Abusive Partners

Hungry Heart

Abused women have hungry hearts. It was a hungry heart that took them into an abusive relationship in the first place. In the course of the relationship, that heart became a whole lot hungrier.

Read More >

“Am I doing the right thing filing for divorce?”

Hi Annie,
I have to ask your opinion, although I think I already know the answer!
I have been with my husband for 3 yrs. He definitely has issues! He has an anger problem and he has been mentally abusing me during our whole relationship. He tells me it’s my fault, that I’m the reason he blows […]

Read More >

He’s just not that into women

Abusive men hold a very black and white view of the world.  Theirs is a world of contrasts.
You already know this for yourself because your abusive partner  invariably come out with pronouncements like these:
“I’m right; you’re wrong.”
“People respect me; they despise you.”
“You’re a lousy mother; I’m a wonderful father.”
“You’re crazy, I’m sane; and normal.”
“You’re too […]

Read More >

Are you naive?

One of the wounds that abused women have received is, undoubtedly, the wound of naivety. We tend to believe too readily. We are too easily deceived. Where are abusive partners are concerned, this costs us dear.

Read More >

What do you say to…

What do you say to the girl who “just wants to help” her abusive partner? Why “helping” an abusive man never helps him, or you.

Read More >

“It’s me or the dog! ”

If you’ve been with an abusive partner for any length of time, you will have been subjected to a lot of ultimatums.  Abusive men LOVE them – and they know just how much you hate them.
So, let’s look, for a moment, at the language of ultimatums; why abusive men use them so much, and what […]

Read More >

Valentine’s Day – how many bad ones have you had?

How many bad Valentine’s Days have you had?
I can rank mine into 3 separate categories:

Teenage angst, waiting to receive the first Valentine – and wondering whether I would ever get one.
My married years, when the wasband would pointedly buy a card, engineer a fight, and leave the card in its bag, because “under the circumstances, […]

Read More >

“One more year and then you’ll be happy…”?

The news of Gerry Rafferty’s death felt like a personal loss.  Rafferty was the poet whose song “Baker Street” epitomizes hopium addiction*, and the broken dreams of an abusive relationship.
“Baker Street” was the soundtrack of my hopeless marriage.  Gerry Rafferty, in case you don’t know the name, was a singer-songwriter who co-founded Stealer’s Wheel, and […]

Read More >

Abusive Men – Why They Don’t Want You To Be Happy

I was talking with a client who is taking that long, long walk away from her abusive husband and into freedom.
And, yes, it feels like a frustrating journey that never reaches its destination because every step feels like a ‘baby step’ – and baby steps seem so small, and insignificant, when there is such a […]

Read More >

Effects of Emotional Abuse

The effects of emotional abuse may not be immediately obvious to the naked eye.
The effects of physical domestic violence are easily recognizable.  But the effects of emotional abuse are easily missable; by the victim, but also by friends, family and even health professionals around the victim.
Why is this the case?
Awareness of emotional abuse, and the […]

Read More >

The 5 Simple Steps to Healing from Narcissistic Abuse

Over the next 5 days, I'll send you some lessons and tips that I've found have really helped women to heal from narcissistic abuse.  Starting with the basics.

Connect with me on Instagram

Want daily reassurance and inspiration? Sign up to my Instagram account. @dr_anniephd