Tag: relationships

Understanding Why Some Women Seek Comfort Elsewhere During an Abusive Relationship

For much of my life, I believed that having an affair under any circumstances was completely wrong. It seemed like a clear-cut issue with no exceptions. However, after healing from abuse and working closely with psychologists and trauma specialists, my understanding of human behaviour has become far more nuanced. To be clear, this is not… Read More Understanding Why Some Women Seek Comfort Elsewhere During an Abusive Relationship

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A pattern of judgment, projection, and hypocrisy.

A pattern of judgment, projection, and hypocrisy. When someone says things like “she was never a Samaritan, she was just a gold digger” why would she be interested in someone 25 years her senior? Without evidence, several psychological processes can be at work: Projection People sometimes attribute motives to others that reflect their own way of thinking.… Read More A pattern of judgment, projection, and hypocrisy.

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Involving Children and Grandchildren

When family members involve children or grandchildren in denying, minimizing, or covering up abusive behaviour, it places enormous psychological pressure on everyone involved — especially the younger generations. From a neuroscience and psychology perspective, several dynamics often overlap: Trauma bonding and loyalty conflicts — Children and grandchildren can feel emotionally trapped between attachment to a parent/grandparent… Read More Involving Children and Grandchildren

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Deep neurochemical and emotional bonding.

Why It Feels Fated Every memory is stored in your hippocampus — the movie reel of your emotional life. When love blooms, the brain replays all those moments: the jokes, the care, the time they showed up. And the subconscious whispers: “Of course it’s them.”

Some of the strongest human connections are formed when attraction is not primarily driven by money, status, appearance, or social gain, but by deep neurochemical and emotional bonding. Neuroscience shows that humans are biologically wired for attachment. In genuinely intense connections, the brain’s reward, safety, and bonding systems can become highly synchronized between two people.… Read More Deep neurochemical and emotional bonding.

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Limerence

The psychological term most often linked to “love at first sight” is “instant attraction” or “limerence” when the feelings become intense, obsessive, and emotionally consuming. In neuroscience and psychology, researchers also talk about rapid romantic attachment or thin-slice attraction — where the brain forms powerful impressions within seconds. From a neuroscience perspective, something very real does happen, although scientists debate whether it is truly “love”… Read More Limerence

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Oxytocin is a hormone and neurotransmitter heavily involved in:

bonding attachment trust intimacy caregiving emotional closeness and social connection It is often called the “bonding hormone” or “love hormone,” although neuroscience shows its role is more complex than that simple label suggests. When Are Oxytocin Levels Released? Oxytocin release increases during: hugging affectionate touch kissing sexual intimacy orgasm eye contact emotional closeness breastfeeding caregiving and feelings of trust… Read More Oxytocin is a hormone and neurotransmitter heavily involved in:

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Nucleus Accumbens is one of the brain’s key reward and motivation centres and plays a major role in:

attraction romantic attachment pleasure desire emotional reinforcement anticipation and addictive behaviours It is part of the brain’s mesolimbic dopamine system, often called the reward pathway. What Does the Nucleus Accumbens Do? The nucleus accumbens helps the brain answer questions like: “What feels rewarding?” “What do I want more of?” “What should I pursue or repeat?” When… Read More Nucleus Accumbens is one of the brain’s key reward and motivation centres and plays a major role in:

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Love, Attachment, and the Neurobiology of Human Connection

Why can love feel euphoric, addictive, calming, terrifying, healing, and emotionally overwhelming all at the same time? Modern neuroscience suggests that romantic attachment is not “just emotion.” It involves complex interactions between brain reward systems, attachment pathways, stress regulation networks, memory systems, hormones, and social bonding mechanisms. Over the last two decades, research reviews and… Read More Love, Attachment, and the Neurobiology of Human Connection

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Grooming, Sexual Manipulation, and Why It Can Be Difficult to Detect

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

In recent years, psychology and safeguarding research have increasingly focused on grooming behaviours, coercive manipulation, and the psychological processes involved in abusive dynamics — both online and offline. One of the most important findings across the research is this: grooming is often subtle, gradual, and psychologically strategic. It rarely begins with obvious abuse. Instead, it… Read More Grooming, Sexual Manipulation, and Why It Can Be Difficult to Detect

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