One of the most common questions victims of domestic abuse ask is whether abusers can change their behavior or not. In this article, we will explore this question in depth by discussing the psychological and emotional profile of an abuser, whether change is possible, and end with a final note about the support a survivor…
If you have experienced any form of emotional abuse – from family, friends, or romantic partnerships – you may wonder if you’ll ever find complete healing from the painful outcomes of that abuse. Perhaps you have resigned yourself to never feeling “normal” again. We believe you can find healing and even feel better than normal.…
Spiritual abuse, or religious abuse, is one of the most damaging forms of psychological coercion which can take years before a person fully heals from the trauma it causes them. Spiritual abuse happens in all religious or spiritual beliefs and systems. It is used within intimate relationships, parent-child relationships, and institutional or organizational structures (churches,…
The trauma bond created in some abusive relationships can make it difficult, and seemingly impossible to stay or leave the harmful relationship. Trauma bonds to abusive relationships as adults often are a perpetuation of trauma bonds first formed in early childhood. In romantic partnerships or other intimate relationships with interpersonal violence, trauma bonding takes place…
If you are in an abusive relationship, it may become so volatile that you can no longer avoid the reality that you need to leave or you may not live. Even then, leaving an abusive relationship isn’t easy and can be more dangerous than staying, if you’re not prepared and careful. In this article, we…
If you have ever witnessed a friend or family member in an abusive relationship, you likely feared for their safety, even their life and you would do anything to protect them. Yet, it seems that no matter what you say or do, many women remain in abusive relationships. Seeing them “choose” to stay with their…
In this story, Vesper (not her real name) met her boyfriend in another State. They had a fast beginning to their relationship when she fell deeply for him. He love-bombed her with affection, attention, gifts, and false promises of a blissful future. Filled with hope and a desire for a beautiful relationship, she moved out…
Many of us feel uncomfortable interviewing therapists before choosing them. It’s hard enough right now to find a therapist with the capacity to see new patients. So, when we finally find one “in-network”, we dive in head first. That’s not the wisest thing to do. Have you ever wondered, “Can couples therapy make things worse?”…
There’s been significant debate and public discussion about the term, mutual abuse, which has been used to conclude that some situations of domestic violence, psychological or physical, are actually mutual abuse with both people in the couple equally responsible for being both aggressors and victims. In this article, we’re going to debunk the myth about…
It’s no easy task to understand overt versus covert behaviors and how they play out destructively within relationships. Yet, understanding is the key to overcoming. Covert behaviors are incredibly confusing and especially difficult to discern. The person within the relationship on the receiving end of covert behaviors often has no idea what is going on…