Tag: emotional abuse

Three Must-Read Posts for Mother’s Day If You’re an Adult Survivor of Emotional Child Abuse

May 12, 2018

Advertisements on TV and the radio go over the top in portraying all mothers as idealized heroic women who did absolutely every single thing right. Motherhood, however, is far more complex and grittier than those bleached versions of it. It’s a vocation that, when approached right, requires maternal sacrifice, encourages a selfless love from the … More Three Must-Read Posts for Mother’s Day If You’re an Adult Survivor of Emotional Child Abuse

Questions From the Mailbox: Allegedly Ruining Your Future, Deciding to Blog, and Wondering Whether to Tell Your Abusive Parents How You Feel

May 3, 2018

Editor’s Note: The Invisible Scar does not offer professional advice, only opinion. The Invisible Scar receives many emails every month. Some have questions or comments best shared with our readers in this “From the Editor’s Mailbox” column. Though our main advice is for the reader to seek therapy from a professional, we also invite helpful … More Questions From the Mailbox: Allegedly Ruining Your Future, Deciding to Blog, and Wondering Whether to Tell Your Abusive Parents How You Feel

What Finn From ‘The Force Awakens’ and Adult Survivors of Emotional Child Abuse Have in Common

August 3, 2016

Editor’s Note: Upon reading this post, some readers may say, “Oh, it’s just a movie!” Indeed, but stories, whether in books or movies or television programs, teach us about ourselves, about what we value, about what we love, about what we hate. Recently, I rewatched the latest Star Wars film, “The Force Awakens,” and noticed … More What Finn From ‘The Force Awakens’ and Adult Survivors of Emotional Child Abuse Have in Common

From the Editor’s Mailbox: Being a Trusted Adult to Your Siblings, Going No Contact, and Why Therapy May Not Work for You

June 29, 2016

Editor’s Note: The Invisible Scar does not offer professional advice, only opinion. Here’s a look at the most common questions popping up in my inbox lately and some thoughts regarding them. My younger siblings live at home, and they’re being emotionally abused by our parents. What can I do? Call the Childhelp National Child Abuse … More From the Editor’s Mailbox: Being a Trusted Adult to Your Siblings, Going No Contact, and Why Therapy May Not Work for You

Party of One: How to Stand Strong in the Truth When No One Believes You

September 15, 2015

After you’ve awakened to the truth that you were emotionally abused as a child (and perhaps continue to be as an adult child), you will definitely encounter some hard-core resistance from some disbelieving people. These people either have known you as a child and believe the image of a happy family that your parents propagated; … More Party of One: How to Stand Strong in the Truth When No One Believes You

Fear and Guilt Will Keep You in an Abusive Relationship If You Let Them

August 10, 2015

You’ve long suspected something is not quite normal about your relationship with your parents. Perhaps you even sought answers and read about the signs of emotional child abuse. Now, you have come to the hard, cold realization that you’ve been emotionally abused as a child—and that the abuse has extended into your adulthood. So, what … More Fear and Guilt Will Keep You in an Abusive Relationship If You Let Them

The Mind Games of Gaslighting [Types of Emotional Child Abuse Series, Part 2]

June 22, 2014

When you look up the definition of emotional child abuse, it includes different kinds of emotional child abuse. In our Types of Emotional Child Abuse series, the first post discussed the silent treatment. In this post, we’ll explore gaslighting. The Dark Art of Driving Someone Who Trusts You Crazy In the 1944 film “Gaslight,” pianist … More The Mind Games of Gaslighting [Types of Emotional Child Abuse Series, Part 2]

How to Handle Your Critical Inner Voice: An Interview with Psychologist Lisa Firestone

April 14, 2014

At The Invisible Scar, we’ve received myriad emails and comments regarding how to deal with one’s harsh inner voice, which hounds adult survivors of emotional child abuse. To answer questions from readers, we turned to Dr. Lisa Firestone for her professional insight. Lisa works as the director of Research and Education at The Glendon Association … More How to Handle Your Critical Inner Voice: An Interview with Psychologist Lisa Firestone