• M.E.A.N. Workbook
  • Podcast
  • Help for the abuser
  • Resources
  • More
    • About Me and The Show
    • Contact
    • Newsletter – keep in touch!
    • For Anxiety
    • The Overwhelmed Brain Podcast
    • M.E.A.N. Workbook
    • Podcast
    • Help for the abuser
    • Resources
    • More
      • About Me and The Show
      • Contact
      • Newsletter – keep in touch!
      • For Anxiety
      • The Overwhelmed Brain Podcast
Love and Abuse - Manipulation and Emotional Abuse in Relationships
Love and Abuse - Manipulation and Emotional Abuse in Relationships
  • M.E.A.N. Workbook
  • Podcast
  • Help for the abuser
  • Resources
  • More
    • About Me and The Show
    • Contact
    • Newsletter – keep in touch!
    • For Anxiety
    • The Overwhelmed Brain Podcast
Purchase

Control

img-2

You being the center of their attention is most of the problem

  • May 29, 2025
  • Paul Colaianni
  • Anger, Boundaries, Control, Emotional Abuse, Manipulation
What does it take for an abusive person to change? A whole lot (if they even want to change), but their consistent focus on you can make their healing...
Continue Reading
img-3

When someone wants to change who you are

  • May 20, 2025
  • Paul Colaianni
  • Boundaries, Control, Emotional Abuse, Healing, Manipulation, self-worth
The one-off difficulties in relationships are perfectly normal for everyone. We all have them. They’re not welcome, necessarily, but normal. But what happens when the “one-offs” become systemic? What...
Continue Reading
img-4

The empty threats that keep the abuse cycle alive

  • April 30, 2025
  • Paul Colaianni
  • Control, Emotional Abuse, Relationships, Vulnerability
When they threaten to leave or take something away from you, but they never follow through, expect them to repeat that behavior indefinitely. Empty threats are effective on those...
Continue Reading
img-5

When a relationship is not a relationship

  • April 16, 2025
  • Paul Colaianni
  • Arguments, Control, Crazymaking, Emotional Abuse, Relationships
“Everything’s great with me,” they say, as you sit there staring, confused, wondering what the hell you’re missing because you’re having a completely different experience as them. When is...
Continue Reading

Why abusive people need to maintain power and control over you

  • February 22, 2025
  • Paul Colaianni
  • Control, Emotional Abuse, Healing, Manipulation, Relationships
Some people just won’t stop being hurtful. Why won’t they stop? Are they just terrible people we have to accept and move on? Power and control is their M.O....
Continue Reading
img-6

A clever manipulation tactic that makes you believe you are the problem

  • March 2, 2024
  • Paul Colaianni
  • Arguments, Control, Crazymaking, deception, Emotional Abuse, Gaslighting, lying, Manipulation
There’s a clever manipulation that can happen in some emotionally abusive relationships. It starts with superficial kindness and vague promises and leads to blameshifting and avoiding true accountability. This...
Continue Reading
img-7

Avoid getting trapped into an emotional prison from which you can’t escape

  • August 6, 2023
  • Paul Colaianni
  • Codependency, Control, Emotional Abuse, Gaslighting, Relationships
The cycle of high ups and deep downs in a relationship is like being trapped in an emotional prison. There are moments of freedom and happiness, followed by a...
Continue Reading
img-8

Why they don’t stop hurting you when they see you hurting

  • July 1, 2023
  • Paul Colaianni
  • Boundaries, Control, Emotional Abuse, Relationships, self-esteem, self-worth
Why do people who claim to care about us hurt us when they see that we’re suffering? Shouldn’t our suffering be enough for them to stop the behaviors? It’s...
Continue Reading
img-9

Religious Abuse: When they use your beliefs and faith against you

  • March 31, 2023
  • Paul Colaianni
  • Control, Crazymaking, Emotional Abuse, Manipulation, Relationships, Religious Abuse, Shame
Your religious or spiritual beliefs are supposed to help uplift and inspire you, not make you feel oppressed and exhausted. Religious abuse happens when people who claim to love...
Continue Reading
img-10

The huge wall the emotional abuser puts up

  • January 29, 2023
  • Paul Colaianni
  • Control, Emotional Abuse, Relationships, Vulnerability
Why can’t they just change? Why don’t they just stop hurting you? Sometimes they’ve built such a huge wall of protection around themselves that nothing can penetrate it. They...
Continue Reading

Posts pagination

1 2 … 6 Next
img-11
Purchase Workbook
img-12
Healed Being Website
img-13
Love and Abuse

Click here to return to Love and Abuse

The M.E.A.N. Workbook is brought to you by The Overwhelmed Brain, LLC, copyright 2019-2025. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Anti-Spam Policy - Affiliate DisclosureThis site assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. The Overwhelmed Brain specifically disclaims any liability resulting from the use or application of the information contained in the blog, podcast, services, books, and products, and the information is not intended to serve as medical, psychological, legal, financial, or other professional advice related to individual situations. Do not use the information found on this site, podcasts, services, books, or products to replace professional medical or psychological services.