Emotional abuse by someone close, be it a family member/s or intimate partner, can leave us with the following symptoms.
- Shame and self-blame – thoughts that you are not enough.
- Loss of trust – in yourself and in others.
- Feelings of isolation and loneliness, followed by withdrawing from others, losing friends.
- Physical and emotional exhaustion.
- Self-soothing with alcohol, food, or retail shopping.
- Feelings of deep sadness like no one is on your side.
- A complete loss of enjoyment in life.
- Depression.
- A constant feeling of anxiety and walking on eggshells in your relationship.
- Self-questioning consistently droughting yourself.
- An experience of being controlled or dominated (you don’t matter).
The truth about toxic relationships is they often come at the cost to your self-worth. Abusive relationships involve belittling and humiliation as means of control.
You may have been raised by a parent or parents who were self-absorbed, and you have learned that love does not involve reciprocity, and this has impacted your sense of who you are leaving you vulnerable to abusers.
Or you may have come from a loving family, and it can come as a shock to realise that someone you love and have invested in is not invested in you and is only concerned about their own needs.
How Does Counselling for Abusive Relationships work?
When you have experienced or are still in an abusive relationship, you can completely lose your sense of self. Counselling assists you to develop a clear understanding of your own needs and sense of self.
The type of Counselling I can provide for you involves 2 components: one is educational, the other is therapeutic
- The aim of the educational component is to develop healthy boundaries and to learn how to maintain them. To learn about the signs that someone is not going to respect your boundaries and to make healthy decisions around who is worth your time and energy.
- The therapeutic component of the Counselling will renew your sense of self and discover your strengths & compassion for what you have experienced.
Safety is an important consideration for you if you have experienced narcissistic abuse or a toxic relationship/s. Rest assured, I will ensure you feel safe before we delve into the more difficult material that must be resolved before you can move forward. I provide a caring non-judgmental environment for you to unpack your experiences.
Sharron Brandon 