by Christine Hammond on February 11, 2019
When asked by her therapist, “Have you ever been abused,” Nicole said, “No”. But then, for a split second, she looked downwards and frowned. Instinctively her therapist knew something was off. A few more minutes of probing revealed a boyfriend with anger problems. During fits of rage, he would destroy her personal property, grab her… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on May 29, 2018
As sisters, Nicole and Sofi grew up in a two-parent, middle-class family. From the outside looking in, things appeared normal and healthy. But for Sofi, life was very difficult. Her sister bullied her, stole prized possessions, would lie and blame Sofi for things that went wrong, physically hit her, and destroyed some of Sofi’s things…. (more…)
by Christine Hammond on October 12, 2017
The cycle of abuse by a narcissist is frustrating. It begins with an upsetting event. The narcissist, feeling threatened, then reacts abusively. Tired of the assault, the abused defensively fights back. The narcissist justifies the abused behavior as further evidence that the narcissist is being abused. Once the abused have given in or up, the… (more…)