Abuse & Neglect

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…

There’s a collection of symptoms so common to betrayal it’s become known as Post Betrayal Syndrome. When it comes to gaslighting, it often goes hand in hand with betrayal because the gaslighter is intentionally weakening the self-esteem and resolve of their victim so that they maintain a sense of control,…

Gaslighting: As Emotional Abuse Emotional abuse sabotages someone’s feelings. It leaves the victim confused, unhappy, fearful, and incapable of ending the problem unless they can escape or outsmart the emotional abuser. Gaslighting sabotages the victim’s self-confidence. It leaves them fearful and unable to correct the lies being told to and…

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?…

A Comprehensive Look at Gaslighting For a complete and extensive understanding of gaslighting—a dangerous and frightening form of manipulation—pull up a seat and get ready for a lesson from Licensed Clinical Social Worker Sheri Heller. She explains exactly what gaslighting is and how these manipulators pull it off: “Gaslighting is…

The New Reality for School I love the beginning of fall. School has just begun, with all of the excitement and anticipation it brings. It is like the children’s version of New Year’s Eve, but with all of their promises and resolutions for the new school year. While many of…

Marriages with Domestic Violence For those of you who remember the TV show called “The Honeymooners”, you remember the character Ralph Kramden. He spent most of each episode with his good friend Ed Norton trying to scheme and strike it rich. His wife Alice was always there to bring him…

Physical and Sexual Harassment • 32% of college students report being a victim of physical harassment. • 8.5% of college students carry a weapon such as a gun, knife or club (within 30 days; not for job reasons). • 13.2% have participated in a physical fight within 12 months. •…

When does it become emotional blackmail? It’s not entirely uncommon to acquiesce to your partner’s requests. After all, you can compromise as well as the next person. But when does healthy compromise turn into something else–something more sinister and harmful? 6 Warning Signs of Emotional Blackmail If you often find…

Tips on Fighting Emotional Blackmail Emotional blackmail is an issue far more commonplace than people realize. It is defined as someone preying upon the emotions and sensibilities of another for personal gain, rather than external data. This form of extortion usually occurs within close relationships (fathers and sons, mothers and…