As a significant other in an intimate relationship with an abusive partner, it’s inevitable that you will eventually experience a decline in the sense of well-being. Feelings of self-worth can slide as trepidation is felt around the partner who was expected to be kind and loving and now intimidates and degrades.

The profound changes that occur embody trauma and many losses. In recovery, a survivor of intimate partner abuse develops self-compassion as they recognize their suffering—self-compassion and mourning the losses that help them move through healing to love and care for themselves.

Intimate partner abuse is devastating to those who experience it. You can come to feel entrapped in the relationship rather than participating as an equal partner. You may start out expecting the latter but insidiously over time coercive tactics show up in your partner’s behavior that are often undetected at first.

Still, you can become deeply and traumatically affected. Eventually, as a recipient of coercive........

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