Abusive relationships can develop gradually and can usually be identified by patterns of behaviour featuring control
and lack of respect for the other person. These may surface slowly and be excused as jealousy or insecurity at first.
Often they arise from an intense need for love and affection and can initially seem to enforce the victims worth.
An abusive relationship is one where one or more of the following may be present:
* There may be threats of physical violence including suicide threats
* Someone controls your behaviour and restricts your freedom
* Criticism and put-downs are constant
* One persons needs cannot be considered
What issues can counselling address?
* Couple counselling may help assess whether a relationship is abusive or just unbalanced.
* Entrenched abuse is not a suitable subject for working on as a couple.
* Counselling may be useful to the abused person, who may have difficulty detaching themselves from the
partners behaviour.
* Counselling may help restore self-esteem and re-examine healthy ways of relating.
* Specialist agencies can offer support to perpetrators to examine their behaviour counselling is not always appropriate
for abusers.
