Abuse & Neglect

Domestic abuse affects as many as one in four women and one in nine men during their lifetimes. But recognizing it isn’t always straightforward. Abuse rarely announces itself with obvious violence. More often, it builds slowly through patterns of control that erode your sense of reality, safety, and self—physical harm,…

Abuse is a dangerous and prevalent issue for many people. However, it can be incredibly nuanced, which might make it hard to identify for those experiencing abuse. One frequent example of this is called reactive abuse. Reactive abuse is something that occurs as a result of a victim responding strongly…

Q: Do you offer family therapy? My family has experienced domestic violence and would like a space to process abusive experiences.  A: Hello there, First of all, I’m sorry for what you and your family have experienced. A history of domestic violence within a family can be challenging to repair,…

Each October, volunteers, families, employers, and advocacy groups work together for a common purpose: to bring Domestic Violence Awareness Month into the public’s eye. Since 1989, 31 days in October remind us of the strength and resilience of domestic violence survivors—we’re encouraged to help support them through educating ourselves, volunteering, …

Camille and Amma couldn’t be more different. Camille is a 30-something journalist who prefers to stay under the radar. Amma, on the other hand, is her more outgoing and rebellious kid sister. That said, there is one common thread between them: their mother Adora. Or more specifically, her abuse. If…

The idea of brainwashing had a viral moment in the 1950s when the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) decided to wage psychological warfare against Communism. Project MKUltra secretly experimented with “mind control” techniques, dosing people with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) without their consent. In fact, at one point the CIA…

We sometimes use the terms “verbal abuse” and “emotional abuse” interchangeably… but we shouldn’t. Because while they might overlap, verbal abuse and emotional abuse are very different, with distinct characteristics and impacts. Verbal Abuse: The Aggressive Use (or Suppression) of Language Verbal abuse is the use of language to hurt…

By this point, Morgan’s used to being pushed around—literally and figuratively. Her boyfriend, Jon, who used to treat her with the utmost love and respect, became abusive about 2 years into their relationship. It started with words: demeaning, condescending, cruel words. Then it turned into a little nudge here and…

Statistics show that people who have been abused in the past are more likely to be abused in the future. This begs an important question: Do certain people attract abusers or abusive relationships? It’s important to note that abuse is never the victim’s fault. In fact, more often than not,…

We can spot an abusive friendship when we practice listening to ourselves. Your inner self will let you know what’s going on inside. Your mind constantly oversees your needs, wishes, and dislikes, and communicates to you through the language of bodily sensations. If you take the time to slow down…

When I think about violence, I shudder. Whether it’s two MMA fighters battling it out on TV, a kid lashing out at his mother, or an argument that has escalated into a physical altercation between partners. I find the latter case particularly disturbing. The first example is obviously an organized…

Gaslighting is a form of manipulation and emotional abuse whereby the perpetrator leads one to question their reality, their logic, their intuition—everything they know to be true. This manipulative behavior is observed among friends, family, colleagues… and, of course, romantic couples. So, what does gaslighting look like in a relationship?…