
Read more Terry Walton is an exceptional counselor. Terry listens effectively and provides guidance to help resolve difficulties and important issues. If you are looking for a counselor that will truly establish a good relationship and allow you to be completely honest about your thoughts and feelings, he is the one. I am looking forward to my next session with Terry.
Alpharetta Sep 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Amber Gilbert is a phenomenal counselor. If you’re looking for a counselors who listens, validates, and asks the difficult questions to help foster self-reflection and self-awareness; she’s the one.
Read more Amber Gilbert is a phenomenal counselor. If you’re looking for a counselors who listens, validates, and asks the difficult questions to help foster self-reflection and self-awareness; she’s the one.
Alpharetta Jul 2020
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
My first session was amazing with my counselor. I can’t wait until my next appointment!!
Alpharetta Nov 2018
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Alpharetta is located on Powers Pl just off N Main St, a few minutes northeast of Wills Park. We share a building with Dream Seeker Elizabeth, and our neighbors include CITGO Food & Wine, Monkey 68 Kitchen & Bar, and From Hair On Salon. The closest bus stop to our building is N Main St & Mayfield Rd. If you have trouble finding our office or have any questions about how to get here, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Phone number

(770) 676-3078

Languages spoken by GA providers

  • English
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

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