A mental health expert sheds light on "gaslighting"--the manipulative technique used by sociopaths, narcissists, and others--offering practical strategies to cope and break free. He's the charmer -- the witty, confident, but overly controlling date. She's the woman on your team who always manages to take credit for your good work. He's the neighbor who swears you've been putting your garbage into his trash cans, the politician who can never admit to a mistake. Gaslighters are master controllers and manipulators, often challenging your very sense of reality. Whether it's a spouse, parent, coworker, or friend, gaslighters distort the truth -- by lying, withholding, triangulation, and more -- making their victims question their own reality and sanity. Dr. Stephanie Sarkis delves into this hidden manipulation technique, covering gaslighting in every life scenario, sharing:\nWhy gaslighters seem so "normal" at first\nWarning signs and examples\nGaslighter "red flags" on a first date\nPractical strategies for coping\nHow to coparent with a gaslighter\nHow to protect yourself from a gaslighter at work\nHow to walk away and rebuild your life\nWith clear-eyed wisdom and empathy, Dr. Sarkis not only helps you determine if you are being victimized by a gaslighter -- she gives you the tools to break free and heal.

What is it like for a woman to leave the man who is abusing her? This book presents the stories of ten women as they fought the courts and their abusers to gain safety for themselves and their children. The author demonstrates how courts handle divorce, custody, visitation, support, child abuse, marital property, orders of protection and crimes when domestic violence erupts. He also discusses the common tactics abusers use to maintain control over their partners. The average abused wife makes seven attempts to leave her abuser. Each time she learns more about the resources available. By providing information about how to leave someone who is abusing you, this book makes it easier for women to escape. The brave women described in Scared To Leave, Afraid to Stay all faced serious hardships and threats, but they found there can be a better life. None of them ever chose to go back to a life of violence.

From Lane Moore, the award-winning, critically acclaimed author of How to Be Alone, comes a searingly intimate, yet wildly funny, exploration of the frustrating, messy, and, at times, deeply joyful experience of learning how to make meaningful friendships as an adult.Part memoir, part self-help, You Will Find Your People uncovers the complex, frightening, and often vulnerable process of building real, healthy friendships and finally creating your chosen family. Lane Moore takes readers on a journey that examines and challenges the ideas of friendship we’ve seen in pop culture, answers every question you’ve ever had about friend breakups, and teaches us how to fearlessly ask for what we want in friendships once and for all.Full of Moore’s hilarious personal anecdotes, advice on how to identify your attachment style, and real tools to create better communication and boundaries, this book is your personal guide on how to heal from your past friendships, improve your current ones, and finally have the friendships we know we deserve.

Millions of women each year find themselves in relationships with controlling or abusive partners and don't know what to do, or even what's wrong. A woman may feel anxious, inadequate, intimidated -- and as if she is walking on tiptoe. And she may find herself trying harder and harder to make things right without ever being successful. Ann Jones and Susan Schechter bring together their more than fifteen years of experience working with women in abusive relationships to offer an eyeopening new analysis of controlling partners and a wealth of empowering information for women who want to change their lives for the better. Full of moving first-person stories, When Love Goes Wrong shows women what their options are in or out of the relationship, provides concrete guidance on finding safety and support for themselves and their children, and includes a comprehensive list of agencies offering information or assistance.

An evidence-based guide to recovering from gaslighting Gaslighting is a targeted form of manipulation, deception, and control that makes you doubt your own perceptions and memories. Whether you've experienced gaslighting or emotional abuse from someone in your life--or you think you might have--Gaslighting gives you the tools to recognize it and the steps to begin healing. The truth about gaslighting--Find clear definitions of exactly what gaslighting is, how gaslighters operate, and safe ways to manage and avoid them. Proven techniques--Use strategies from methods like mindfulness and acceptance and commitment therapy to set boundaries, reclaim your sense of self, and build healthier relationships. Realistic examples--Read anecdotes about people who've experienced different types of gaslighting to help you see what it looks like and understand that it isn't your fault. Written exercises--Find insightful questions and thoughtful prompts to help you identify examples of emotional abuse within your life and process your feelings. Reclaim your independence after gaslighting with this guide to understanding how it works and taking steps toward breaking free.

This important book brings the ignored population of abused upper-income women to light, revealing for the first time the depth and severity of "upscale abuse"How is it possible for a highly educated woman with a career and resources of her own to stay in a marriage with an abusive husband? How can a man be considered a pillar of his community, run a successful business and regularly give his wife a black eye? That we can even ask these startling questions proves how convinced we are that domestic abuse is restricted to the lower classes. In "Not to People Like Us" psychotherapist Susan Weitzman dramatically challenges this assumption. It is the first book to explore a previously overlooked population of emotionally and physically battered wives-the upper-educated and upper-income women, who rarely report abuse and remain trapped by their own silence. Weitzman draws on an in-depth study to document the shocking nature and incidence of abuse among the wives of professors, physicians and CEOs-many of them professionals and executives themselves. With keen insight and profound sensitivity, she reveals the unique path taken by the upscale wife-the early warning signs, the dilemmas and decisions, the dangerous desire to cover up and maintain appearances. The first book to condemn the legal and social service system for failing to recognize domestic violence among upper-income families, "Not to People Like Us" offers crucial information to help women find their way out of abusive relationships and toward safety and independence.

A bilingual guide to help Latinas needing support, understanding, and advice about abusive relationshipsIf you're a Latina involved in a physically or emotionally abusive relationship, this book is for you. Mejor Sola Que Mal Acompanada offers support, understanding, and practical information on many issues and questions, including: \nwhat abuse is\nfamily and cultural expectations\ngetting police, medical, and legal assistance\nwhere you can go if you leave your home\nwhat the church may say\nprotecting your children\ndealing with discrimination.\nThis book also discusses special problems of the undocumented woman, the woman with few resources, and the woman who speaks little or no English. Informative and affirming, Mejor Sola is an invaluable resource for counselors, shelter workers and activists, and an empowering handbook for the Latina who wants to break free from the cycle of abuse."I can sincerely say that this book is the best thing that has happened for Latinas in the battered women's movement."--Maria V. Zavala, Counselor and Advocate, Womenshelter/Companeras Si eres una latina en una relacion donde hay abuso emocional o fisico, este libros es para ti. Mejor Sola Que Mal Acompanada ofrece apoyo, entendimiento, e informacion practica tocante a varios temas y preguntas, incluyendo: \nque es el abuso; las esperanzas de la familia y la cultura\nobtieniendo la asistencia de la policia, de servicos medicos y legales\nadonde puedes ir si te sales de tu casa\nque puede decir la iglesia\nprotegiendo a tus ninos\ntratando con la discriminacion. \n\nEste libro tambien discute los problemas especiales de la mujer no documentada, de la mujer con pocos recursos, y de la mujer que no habla poco ingles. Informativo y franco, Mejor Sola es un recurso extremadamente util para consejeros, trabajadores de refugios, y para activistas en la comunidad, y es una guia habilitadora para la latina que quiere salir del abuso.

Break the pattern of abuse--safely!Battered women often become so frightened, isolated, and self-doubting that they don't recognize they are being victimized. They may minimize the seriousness of the abuse and make excuses for the abuser. The checklists, questionnaires, and personal stories in Growing Free can provide the shock of recognition they need to be able to say, “This is wrong. It has to end.” Combining psychological insight with practical safety information, Growing Free helps the reader to understand--and end--the vicious cycle of wooing, tension, violence, and remorse that characterizes all levels of domestic violence. It outlines a series of steps abused women can take to ensure their emotional and physical safety. Growing Free offers both practical and psychological resources, including: \n\n lists of abusive behaviors from ridiculing family members to physical violence \n common rationalizations for abuse used by both victims and perpetrator \n detailed discussions of protection orders and other legal matters \n detailed preparations and safety precautions that may make leaving less dangerous \n advice on what to take with you when you leave \n guidelines for establishing safe relationships in the future\nGrowing Free provides readers with a straightforward, action-oriented approach to the problem of domestic violence. A companion volume available separately, A Therapist's Guide to Growing Free, offers therapists a comprehensive outline of the issues, tasks, and goals involved in treatment with victims and survivors.

Consulting this sourcebook is the crucial first step to breaking the cycle of domestic violence. What to Do When Love Turns Violent empowers you to find help and take back your life. Here is everything you need to know to make the right choices. The first part spells out an action plan to get out of danger and find immediate help: making a protective order work; calling the police; finding safe shelter; seeking medical attention; getting financial assistance. Part 2 details how to stay safe and regain control over your life: preparing for safety at home and on the job; protecting your children; rebuilding your life.

DOES YOUR PARTNER . . .* have sudden outbursts of anger or rage?* become jealous without reason?* prevent you from seeing friends and family?* deny you access to family assets such as bank accounts, credit cards, or the car?* control all finances and force you to account for what you spend?* insult you or call you derogatory names?* humiliate you in front of your children?* turn minor incidents into major arguments?If you or someone you know can answer "yes" to the questions above, chances are you are suffering from nonphysical battering--controlling, tyrannical behavior that is just as damaging to a woman's self-esteem as a broken bone or a black eye. An experienced counselor who works with abused women, Mary Susan Miller breaks the silence that surrounds this devastating form of domestic violence. She identifies the many types of nonphysical abuse verbal, emotional, psychological, social, and economic--and explores why this outrageous treatment of women continues unabated in our society. Dr. Miller also shares the stories of many survivors who have escaped their abusive relationships. Their experiences--with law enforcement, the legal system, and the community itself--can help prepare any woman for the decision of whether to stay or leave the relationship. And if she decides to go, Dr. Miller offers sound guidelines on how to protect herself and her children, since a woman's decision to leave is usually the time she is in the most danger from her abuser.Finally, Dr. Miller inspires hope: You can break free of the nightmare of nonphysical battering and heal, once again engaging in a life of integrity, dignity, and peace.

Most abusers display warning signs that intelligent women miss—mostly because the majority of women have not been trained to recognize them. In this groundbreaking book, Lynn Fairweather—an expert in the field of intimate partner violence response and prevention—provides women with the information they need to recognize dangerous men before they become victims of abuse.Educational and empowering, Stop Signs exposes the discernable attributes, tactics, and deterrents of abusers, arming women with the tools they need to choose a safe and loving partner. In the first section, Fairweather familiarizes readers with the topic of intimate partner violence and explains how to develop the combination of self-esteem, preparation, and assertive awareness that can protect women from involvement with abusive individuals; in the second section, she explores the minds of abusers, explaining what visible signs of danger are present in their attitudes and actions; and in the last section, she provides women with effective strategies for safe extraction should they find themselves involved with an abuser.A go-to manual for women everywhere, Stop Signs contains the life-saving information needed by anyone who is living with abuse, knows someone who is, or wishes to avoid becoming involved in a potentially life-threatening relationship.

This book was written as a lifeline for women who are involved with men who lie, cheat, and mistreat their wives or girlfriends. Readers join a support group of four smart, educated women with careers and families who were lied to and devastated by the people who promised to love, honor, and protect them--their husbands. If you are hurting, open this book and turn to a section that meets your needs. You may feel worthless and lost now, but you can become stronger than ever. Liars, Cheats, and Creeps is the next best thing to attending a support group led by an expert in family counseling. This powerful book sheds light on the dark truths some people would like to keep hidden.

About the Author\\nSTACY WILLINGHAM is the New York Times and internationallybestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark. Before turning to fiction, she was a copywriter and brand strategist for various marketing agencies. She earned her BA in magazine journalism from the University of Georgia and MFA in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work has been translated in over 30 countries. She currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, Britt, and Labradoodle, Mako, where she is always working on her next book.\\nA New York Times Bestseller\\n“A smart, edge-of-your-seat story with plot twists you’ll never see coming. Stacy Willingham’s debut will keep you turning pages long past your bedtime.” ―Karin Slaughter\\nWhen Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.\\nNow twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren't actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?\\nFrom debut author Stacy Willingham comes a masterfully done, lyrical thriller, certain to be the launch of an amazing career. A Flicker in the Dark is eerily compelling to the very last page.

This book is written to help you protect yourself from cyberabuse and stalking and to empower you to fight back. It is vital to regaining control over your life in case you and a cyberpredator or stalker ever cross paths. Many victims find little or no help from any law enforcement agency or victim service providers, even though there are stalking and cyberabuse laws. Regulations fail to evolve quickly enough to address the creativity and spontaneity of today's predators.Alexis Moore, Esq. is a leading cyberstalking authority and attorney. Cyberabuse and stalking can take many forms. In this book she shares her creative tactics overcoming stalking and cyberstalking for those in similar situations, and how to utilize tools that are available to help readers protect and defend themselves.

Review\\n“Kent sets her hook so deep and springs such a dumbfounding series of surprises that very few readers will want to interrupt their reading for anything less than a house fire.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)\\nA return from the past knocks a family dangerously off-balance in a novel of spiraling suspense by Washington Post and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Minka Kent.\nMerritt Coletto and her husband, Luca, have the life they dreamed of: a coastal home, a promising future, and a growing family. That dream ends with a late-night knock on the door.\nWeak, broken, and emaciated, it’s Luca’s first wife, Lydia. Missing for ten years, presumed dead, and very much alive, she has quite a story. Her kidnapping. A torturous confinement that should’ve ended with her dead. And finally, escape. Racked with guilt over the beautiful life they’ve built, Merritt and Luca agree to help get Lydia back on her feet―it’s the least they can do.\nBut the more enmeshed Lydia becomes in Merritt’s family, the more questions Merritt has. What is it about Lydia that’s especially unnerving? Why hasn’t she gone to the police with her harrowing tale? What does she really want of them? The answers, when they come, are terrifying.\nBecause Lydia isn’t the only one with secrets.

At 22, Leslie Morgan Steiner seemed to have it all: good looks, a Harvard diploma, a glamorous job in New York City. Plus a handsome, funny boyfriend who adored her. But behind her façade of success, this golden girl hid a dark secret. She'd made a mistake shared by millions: she fell in love with the wrong person.At first, Leslie and Conor seemed perfect together. Then came the fights she tried to ignore: he pushed her down the stairs, choked her during an argument, and threatened her with a gun. Several times, he came close to making good on his threat to kill her. With each attack, Leslie lost another piece of herself. Why didn't she leave? She stayed because she loved him. Gripping and utterly compelling, Crazy Love takes you inside the violent, devastating world of abusive love and makes you feel the power and powerlessness of abuse that can take place anywhere and to anyone. Crazy Love draws you in -- and never lets you go.

In the middle of the deepest winter on record, a super EMP destroys the nation's power grid. No electricity. No cars or phones. Worst of all: No heat. The country is plunged into instant chaos.But for twenty-six-year-old Hannah Sheridan, it's the best day of her life. For the last five years, she's been held captive by a sadistic psychopath--until the EMP releases the lock of her prison.Hannah emerges from her underground cell into a hostile winter landscape with no way to call for help, no vehicle that will drive, armed with nothing but the clothes on her back and her own determination to survive.Liam Coleman, cynical loner and former soldier, is headed nowhere fast. He believed he was prepared for any disaster--until the EMP took everything he'd ever cared about in a matter of seconds. When he runs across a desperate woman who will die without his help, he's forced to make a choice.Two hundred frozen, perilous miles stand between them and their destination in rural Michigan. But the lack of power, desperate people, and the treacherous elements aren't the only threats.Hannah's captor isn't about to let her go. He will hunt her to the ends of the earth and beyond, destroying anything and anyone who gets in his way. For she has something he wants--she's nine months pregnant with his child.Edge of Collapse is a gripping post-apocalyptic EMP thriller perfect for fans of Ryan Schow, Grace Hamilton, Harley Tate, Jack Hunt, and Boyd Craven.

Are You Being Gaslighted?Check for these telltale signs: 1. You constantly second-guess yourself.2. You wonder, “Am I being too sensitive?” a dozen times a day.3. You wonder frequently if you are a “good enough” girlfriend/wife/employee/friend/daughter.4. You have trouble making simple decisions.5. You think twice before bringing up innocent topics of conversation.6. You frequently make excuses for your partner’s behavior to friends and family.7. Before your partner comes home from work, you run through a checklist in your head to anticipate anything you might have done wrong that day.8. You buy clothes for yourself, furnishings for your apartment, or other personal purchases thinking about what your partner would like instead of what would make you feel great. 9. You actually start to enjoy the constant criticism, because you think, “What doesn’t kill me will make me stronger.”10. You start speaking to your husband through his secretary so you don’t have to tell him things you’re afraid might upset him.11. You start lying to avoid the put-downs and reality twists.12. You feel as though you can’t do anything right.13. You frequently wonder if you’re good enough for your lover.14. Your kids start trying to protect you from being humiliated by your partner.15. You feel hopeless and joyless.\nYour husband crosses the line in his flirtations with another woman at a dinner party. When you confront him, he asks you to stop being insecure and controlling. After a long argument, you apologize for giving him a hard time.Your boss backed you on a project when you met privately in his office, and you went full steam ahead. But at a large gathering of staff—including yours—he suddenly changes his tune and publicly criticizes your poor judgment. When you tell him your concerns for how this will affect your authority, he tells you that the project was ill-conceived and you’ll have to be more careful in the future. You begin to question your competence. Your mother belittles your clothes, your job, your friends, and your boyfriend. But instead of fighting back as your friends encourage you to do, you tell them that your mother is often right and that a mature person should be able to take a little criticism. If you think things like this can’t happen to you, think again. Gaslighting is when someone wants you to do what you know you shouldn’t and to believe the unbelieveable. It can happen to you and it probably already has.How do we know? If you consider answering “yes” to even one of the following questions, you’ve probably been gaslighted:Does your opinion of yourself change according to approval or disapproval from your spouse?When your boss praises you, do you feel as if you could conquer the world? Do you dread having small things go wrong at home—buying the wrong brand of toothpaste, not having dinner ready on time, a mistaken appointment written on the calendar? Gaslighting is an insidious form of emotional abuse and manipulation that is difficult to recognize and even harder to break free from. That’s because it plays into one of our worst fears—of being abandoned—and many of our deepest needs: to be understood, appreciated, and loved. In this groundbreaking guide, the prominent therapist Dr. Robin Stern shows how the Gaslight Effect works and tells you how to:Turn up your Gaslight Radar, so you know when a relationship is headed for troubleDetermine whether you are enabling a gaslighterRecognize the Three Stages of Gaslighting: Disbelief, Defense, and DepressionRefuse to be gaslighted by using the Five Rules for Turning Off the Gas Develop your own “Gaslight Barometer” so you can decide which relationships can be saved—and which you have to walk away from Learn how to Gasproof Your Life so that you’ll never again choose another gaslighting relationship

Whose truth is the lie? Stay up all night reading the sensational psychological thriller that has readers obsessed, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Too Late and It Ends With Us.#1 New York Times Bestseller · USA Today Bestseller · Globe and Mail Bestseller · Publishers Weekly BestsellerLowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of the night her family was forever altered.Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents could devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue loving her.

How do you know if you are in a relationship with a narcissist—and what can you do about it?Narcissism is a modern epidemic—and it’s spreading rapidly. Narcissists tend to be pretty on the outside, but empty on the inside. While they are often successful, they are also controlling, manipulative, entitled, vain, and they have no empathy. If your significant other can be charismatic and charming one moment and leave you feeling disappointed, unsettled, and doubting yourself the next, you may be involved with a narcissist. This dangerous relationship can slowly ruin your sense of well-being and ultimately your psychological health. Sometimes leaving is the healthiest option. But sometimes it doesn’t feel like an option, and you may have powerful reasons for staying—for your children, financial security, religious beliefs, or simply because you are in love.In Should I Stay or Should I Go? Dr. Ramani Durvasula gives you the tools to help you stop making the same mistakes. It shows you what to watch for and provides guidance on managing difficult situations. This honest survival manual is based on the real terrain of pathological narcissism and it provides a realistic roadmap of how to navigate this landscape and reclaim your true self, find healing and live an authentic and empowered life. Whether you stay—or go.

Amazon.com Review\\nAn Amazon Best Book of March 2020: My Dark Vanessa is an exploration of the repercussions of a March/December relationship between a teacher and his student. Vanessa is contacted by a woman who is about to go public with a story of sexual abuse at the hands of an English teacher, Jacob Strane, when she was a high school student. She has heard some stories about Vanessa and Strane, and wants to know if Vanessa has a story similar to her own. And Vanessa does indeed have a story about Strane, but in her mind the story is about her first love and their all-consuming passion. And it’s the story of how that passion has reverberated through the years since, arresting Vanessa at the point in her life when Strane assured her she was the love of his. Can a teacher have had two teenage loves of his life? Or does Vanessa need to acknowledge that there’s another name for the role Strane plays in her memory? Masterfully switching between present-day and past, Vanessa starts to look at their relationship through the lens of the #MeToo moment, raising uncomfortable questions about consent, agency, abuse, manipulation and memory in this provocative and riveting novel. —Vannessa Cronin, Amazon Book Review\\nINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER\\n“[An] exceedingly complex, inventive, resourceful examination of harm and power.” —The New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice\n“A lightning rod . . . brilliantly crafted.”—The Washington Post\nA most anticipated book by The New York Times • USA Today • Entertainment Weekly • Marie Claire • Elle • Harper's Bazaar • Bustle • Newsweek • New York Post • Esquire • Real Simple • The Sunday Times • The Guardian\nExploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.\n2000. Bright, ambitious, and yearning for adulthood, fifteen-year-old Vanessa Wye becomes entangled in an affair with Jacob Strane, her magnetic and guileful forty-two-year-old English teacher.\n2017. Amid the rising wave of allegations against powerful men, a reckoning is coming due. Strane has been accused of sexual abuse by a former student, who reaches out to Vanessa, and now Vanessa suddenly finds herself facing an impossible choice: remain silent, firm in the belief that her teenage self willingly engaged in this relationship, or redefine herself and the events of her past. But how can Vanessa reject her first love, the man who fundamentally transformed her and has been a persistent presence in her life? Is it possible that the man she loved as a teenager—and who professed to worship only her—may be far different from what she has always believed?\nAlternating between Vanessa’s present and her past, My Dark Vanessa juxtaposes memory and trauma with the breathless excitement of a teenage girl discovering the power her own body can wield. Thought-provoking and impossible to put down, this is a masterful portrayal of troubled adolescence and its repercussions that raises vital questions about agency, consent, complicity, and victimhood. Written with the haunting intimacy of The Girls and the creeping intensity of Room, My Dark Vanessa is an era-defining novel that brilliantly captures and reflects the shifting cultural mores transforming our relationships and society itself.

Pathological mind games. Covert and overt put-downs. Triangulation. Gaslighting. Projection. These are the manipulative tactics survivors of malignant narcissists are unfortunately all too familiar with. As victims of silent crimes where the perpetrators are rarely held accountable, survivors of narcissistic abuse have lived in a war zone of epic proportions, enduring an abuse cycle of love-bombing and devaluation—psychological violence on steroids. From how to heal our addiction to the narcissist to how to recognize a covert narcissist, Shahida Arabi's articles on narcissistic abuse have gained renown as some of the most accurate and in-depth depictions of this terrifying trauma, resonating with millions of survivors all over the world and receiving endorsements from numerous mental health professionals. In this essay compilation, readers can enjoy some of her most popular articles as well as new thought pieces on narcissistic abuse: what therapists have to say about malignant narcissists and how children of narcissistic parents can become trapped in the trauma repetition cycle. Survivors are offered new insights on what it means to be both a survivor and a thriver of covert manipulation and trauma. POWER teaches us that it is important to not only understand the tactics of toxic personalities but also to recognize and combat the effects of narcissistic abuse; it guides the survivor to learning, growing, healing and most importantly of all—owning their agency to rebuild their lives and transform their powerlessness into victory.

Since its original publication in 1982, Getting Free has changed the lives of tens of thousands of women. Written in an accessible style, packed with practical information and answers, special exercises designed to help a woman recognize abuse, and several success stories, Getting Free remains an important resource todayand this updated edition makes it an all the more relevant resource.In this expanded edition, Ginny NiCarthy features important new information from the latest studies and most recent research on the subject. New chapters include an analysis of whether batterers’ treatment really works, which programs help violent men change, and which do not; the results of research on the ways that many men who batter also abuse their children, and specific reactions of children to battering; the cultural and legal issues relevant to immigrant women; and a presentation of how religious beliefs and religious communities affect the real and perceived choices of women facing violence.

Review\\n''There are a number of great books out there about the dynamics of domestic violence, but I've yet to read one that is more complete than this one. What makes this book different? It is more comprehensive than any book I've read on domestic violence. Charlene recognizes that people are complex, so in this book, she addresses the whole person (psychologically, physically, and spiritually). This book has the wisdom in it to change how advocates help people of faith. It has the depth to challenge the most seasoned expert in the field of domestic violence. It has the gentleness that beckons the reader into an immersive experience and the boldness to challenge existing structures of abuse advocacy. I'm thankful to know Charlene and to add this book to my list of incredible resources that I'm confident will inform and even reframe my advocacy efforts for the rest of my life.''\nNeil Schori, Senior Pastor, The Edge Church, Aurora, IL, Advocate for domestic abuse victims, Former Pastor to Stacy Peterson (fourth wife of convicted murderer and former Bolingbrook, Illinois, police sergeant Drew Peterson)\n''This book is amazing. It's everything that a woman seeking to escape an abusive relationship will need to know. This is the one book to have when dealing with a domestic violence situation. Whether you are a counselor, medical professional, clergy, friend, family member, or target of the abuse, this is the one book that will help to clarify the situation and provide a roadmap to a better life. It instructs, educates, encourages, guides, and provides comfort and hope to women who find themselves in an abusive situation. It's a godsend.'' --\nSusan Bacharz Guenther, LCPC, BC-TMH, Founder, Counseling for Transitions, Evanston, IL\\n''When you're trapped in an abusive relationship, it's like living in thick fog. Oftentimes you don't even recognize where you are and are unable to see a way out. This book helps change all of that and is truly unlike any other I've read on the topic. It first helps readers recognize and identify abuse and understand the thought processes of the abuser. It then goes on to provide practical information about safety planning, managing finances, finding legal assistance, and getting the emotional support essential to successfully getting through the journey of overcoming abuse.\n''The specific, practical advice that Charlene gives in this book alone makes it the one guide to recognizing and escaping abuse that every woman who is concerned about their well-being should have. But it goes even further, discussing the spiritual and emotional implications of abuse and divorce. She gives readers strength by reminding us of the spiritual armor God has given all of us and dispelling some myths surrounding abuse and divorce in the church. Quint provides inspiration, hope, and healing to allow women not only to remove themselves from abusive situations successfully but to go on to live a life of joy, fulfillment, and recovery. It is a must-read for all women who know they need help and for those who are wondering if their relationship is healthy or safe. I am truly grateful to Charlene Quint for all she does to help women overcome abuse, and I am certain this book will help and change the lives of so many.''\nState Representative Joyce Mason, 61st District, IL\n''In this one-stop all-inclusive book, Charlene Quint provides women in abuse a guide on how to identify abuse and abusers, get out safely, recover, and reclaim their lives. A must-read for all women in abuse or in its aftermath.'' --\nMichael Nerheim, Lake County State's Attorney, IL\\n''This book provides a much-needed resource for women, particularly women of faith, who are seeking to escape domestic abuse. In one readable yet comprehensive book, Charlene Quint covers what every woman needs to know about identifying abuse, getting out safely, healing, and moving on with her life.''\nMichael Strauss, Esq., Schlesinger & Strauss, Illinois State Bar Association Fami

Therapist Beverly Engel first introduced the concept of emotional abuse, one of the most subtle, yet devastating forms of abuse within a relationship. Now Engel exposes the most destructive technique the abuser uses to break our spirit and gain control - and guides readers on how to free themselves from the shame that can keep them from the life (and the love) they deserve. An invaluable resource for both men and women who suffer from emotional abuse, as well as therapists and advocates.

One in three women and one in four men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Interpersonal Aggression: Complexities of Domestic and Intimate Partner Abuse is a practical guide that provides necessary information for anyone who knows or works with victims/survivors -- attorneys, law enforcement, social workers and therapists, family and friends concerned about loved ones, members of the judiciary and clergy-- basically any helping profession. Author CarolAnn Peterson takes the reader through the various aspects of a victim's encounters, the history of domestic abuse, the legal system and law enforcement, workplace domestic violence, religion, the intersection of the LGBTQ+ community and intimate partner abuse, domestic abuse in the military, how culture influences victims' decisions, batterers/abusers and intervention programs/counseling, and the impact of domestic violence on health and mental health of victims and children. Dr. Peterson examines why victims stay and when they leave, what help is available, why abusers abuse, and what happens to the children, among other important topics. She offers comfort to anyone working with victims of domestic and intimate partner abuse -- no matter the role they play.