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…
To some, it may seem implausible that an “institution” or “organization” can abuse people, but it can. Let’s see what abuse looks like in institutional settings, its effects on victims and their loved ones, and how to recognize, prevent, and heal from it. WHAT IS INSTITUTIONAL ABUSE AND WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF IT?…
Discerning the experiences and stories of two people can be tricky and confusing. This is especially true when a long history of abuse is involved and the victim’s internal defense mechanisms are triggered by recurring abusive attacks. Both people act in ways that could be considered violent and abusive to an outsider. This may make…
“Covert” means “hidden” or “secret”. Covert abuse involves tactics of coercive control that are hard to spot, difficult to define, and nearly impossible to confront. This subtle form of emotional abuse usually continues unabated for years or decades before the victim recognizes their own trauma. Covert abuse happens in all types of relationships: friendships, families,…
I learned from a young age that mistakes, even simple mistakes on a homework assignment, equaled pain. I feared my father’s hands until I filled my own with love.
Gaslighting. Most of us have heard the term before. Many use it regularly. Some of us have been its victims. But what is gaslighting? How does it play out in real life? How do you know if you or someone you love is being gaslighted? What is gaslighting? The dictionary definition of gaslighting is…
In a recent blog, we discussed the surprisingly high incidence of intimate partner violence on college campuses. It was amazing to learn how little we hear about IPV on college campuses in light of how often it actually happens. Equally alarming is how large is the number of victims who do not report the abuse…
Many of us have sent our kiddos off to college, excited about the fun, deep and life-changing experience college can provide. We spend years equipping them for their future. When the time draws near for them to leave, we may even prepare them (especially if we have girls) for the potential dangers they might face…
Lyn’s story demonstrates beautifully the path from victim to survivor to heroine. Please know that it is not always easy to hear about the abuse someone endured for years. We hope that in the reading you will learn and understand more about abuse and double abuse, and that compassion will arise within you. If you…
It can be hard sometimes to feel as if you will ever be “back to normal”. The idea of celebrating life or experiencing joy might be far-removed from where you are right now. Here at The M3ND Project, we firmly believe that everyone can find healing and wellness; even if it takes some time. We…
