Individuals who are experiencing abuse often struggle to seek help. Abuse is a very sensitive topic and it can be difficult when your relationship involves emotional abuse. While emotional abuse does not leave physical wounds, it can affect your daily function and the development of children. Just because others can not see the effect of emotional abuse does not mean that you don’t deserve to get help.
National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 Text: START to 88788
Can therapy help with emotional abuse? Does healing really happen when working with a therapist? The answer to these questions is more complex than just a simple yes or no, but there are ways that therapy and self-care can help in the healing process. Below is a breakdown of some therapy approaches to help with emotional abuse.
Signs Of Emotional Abuse
- Using emotional blackmail
- Acting superior or making you feel inferior
- Invading your privacy
- Controlling who you spend time with
- Dismiss you feelings
- Constant sarcasm and offensive jokes
- Setting unrealistic expectations
Individual Therapy
Speaking one on one with a therapist or psychologist may be a more comfortable option for those who have experienced abuse. Depending on your situation, therapists can listen and help provide resources to keep you safe. Therapists can help the patient gain back their self-confidence, while also helping them learn healthy boundaries and approach the topic of leaving an abuser.
Other specific methods like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EDMR), Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy have all shown results when it comes to dealing with the effects of abuse. These practices help change irrational thoughts, help unblock traumatic memories, and give you emotional tools to help begin healing. Therapy will be uncomfortable and stressful at times, but these processes will help you feel more in control of your life.
Collective Or Couple Therapy
Group therapy or couples therapy is another option for those dealing with emotional abuse. Couples therapy only happens when the victim can convince the abuser to take part in therapy. Unhealthy relationships can be hard to recognize, so couples therapy may not work for everyone.
Collective therapy or group therapy can help those who have never experienced therapy before. This will give the patients insight from others who are in similar situations. This can be a great option for emotional abuse victims to see that they are not alone. Having unhealthy attachments to people can lead to a lower quality of life, so attending group therapy can help you build better relationships and avoid humiliation.
Therapy For Children Who Have Suffered Emotional Abuse
Therapy for children often looks very different than therapy for adults. Children are smart, but may not have all the words to describe their emotions or what they have experienced. Children of emotional abuse often benefit from art therapy, sand tray therapy, and more.
Children can also benefit from therapy because of its nonjudgemental nature. Sharing feelings around abuse or loved ones who are abusive can be difficult. The confidentiality of a therapist and the absence of guilt can be helpful for people of all ages.
When children who are abused do not recieve therapy or do not process their trauma, they can go on to be abusers themselves. Mental health concerns can also arise in abused children who have suppressed instances of abuse.
Can Therapy Help Abusers?
Therapy can help those with abusive behaviors replace those tendencies with more healthy options. It may take a while to accept the help of a therapist, but therapy can help people set better boundaries, have healthy arguments or disagreements, and share power in relationships.
Abusers will need to avoid blaming and excuses if they want therapy to work for them. Therapists can help abusers work out disagreements without abusive language or insults.
Therapy With Ogden Psychological Services
Our team at Ogden Psychological Services looks forward to working with clients in our community. No matter what experiences you have had, we can provide therapy practices that will work for you. We believe that every patient can grow in respect and dignity, and correct healthy habits.
Our therapists can help patients of all ages deal with trauma, relationship issues, and more. Fill out our contact form to schedule your first appointment today.
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