The Impact of Emotional Abuse Professional Experience Article
Understanding the unseen
experiencing it for so long can be difficult. When we take a look at these When we think of trauma, the first examples, it is important to be aware thing that often comes to mind is of how these things can impact a physical abuse, car accidents, the Safe Place, an organization based out person throughout their lifetime and death of people close to us, or lifeof Austin, Texas, delves deeper by in different domains of their life. An threatening situations that leave us adapting the Power and Control individual who is constantly made to with a persistent fear of not being Wheel to target forms of abuse faced question their own judgement, made safe. However, how much do we by people with disabilities. Taking a to feel that they are “crazy”, and made understand about the lasting effects look at the emotional abuse section of to feel guilty about things that are not of traumatic experiences that cannot this wheel, we see that the examples their fault will likely question their always be seen? given include: insulting and shaming judgment in their career, parenting, an individual due to their disability, The Power and Control Wheel other relationships, as well as developed by Domestic Abuse lead them to question their ability Intervention Programs (DAIP) to make decisions for themselves. provides great insight into other The impact of this can be crippling forms of trauma that one may and the difficult to navigate. experience. For the purpose of this With that being said, with greater article, we will be taking a deeper look understanding and support, it is into the impact of emotional possible to regain your sense of abuse and the pervasiveness of it. being, your sense of self, and The Power and Control Wheel lists your sense of control over your examples of emotional abuse as: life. Here are a few ways to begin putting someone down, making one your journey toward healing: feel bad about themselves, name giving conflicting messages that both Support System: Having a support calling, making one feel as if they are help and hurt the individual, abusing system is an important part of the crazy, playing mind games, the partner more as they become healing journey. This can include a humiliating them, and making them more independent, disrespecting trusted family or friend, a spiritual feel guilty. DAIP’s Executive Director, their partners boundaries, and leader that you trust, community Scott Miller, begins to explain the talking down to them (2011). Both organizations, support groups, or an intricacies of emotional abuse by versions of the Power and Control advocate. explaining that the foundation of Wheel include a section that talks Psychotherapy: Therapy is a great emotional abuse is to cause the about Minimizing, Denying, and way to not only feel supported but to individual to feel that they are less Blaming. Within both are the also learn and develop the skills than (2017). Miller further explains examples of blaming the victim for needed to feel like yourself again. that the abuser believes that he is the abuse and saying the abuse did Therapy will address negative superior and has the right to not happen. cognitions that may have developed dominate his partner and carries this Surviving the Unseen after experiencing a trauma and help belief out with constant criticism and you work toward developing more constantly putting her down. This Making sense of the abuse after 44
leads the victim to feel that they cannot survive without their abuser and that they are unworthy.
January 2022 InSession | FMHCA.org
