Betrayal Trauma Recovery

What is victim blaming? It’s when someone blames you instead of the person who harmed you. It’s a tactic used, not only by abusers, but also by everyone else. Victim blaming invalidates our experience as victims of emotional and psychological abuse and coercion. If you’re being blamed for your husband’s lies, manipulation, and infidelity, you need support. Attend a Betrayal...

Many women wonder, “Can trauma affect your sex drive?” Yes, trauma can have a profound impact. Especially if your partner emotionally traumatized you. It’s a basic fact that emotional abuse isn’t attractive. There are 19 different types of emotional abuse, to see if you’ve been experiencing any one of the 19 types, take our free emotional abuse quiz . 1. It’s No...

One of the questions I often hear women in our community grappling with is, “How do you know when your marriage is over​?” The answer I hear many women give is that you’ll just know if and when it’s time. The truth is, that there is no “right” answer or clear path for every woman facing this question, but there are a few things you can keep in mind while you&#82...

We’d all like to believe that divorce stops abuse, but post separation abuse is so common. The truth is, abusers don’t stop wanting power over their victims, even after divorce. To learn if your ex-husband is continuing to abuse you after your separation or divorce, take my free emotional abuse test . What Is Post Separation Abuse? Post-separation abuse refers to the continuation of em...

Fairy tales have harmed women for centuries. Fairy tales often vilify women’s anger, undermine their pursuit of financial independence, and set unrealistic expectations. These biases shift the focus from abusers to women, making them see themselves as the problem. Join Anne Blythe, M.Ed, Host and Jane Gillmore as they discuss misogyny and fairy tales. If you relate to any of this episode, at...

Emotional abuse affects your body in a variety of ways. Many women in The BTR.ORG Community have experienced devastating emotional, physical, and mental symptoms. Here’s Joyce’s story. Betrayal Trauma Recovery Group Sessions are here for you if you’re experiencing negative health affects of emotional abuse. Transcript: Emotional Abuse Affects Your Body Anne: I have a special frie...

In a world that has normalized explicit media and romanticizes unhealthy relationships, parents need to teach children about healthy relationships. Luckily, there are resources to help parents teach children about healthy relationships in a way that works for everyone. One of the first steps to teaching healthy relationships is to teaching about emotional abuse. If they understand emotional abuse,...

Going through a divorce—especially one you didn’t want—is one of the hardest challenges a woman can face. Women experience heartbreak, uncertainty, and overwhelming emotions. It’s normal to feel lost. Here are some comforting Bible verses concerning divorce. So if you’re suffering from your husband’s choices, that you may not be aware of. You’re also healing from years of emotion...

Male entitlement to women’s bodies is a driving force behind emotional & psychological abuse, sexual coercion, domestic abuse, sexual violence, and homicide. Here’s what you need to know. Rachel Moran, a former trafficking victim, shares her story below. For women who are currently in a relationship, if you’re feeling used and unseen, consider taking our free emotional abuse...

It’s hard to say no. How to say no is especially difficult when your husband is emotionally abusive. Penny has an abusive father, and has some amazing tips about how to say no. The general idea is this: If it’s unhealthy, harming me, or I don’t want to do it AND it’s arbitrary, I say no. Try: Saying “No, thank you” politely. You don’t need to offer explana...

Should couples stay together after infidelity? Here’s what some unfaithful husbands anonymously said. Their answers will shock you. Most unfaithful men use emotional abuse tactics to hide their infidelity. To discover if you’ve been experiencing any one of the 19 different types of emotional abuse, take our free emotional abuse test . If you need live support, attend a Betrayal Trauma...

Mothers often ask, “How can I help my daughter avoid teenage abuse?” Lucy is on the BTR.ORG podcast , sharing her insights as a 19-year-old, new in the dating world, with helpful insights for mothers. In this interview, she shares her list of “red flags” that she made with the help of her mother. You can help your child avoid teenage abuse in relationships by having regular...

In marriage, many women feel off, meaning they feel like something is wrong, but they don’t know if what they’re sensing is real or just anxiety. Anne, Blythe, M.Ed, an expert in emotional and psychological abuse, sheds light on the murders of Angela Craig and Tausha Haight. And gives practical tips for how to listen to your gut and understand what it’s telling you. If you relate...

If intimacy in your marriage feels confusing, pressured, or something you’re starting to dread, often, maybe you have a manipulative husband. Here are three overlooked signs of manipulation in marriage. And over time, those patterns don’t just affect intimacy—they erode your sense of safety, clarity, and trust in yourself. If you’ve ever wondered if all married intimacy is this way—this will help...

Many people say the key to restoring a relationship is forgiveness, but what should you do when an abuser denies his abuse? Is forgiveness even possible? Here’s what you need to know. Many clergy, therapists, family or friends tell victims to “just forgive” their abuser. But this advice often ignores the trauma victims face and the need to focus on protecting themselves so they c...

When your husband doesn’t help with housework, it’s important to understand how it might impact you. Sometimes his refusal to do housework is a sign of emotional abuse. To discover if he’s using any one of the 19 different types of emotional abuse, take our free abuse quiz . Transcript: When Your Husband Doesn’t Help With Housework Anne: It’s just me today. I’m...

Psychological abuse is so insidious victims often cannot identify that they are a victim. If your husband has used psychological abuse to hide his infidelity or other harmful behavior, here’s what you need to know. If you relate, take our free psychological abuse quiz . Psychological Abuse Definition & Symptoms Psychological abuse is a form of emotional and mental harm inflicted that is...

If you’re a woman trying to make sense of your husband’s behavior or struggling with feelings of worth tied to how you look, understanding what is featurism might bring much-needed clarity. Here are 3 things to know. To know if you’re experiencing any one of the 19 types of abuse, take our free abuse quiz . Featurism, also known as feature-based discrimination, is the practice of valuing and...

Is crying yourself to sleep almost every night normal? Is marriage meant to be hard? We’ll get to the answer. And in the meantime, consider that you may be experiencing emotional abuse. To find out, take our free emotional abuse quiz . The Myth That Marriage Is Meant To Be Hard Enables Abuse The old “marriage is hard” trope enables abusers. When clergy, family, therapists, and ot...

Did you know that emotional abuse and infidelity always happen together? If your husband has been unfaithful, take this free emotional abuse quiz to see if you’re experiencing any of the 19 types of emotional abuse that occurs with infidelity. Betrayal Is Abuse Because It Involves All These Psychological Abuse Tactics 1. Lying He lies to hide infidelity, secret spending, or pornography use....

If you’re thinking about divorce or recently divorced, you may wonder, “Do good men exist?” Here’s what to consider if you’re worried about being single. To learn more about emotional abuse, before you consider dating again, take our free emotional abuse test . Transcript: Do Good Men Exist? Anne: I’m more than excited to have my friend Gretchen Baskerville on t...

Are you wondering if there’s something wrong with your husband or boyfriend? Here are 5 silent red flags in a relationship that you need to know. If you relate to this episode, did you know that there are 19 types of emotional abuse? Take our free emotional abuse test to see if you’re experiencing this. 1. Coming On Strong Early On Like most red flags, abusers will often come on very s...

Many women turn to clergy to ask, “Should you stay married after infidelity?” If you’ve been looking to God or clergy for answers (or even friends and family), here’s the truth no one will say out loud. The shocking truth might be that you’re also experiencing emotional abuse. Take our free emotional abuse test to find out. If you need live support, attend a Betrayal...

If you searched “is watching inappropriate media cheating” you’re probably looking for clarity. Because for a woman who have just discovered what her husband has been secretly doing with his time, it feels like a betrayal because it is . It’s a betrayal if her husband is sharing his energy, attention, and loyalty with other women (thousands of them online). This episode is a two-part convers...

Is your husband using scriptures to coerce or oppress you? If so, you may be experiencing spiritual abuse symptoms. Here’s how to know for sure. If you’re wondering if you’ve experienced spiritual abuse, take our free spiritual abuse quiz to see if he’s used any of these tactics to exploit and oppress you. Spiritual abuse is a form of emotional and psychological manipulatio...