Emotional abuse is a way to exert control over a relationship, including humiliation, bullying, intimidation and isolation. If left unchecked, this type of treatment can cause severe emotional damage that may last years. Therapist emotional abuse helps professionals in mental health connect with clients more quickly by working from home with the flexibility to manage multiple clients simultaneously. Calmerry offers online therapy through their platform so you can earn extra income while creating a healthier work-life balance.
Abusive behavior is defined as any act that poses a danger to another individual. Emotional abusers use negative emotions like shame, guilt, fear and guilt in order to control someone; you may use threats, coercion and criticism as common tactics as well. Gaslighting is another common technique where one party convinces another person they are hallucinating. Emotional abuse may take place alongside sexual or physical abuse or stand alone.
In certain relationships, partners may experience emotional abuse toward one another. Other relationships may experience abuse differently and the intensity of the abuse may fluctuate at certain times.
Emotional abuse, even if not obvious, can be subtle and hard to spot. Sometimes victims will excuse the behavior of their abusers and chalk it up to being in a bad mood. As a result, some might believe they deserve poor treatment due to emotional abuse; gaslighting also contributes to this belief system.
If someone’s behavior falls under the category of emotional abuse, it could include:
- When the victim begins to cry or requests time to calm down, abusive behavior often escalates. Victims become even more vulnerable or upset as a result of these interactions.
- This behavior occurs several times each month.
- They use demeaning language or make unfounded accusations.
- “Arguments” can be one-sided: one person talks and listens without anyone else joining in, or violence is threatened.
- After engaging in abusive behavior, the person rarely apologizes.
- Abusive people will not accept any legitimacy for statements made by their victims.
- Sexual abuse and physical mistreatment are both unfortunately common occurrences.
It is essential to recognize that abusive behavior can occur even when no of these factors have been identified. If any of these signs appear repeatedly, then this may be a sign of emotional abuse taking place.
Emotional Abuse Treatment and Therapy
Therapy and emotional abuse treatment are available for either one or both victims. After experiencing emotional abuse in a relationship or at work, you might consider seeking out therapeutic help. Abusive thought patterns and behavior patterns can become deeply embedded within abusive relationships; emotional abuse therapy helps address these issues and foster functional, healthy relationships moving forward.
Options for victims
Emotional abuse victims have the best chances for recovery when seeking treatment. However, it’s essential that they be honest and open about their abuse; emotionally abusive victims often conceal the severity or extent of their trauma from therapists out of shame or guilt. A therapist for emotional abuse can only truly assist if they understand the issue at hand.
- When seeking emotional abuse therapy, it’s essential to remember these points: You did nothing wrong and the abuse is not your fault.
- It is normal to experience guilt or shame about what occurred but this does not have to be the case.
- It may be tempting to hide details about abuse, but hiding will not help with treatment.
- Seeking assistance is acceptable even if the abuser doesn’t leave you.
- Emotional Abuse Treatment Options for Abusers
- It is okay to seek help even if your abuser doesn’t leave you.
Sometimes victims may attempt to coerce the abuser into receiving emotional abuse treatment in a couple therapy setting or individually. Unfortunately, this practice has the potential for damaging the relationship. Couple’s therapy often becomes an opportunity for abusers to misrepresent themselves and portray themselves as victims in order to fool therapists into thinking there’s nothing wrong with them. Many abusers are skilled manipulators and can easily gain support from non-trained therapists when it comes to emotional abuse cases.
Emotional abuse therapy can only be effective if the abuser acknowledges they have a problem and are willing to address it. Unfortunately, many emotional abusers are unwilling to open up about their behavior to a therapist.
