Coercive control doesn’t just take away a sense of safety or stability; it robs children and protective parents of so much more. There are many losses and these losses permeate so many aspects of our lives. We need to understand that grief is beyond mourning the loss of a loved one; it’s about grappling with …
We have explored the concepts of Fight and Fawn, discussing how children often mimic these behaviors as coping mechanisms in abusive environments. I want to focus on two additional trauma reactions in this blog: Flight & Freeze. Flight Escaping the Threat Flight is not just about physical escape; it’s a psychological response to perceived danger. …
Children who have been exposed to coercive control carry an immense amount of shame. Dr. Stark refers to them as secondary victims, acknowledging that their abuse is secondary to the primary focus of the abuser – the protective parents. It is disheartening to witness our children treating us poorly, and displaying disrespect and entitlement. However, …
Dear child, I know that you thought you knew me so well, perhaps I was the fun parent and maybe even the one that did not make you do as many chores. Or maybe I was the bear in the home, or both intermittently. It could have been that my behaviors were mostly directed to …
