Tag: relationships

🕳️ “The Secret Briefcase”: When Nothing Is Sacred and Everything Is a Lie

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner

A Psychological Perspective on Deception, Intuition, and the Search for What’s Real Some people dabble in everything—relationships, careers, identities—yet commit to nothing. They collect personas like masks, changing them to suit whoever is watching. To the outside world, they seem interesting, maybe even charismatic. But to those who get too close, something always feels off. Looking back,… Read More 🕳️ “The Secret Briefcase”: When Nothing Is Sacred and Everything Is a Lie

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💔 “Everything About Him Was Fake”: The Illusion of Integrity

When someone presents themselves as an honest, principled, and grounded individual—while living a double life—the discrepancy between their words and actions can be traumatizing. It creates a psychological experience known as cognitive dissonance: your brain tries to reconcile who you thought he was with who he really is. That dissonance can shake your sense of reality. This is often what survivors… Read More 💔 “Everything About Him Was Fake”: The Illusion of Integrity

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💔 Fake Jewellery, Fake People, Fake Lives: The Psychology of Deceit and the Power of Truth

There’s something unsettling about realizing that what you thought was real… was never real at all. The shine of the jewellery was fake.The words were scripted.The life you thought you were building together was a performance — one carefully crafted to impress others, not to nourish you. Deceit is rarely loud.It’s a whisper in your… Read More 💔 Fake Jewellery, Fake People, Fake Lives: The Psychology of Deceit and the Power of Truth

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🌪 When the Truth Confirms the Trauma: A Psychological Reflection on Betrayal, Intuition, and Liberation 🌱

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner

There is a unique kind of heartbreak that comes not from being blindsided, but from having your deepest suspicions confirmed. You know the feeling — that uncomfortable churn in your stomach, that quiet voice whispering, “Something isn’t right here.” Years ago, I felt it. A comment about Thai girls in France. A cruel suggestion that I could… Read More 🌪 When the Truth Confirms the Trauma: A Psychological Reflection on Betrayal, Intuition, and Liberation 🌱

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Warning

Deciding whether to warn your abuser’s new partner about past abuse, especially something as severe as strangulation, is a deeply personal and complex decision. It involves weighing your safety, emotional well-being, and the potential impact on the new partner. Here’s a comprehensive look at the considerations involved: Understanding the Risks Strangulation is one of the… Read More Warning

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Strangulation: When It’s Time to Leave — What Comes Next

Strangulation is not just an act of violence — it is one of the clearest predictors of escalating abuse and potential homicide in domestic violence cases. Survivors often underestimate the seriousness of this form of assault, sometimes due to the absence of visible injuries. But make no mistake: strangulation is a form of power and… Read More Strangulation: When It’s Time to Leave — What Comes Next

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“If They Can Control It in Public, It’s Not a Loss of Control — It’s a Choice”

“He never screamed at the waitress. Never slammed doors at work. Never called his friends names or insulted them in front of others.But behind closed doors? He was someone else.And I used to wonder… Is it me? Is it my fault? Does he have anger issues?No. The truth is harder to face, but also liberating:It wasn’t… Read More “If They Can Control It in Public, It’s Not a Loss of Control — It’s a Choice”

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The Silence Deal: When Abusers Bury Their Past Through Coercive Agreements

“He made a deal with his ex-wife—she wouldn’t speak about the abuse, and in return, he’d keep paying her support. At the time, I thought it was just a messy divorce. Now, I know it was strategic. He was hiding the truth—and I was the next target.” In abusive dynamics, silence is power. For the… Read More The Silence Deal: When Abusers Bury Their Past Through Coercive Agreements

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Why We Ignore Red Flags: The Psychology Behind Overriding Intuition

“People tried to warn me. My own daughter heard the rumours in our local village. Even I had a gut feeling something was off—but I ignored it. Why?” This question haunts many survivors after the end of an abusive relationship. When the truth is finally undeniable, we often turn inward, full of self-blame, asking: “How… Read More Why We Ignore Red Flags: The Psychology Behind Overriding Intuition

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