Read on Psychology Today For survivors of childhood sexual abuse. KEY POINTS Sexual problems that former victims of sexual abuse experience may include sexual aversion or promiscuity. Realizing that many former victims of child sexual abuse suffer similar sexual issues as adults can help survivors feel less alone. Survivors of sexual abuse may cope in passive ways, like choosing an abusive partner, or in aggressive ways, like being abusive...

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Not all abusers are narcissists and not all narcissists are abusers. Posted November 10, 2022 KEY POINTS Symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) include a grandiose sense of self-importance and a need for admiration, among others. Many people with NPD may not be aware that their behavior is hurtful or abusive. The three subtypes of NPD are grandiose narcissism, vulnerable narcissism, and malignant narcissism. Narcissists are often...

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Part II: Self-kindness can help you get stronger if emotionally abused. Posted October 29, 2021   KEY POINTS Self-kindness is a powerful tool to help heal emotional abuse. People need to take the time to acknowledge how much the abuse has hurt them. Comforting oneself through self-kindness can be the beginning of the healing journey. This is Part II. in my series on how self-compassion can help heal victims of emotional abuse. Once you...

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Part 1: How practicing self-compassion can help heal emotional abuse. Posted October 28, 2021 KEY POINTS Self-compassion is a powerful tool for those who experience emotional abuse. Those experiencing emotional abuse seldom offer themselves compassion. Self-compassion can help you develop more self-acceptance. If you have been a victim of emotional or physical abuse, you are probably very good at putting yourself in your partner’s position and...

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An effective shame-reduction program. As I have shared in my previous posts, I believe that shame is the most damaging aspect of emotional abuse, so much so that I designed a shame reduction program for emotional abuse victims. This proprietary program has been highly successful with my clients. It features six major avenues for reducing or eliminating the shame of emotional abuse. They are: Emotional abuse de-programming. Like members of a...

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Heal your shame in order to end an emotionally abusive relationship. Emotional abuse and shame go hand in hand—a perfect marriage, so to speak. Shame is a significant factor in emotional abuse since it is the primary damage caused by emotional abuse. It is also the primary tool used by abusers and the source of emotionally abusive behavior in abusers. Coming to identify how shame is affecting you and understanding how shame works to diminish...

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