paul@dickiebirds.studio

Have you ever asked yourself that old, “Why me?” question, with a view to trying to understand what is about you that has – allegedly – caused you to be on the receiving end of  abuse, accusations and disappointments? If so, then read on,  today’s article will help you understand where that mind-set comes from, […]

       
Have you ever balked at doing something because you thought, “That’s easier said than done”?   If so, you need to know that that is a “weasel phrase”.   “Weasel phrases” are problematic because they contain a grain of truth can wrong-foot a person  and get in the way of your healing and happiness. […]

Have you ever felt “broken”? If so, how much have your feelings of brokenness related to the breakdown of a toxic relationship? In this article, I want to look at what those feelings of brokenness are really trying to tell you.
“I feel broken” is something that I hear a lot, from survivors of emotional and […]

How do you cope in these tough times? Right now, things aren’t easy for anyone.  However, if you are someone whose personal circumstances were already difficult, as a consequence of an abusive relationship, then losing what “normality and certainties” you thought you had, is even harder.  In this article, I want to share whatever I […]

This week I received a blast from the past, a communication from a decidedly narcissistic family member.  It worked – no doubt, as intended – to unsettle me. I found the old, unhelpful “Yes, maybe they have changed…” thoughts kicking in. These thoughts are a hazard for anyone who has ever been in a close […]

Have ever thought, or been told, that you “attracted the abuser and the abuse”?  Sadly, given the current overlap between self-help and spirituality,  the notion that the victim of abuse attracted the abuser and the abuse is all too common.  In this article, we need to unpack the concept of a victim of abuse attracting […]