The Emotionally Abusive Relationship (eBook)

BEVERLY ENGEL is an internationally recognized therapist with an expertise in abuse, women's issues, relationships, and sexuality. She is the author of several nonfiction books, including Loving Him without Losing You, Honor Your Anger, The Power of Apology, and The Emotionally Abused Woman. Engel has appeared on many national television shows, including Oprah, Donahue, Ricki Lake, Sally Jessy Raphael, and others.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

Part One: Identifying and Understanding Emotional Abuse.

1. Emotional Abuse?The Destroyer of Relationships.

2. Patterns of Abuse.

3. Not All Emotionally Abusive Relationships Are Alike.

4. Patterns That Begin in Childhood: Why We Abuse and Why We
Take It.

Part Two: Stopping the Abuse.

5. Action Steps for Those Being Abused.

6. Action Steps for the Abusive Partner.

7. Action Steps for the Abusive Couple.

8. When Your Partner Has a Personality Disorder.

9. When Your Abusiveness Stems from Your Personality
Disorder.

Part Three: Where Do You Go from Here?

10. Should You Stay or Should You Leave?

11. Preventing Emotional Abuse in the Future.

12. Continuing to Recover.

Epilogue.

References.

Further Reading.

Websites and Chat Rooms.

Index.

According to therapist Engel (The Emotionally Abusive
Relationship: How To Stop Being Abused and How To Stop
Abusing), "even the most loving person" is capable of emotional
abuse-that is, "any non-physical behavior designed to control,
intimidate, subjugate, demean, punish, or isolate." In a reasoned,
sensible tone, she encourages readers to become responsible for
their behavior and for changing it. Identified are ten "patterns of
abuse" (verbal assault, character assassination, etc.), different
kinds of abusive relationships, action steps for cessation, and
suggestions for recovery. Using dense writing and cogent examples,
Engel clearly shows how this type of abuse, either intentional or
unconscious leads to low self-esteem and misery for one or both
partners. A difficult and draining yet important read for those who
suspect that their relationship has entered abusive territory,
this book is highly recommended. (Library Journal,
September 15, 2002)

"A good, solid treatment of an insidious but all-too-common type of
relationship in which the weapons are words and moods rather than
fists, but which do just as much damage. Most importantly, Beverly
Engel doesn't just describe--she shows us the way out." --Susan
Forward, bestselling author of Emotional Blackmail, Men Who Hate
Women and the Women Who Love Them, and Toxic Parents