Abuse & Neglect

Whether it’s a one-time traumatic experience, or a multitude, healing from sexual abuse can take time and dedicated effort for many survivors. Thankfully, at Thriveworks, it’s an experience that clients don’t have to endure alone—because we offer professional support during your recovery process. Sexual abuse support, through trauma-informed counseling services,…

Q: Do you offer family therapy? My family has experienced domestic violence and would like a space to process abusive experiences.  A: Hello there, First of all, I’m sorry for what you and your family have experienced. A history of domestic violence within a family can be challenging to repair,…

Domestic violence, also known as intimate partner violence, is a complex and dangerous issue that thousands deal with every day. Even after a violent situation has ended, the mental and emotional ramifications of the experience remain. Because of this, domestic violence therapy is often necessary to address the traumatic events…

Abuse is a dangerous and prevalent issue for many people. However, it can be incredibly nuanced, which might make it hard to identify for those experiencing abuse. One frequent example of this is called reactive abuse. Reactive abuse is something that occurs as a result of a victim responding strongly…

Each October, volunteers, families, employers, and advocacy groups work together for a common purpose: to bring Domestic Violence Awareness Month into the public’s eye. Since 1989, 31 days in October remind us of the strength and resilience of domestic violence survivors—we’re encouraged to help support them through educating ourselves, volunteering, …

Domestic abuse is a pervasive issue within the United States, and is a form of mistreatment and control that can be inflicted physically emotionally, sexually, verbally, and even financially. Domestic abuse is typically committed by an intimate partner, roommate, or relative. Domestic abuse is often a cyclical process that affects…

Camille and Amma couldn’t be more different. Camille is a 30-something journalist who prefers to stay under the radar. Amma, on the other hand, is her more outgoing and rebellious kid sister. That said, there is one common thread between them: their mother Adora. Or more specifically, her abuse. If…

The idea of brainwashing had a viral moment in the 1950s when the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) decided to wage psychological warfare against Communism. Project MKUltra secretly experimented with “mind control” techniques, dosing people with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) without their consent. In fact, at one point the CIA…

We sometimes use the terms “verbal abuse” and “emotional abuse” interchangeably… but we shouldn’t. Because while they might overlap, verbal abuse and emotional abuse are very different, with distinct characteristics and impacts. Verbal Abuse: The Aggressive Use (or Suppression) of Language Verbal abuse is the use of language to hurt…

Click here to schedule online counseling at Thriveworks. Hi, my name is Brandy Enneking and I’m a Licensed Clinician with Thriveworks in Tucson, Arizona. I’m here to talk to you today about what gaslighting in relationships looks like. First you might be even asking yourself what is gaslighting? So I’m going…

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…

Statistics show that people who have been abused in the past are more likely to be abused in the future. This begs an important question: Do certain people attract abusers or abusive relationships? It’s important to note that abuse is never the victim’s fault. In fact, more often than not,…