Recovery from Relationship Trauma with a Toxic or Abusive Partner

Are you or have you been in an emotionally abusive relationship? Have you felt controlled, demeaned and belittled? Do you feel confused, inadequate and anxious all the time? If you are or have been in a relationship with a psychologically abusive person, you will benefit from specialized therapy by understanding and addressing the following symptoms of what is sometimes referred to as "narcissistic abuse":
 

• You no longer trust yourself or your instincts
• You feel stuck and can’t make decisions
• You think you are unworthy of love, attention or respect
• You feel “oversensitive” and “over-emotional”
• You are depressed, anxious and have no self-esteem
• You feel incapable and incompetent
• You wonder why you never feel content, happy or joyful
• You feel like you are “losing it” as you continually struggle with high-drama
• You struggle with helplessness, self-disgust and shock

 
These are normal reactions to an abnormal situation. Psychologically abusive relationships are not ‘normal relationships’. They are traumatizing for the victim. Repeated exposure to a cruel, controlling, harsh and vindictive partner is traumatizing, often triggering the "flight, fight or freeze" fear response in the survivor’s brain. Relationship trauma requires a specialized recovery approach.

"Narcissistic abuse" is a form of emotional and psychological abuse inflicted by a person who is mostly likely on the pathological narcissism spectrum, such as narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality, malignant narcissism, and/or psychopathy. Joanne's focus is not on the pathology of the toxic person but rather with the healing of the survivor.
 
Narcissistic abuse masquerades as love but is a sinister, gradual, and deliberate erosion of a person’s sense of self-value. It is both emotional and psychological abuse intended to undermine a person’s identity for the singular goal of achieving dominance for personal gain. It often involves patterns of manipulation, intimidation, emotional bullying, power and domination, deceit, egocentricity, stonewalling, guilt and shaming, rejection, gaslighting, financial abuse and jealousy.
 
Narcissistic abuse is a serious public health issue. Even though it is believed to affect more people than clinical depression, public awareness and research on the issue is minimal.  
 
I offer specialized therapy to help people who are still in a pathological relationship as well as those who have left, to unravel the complicated, painful, and often terrifying task of recovery. I provide evidence-based treatment methodologies to help survivors overcome pain, anxiety and depression, heal shattered self-esteem, "re-wire" the traumatized brain and empower themselves so they can transform their lives and become confident, happy people who are capable of experiencing healthy love relationships.

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