abusive relationships

If you’ve ever found yourself defending someone who hurt you, missing them desperately even after they’ve caused real damage, or feeling like you can’t leave no matter how many times you’ve tried, you’re not weak. You might be experiencing a trauma bond. Trauma bonding is a strong psychological attachment that…

Domestic abuse affects as many as one in four women and one in nine men during their lifetimes. But recognizing it isn’t always straightforward. Abuse rarely announces itself with obvious violence. More often, it builds slowly through patterns of control that erode your sense of reality, safety, and self—physical harm,…

Toxic relationships aren’t always obvious from the start. Some evolve quietly—one eye roll, one dismissed feeling, one “I was just joking; don’t be so sensitive” comment at a time. Many relationships erode through “one thousand paper cuts,” says psychologist Morgan Cutlip, PhD, author of A Better Share. Over time, what…

As the adage goes, opposites attract… or do they? From horoscopes, classic rom-coms, and even our dating app preferences, many of us seem almost obsessed with our personality types and who we are (and aren’t) compatible with.  Now consider an unlikely romantic relationship between two people with personality types that…

By this point, Morgan’s used to being pushed around—literally and figuratively. Her boyfriend, Jon, who used to treat her with the utmost love and respect, became abusive about 2 years into their relationship. It started with words: demeaning, condescending, cruel words. Then it turned into a little nudge here and…