25 SIGNS YOU’RE AN EMOTIONAL ABUSER

In the article 25 SIGNS YOU’RE AN EMOTIONAL ABUSER, published by Choosing Therapy, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Stephanie Capecchi opens with, “Emotional abuse is any behavior that uses emotions to gain power and control over another person. The user abuses that power and authority to keep their partner in a vulnerable position or to control their actions. Emotional abuse includes but is not limited to criticism; attempts to manage finances, time spent with family/friends, education, or activities including gaslighting; isolation; belittling, insulting, and more.” 

The author continues the piece by asking, “Emotional abuse is generally addressed by those experiencing the abuse, but how can you identify your abusive behaviors in a relationship?” To help support the clinical perspective Capecchi features a quote from The Mental Health Collective’s Staff Psychologist, Dr. Nazneen Nizami, PsyD, LMFT. Dr. Nizami states…

CLINICAL QUOTE BY DR. NAZEEN NIZAMI

“This journey begins with challenging defensiveness and being willing to take responsibility for how your actions impact others. Remind yourself that the first steps towards change are acceptance and willingness. Your acknowledgment of your capacity for change and defining how the change will promote a healthier way of being is the first step into a new space. Doing so allows you to take ownership over what has been done while remaining hopeful that this will not totalize your identity. Externalize the shame and guilt; removing this as an indicator of who you are and just behavior that needs correcting. This process requires facing the fear of accountability and the courage to allow space for the abused stories to exist while re-writing your future.”