Divorce and Parenting Consultant
Writer and Speaker
What is emotional abuse and what does it look like?
Linda was in an emotionally abusive relationship for most of her 25 year marriage.
In this interview, she speaks about her own experience, as well as what emotional abuse looks like and what to do if you find yourself in this situation.
Emotional abuse starts insidiously with the withdrawal of affection and gradually escalates. Things you used to do correctly are now a problem. You then get to a point where you think, “there must be something wrong with me if I am feeling this way.”
You soon start doubting yourself. There is always that subtext running through your relationship.
Emotional abusers attack your vulnerabilities and because this is your partner, you believe them and you don’t share with others because you’re embarrassed that you’re not getting things right.
Sometimes it’s not you who realises what is going on but those around you because you have shrunk to a little ball and that’s all you have left. You don’t have the energy to protect yourself from your partner because your self-esteem has been gradually eroded for months or maybe even years.
Then in public, they start gathering support by telling others that there is something wrong with you.
If this is you, if this resonates with you, talk it through with a family member or friend whom you trust will be honest with you and whom you feel safe with.
If you need help, advice or support contact Linda at letterstolinda@thedivorcemagazine.co.uk. We will never print your name nor email, nor add you to any mailing list.
LETTERS TO LINDA
ABOUT LINDA SIMPSON
I take strength from your calm, your honesty, and the hope you give me for my future.” Cheryl
Linda is a fresh voice in the divorce advice world. She offers a pragmatic, common sense approach to life after divorce issues based on over twenty years surviving and thriving following a very traumatic divorce.
As a single parent, her sons are an enormous source of joy in her life. She is a loving mother and grandmother to four delightful grandchildren.
She holds a degree from the University of Waterloo with concentrations in sociology and philosophy and guidance counselling certification from Queen’s University.
She is an accredited trainer for The Peace Education Foundation, a leader in conflict resolution training. The institute is ‘dedicated to educating children and adults in the dynamics of conflict resolution and promoting peacemaking skills in home, schools, and community.’
In a long and successful teaching career, she also served as a counsellor and workshop facilitator for SEL (social emotional learning) programming and The Peace Education Foundation throughout her school and school district and was a frequent conference presenter for SUNY Potsdam Faculty of Education USA.
She writes for The Divorce Magazine UK and her blog is seen regularly on Huffington Post Canada where the focus is life after divorce and parenting issues.
She is a writer and poet and is presently at work on a book based on her divorce experience.
Linda, you are a blessing and inspiration to women too scared to leave toxic, high conflict, loveless marriages ? Thank you for educating women and spreading the word, ladies, you can do this. There IS happiness after divorce ???