65 | Emotional Abuse | Mental Health and the Church

Susette and Brandon discuss what qualifies as emotional abuse and what does not. Although it is difficult to identify emotional abuse, they outline language and tools to help us be aware of the possible unhealthy power dynamics of relationships.  "Emotional abuse is an attempt to control, in just the same way that physical abuse is an attempt to control another person. The only difference is that the emotional abuser does not use physical hitting, kicking, pinching, grabbing, pushing, or other physical forms of harm. Rather the perpetrator of emotional abuse uses emotion as his or her weapon of choice." - (See the article attached from Psychology Today) Gaslighting: a form of psychological manipulation. Codependent relationships and lack of differentiation in relationship can be a cause of emotional abuse Pervasive Behaviors are good indicators of the presence of emotional abuse. The heightened sensitivity non-reciprocal relationships have to covert abuse. Emotional Abuse by Andrea Matthews of Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/emotional-abuse Silently Seduced: When Parents Make their Children Partners - Understanding Covert Incest by Kenneth M. Adams Ph.D. RESOURCES Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org   Child Abuse Reporting  https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=%205   Elder Abuse: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice   Toxic Faith https://www.amazon.com/dp/0877888256/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_yHyzEbTHV6EKN   Sexual Abuse Recovery: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse