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

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

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Starting Emotional abuse counseling

What is emotional abuse counseling?

Emotional abuse counseling helps victims heal from abusive relationships. 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 Waltham 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 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 Waltham, MA can last for a few weeks, months, or longer, depending on the individual’s exact needs and preferences.

Need more help deciding?

Often, the physical things carry more weight. In other words, we take the things that we can see or hold more seriously. Take our physical health for example. Because we can clearly see changes in our physical health, we pay attention to what might affect it and adjust our lifestyle accordingly: we diet, we exercise, we try to get more rest. However, many of us don’t take our mental or emotional health as seriously.

The same is true when it comes to physical and emotional abuse. Many recognize physical abuse as a serious problem, but emotional abuse isn’t as widely acknowledged, understood, or detected—even though it is more common and just as damaging.

“There are wounds that never show on the body. That are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.” –Laurell K. Hamilton

Those who fall victim to emotional abuse commonly feel guilty or ashamed, which makes seeking treatment a challenge in itself. However, counseling can prove significant to their recovery from emotional abuse. The emotional abuse counselors at Thriveworks in Waltham want to help you heal. They are dedicated to helping you out of the dark hole that you’re in and living a happy life despite the damage that emotional abuse has caused you.

What Exactly Is Emotional Abuse?

So, what exactly constitutes emotional abuse? Those who utilize this form of abuse are on a mission to control their victim. And they use a range of tactics to accomplish this mission, of which include:

  • Isolation: Emotional abusers will try to keep their victim isolated from friends and family. Here’s an example of how they might do so: Jon plans to visit his old college roommate this weekend. He tells his girlfriend Miranda how excited he is about his trip, only to feel guilty about going. She tells him she’s had a really stressful week at work and just wants to spend the weekend in bed with him. Can’t he go another weekend, she begs. Quickly, Jon gives in and tells her he’ll go next month instead.
  • Criticism: This is another tactic often employed by emotional abusers: they criticize the victim and manipulate them to believe they deserve it. Here’s an example: Jessica forgets to pick up the dry-cleaning on her way home from work. “Sorry Mom, I’ll pick it up tomorrow!” she says flippantly. But this isn’t received well. “Jessica, I needed my dress today. I have a very important job interview. You couldn’t do this one thing for me?” Quickly, Jessica feels guilty for forgetting. “I never do anything right,” she thinks to herself.

Other techniques employed by emotional abusers include humiliation, bullying, mind games, and insults. Any combination of these tactics proves hurtful to the victim(s), but often further empowers the abuser.

How Does Emotional Abuse Counseling Work?

To free yourself from emotional abuse, you must first free yourself from the abusive relationship: whether it’s an abusive romantic partner, an abusive friend, or an abusive family member. If you’re experiencing any form or degree of abuse, put your health and wellbeing first and get out. This is the first step toward healing. The rest of the process relies on your processing the abuse, understanding how it has affected and is still affecting you, and deciding to build healthy, mutually beneficial relationships moving forward.

An emotional abuse counselor at Thriveworks in Waltham can assist you on this journey toward healing. They can work with you to determine what you need to truly heal and move on from the damage that has resulted from the abusive relationship.

Start Emotional Abuse Counseling at Thriveworks Counseling in Waltham Today

If you’ve fallen victim to emotional abuse, you can find value in working with an emotional abuse counselor at Thriveworks in Waltham. The counselors at Thriveworks have the proper training and experience to help you recover from the abuse. They can help you process your experience with the abuse and move forward with your life. To schedule an appointment today, just give us a call at (781) 309-9149.

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 Massachusetts therapists and counselors accept 31 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts | BCBS Medicare Advantage (HMO | PPO)

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts | BCBS

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • Fallon Health

  • First Health Network

  • Harvard Pilgrim

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Self-pay costs at Waltham
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 Thriveworks Waltham reviews are collected through Thriveworks.com.
★★★★★
Brandon is a very kind and trustworthy counselor. He is dedicated to helping each person he sees and is very empathic to their needs. His caring and compassionate nature help put his clients at ease. He can help guide you through any difficulties you maybe facing.
Read more Brandon is a very kind and trustworthy counselor. He is dedicated to helping each person he sees and is very empathic to their needs. His caring and compassionate nature help put his clients at ease. He can help guide you through any difficulties you maybe facing.
Waltham Nov 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
You can tell within a short time of meeting Brandon that he cares about people and has the experience to help others with various needs. His patience, listening ear, and knowledge make him an exceptional counselor and person. You can tell he loves his job of helping his clients.
Read more You can tell within a short time of meeting Brandon that he cares about people and has the experience to help others with various needs. His patience, listening ear, and knowledge make him an exceptional counselor and person. You can tell he loves his job of helping his clients.
Waltham Nov 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Brandon Ellis is hands down the best counselor if you’re looking for someone who knows their stuff! His knowledge and expertise surpasses anyone I know. Brandon’s very approachable and easy to talk to. He cares about all of his clients and will work with you till you’re well. Please consider Brandon Ellis if you want a real expert.
Read more Brandon Ellis is hands down the best counselor if you’re looking for someone who knows their stuff! His knowledge and expertise surpasses anyone I know. Brandon’s very approachable and easy to talk to. He cares about all of his clients and will work with you till you’re well. Please consider Brandon Ellis if you want a real expert.
Waltham Nov 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Janan is a wonderful compassionate therapist who makes you feel heard and respected. She offers many ways to help with your problems like anxiety and depression that you can use every day.
Read more Janan is a wonderful compassionate therapist who makes you feel heard and respected. She offers many ways to help with your problems like anxiety and depression that you can use every day.
Waltham Nov 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Awesome/with 5 being the best.
Waltham May 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Kristen is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist. She is dedicated to her clients and she easily develops positive rapport with them.
Read more Kristen is a knowledgeable and compassionate therapist. She is dedicated to her clients and she easily develops positive rapport with them.
Waltham Apr 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
Kristen is an empathic and caring therapist. She really takes the time to understand her clients and her therapeutic style makes her clients feel validated and understood.
Read more Kristen is an empathic and caring therapist. She really takes the time to understand her clients and her therapeutic style makes her clients feel validated and understood.
Waltham Apr 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I am really glad I attended my sessions under Janan! She is a very helpful therapist and every time our session was finished I would leave feeling better about myself and would look forward to the next one! Seeking help is a very important step and I highly recommend Janan as your therapist.
Read more I am really glad I attended my sessions under Janan! She is a very helpful therapist and every time our session was finished I would leave feeling better about myself and would look forward to the next one! Seeking help is a very important step and I highly recommend Janan as your therapist.
Waltham Mar 2019
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Waltham can be reached by taking exit 43B on I-95, and following 2nd Ave to Bear Hill Road. We are located in the same complex as Eastport Real Estate Services. We are next door to Boston Engineering.

Phone number

(781) 905-8487

Languages spoken by MA providers

  • English
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
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

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
Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in ET

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