NVAA Counseling & Behavioral Health Services
95% of men who physically abuse their intimate partners also psychologically abuse them.*
Psychological abuse involves trauma to the victim caused by verbal abuse, acts, threats of acts, or coercive tactics. Perpetrators use psychological abuse to control, terrorize and denigrate their victims. It frequently occurs prior to or concurrently with physical or sexual abuse.*
Psychological abuse increases the trauma of physical and sexual abuse, and a number of studies have demonstrated that psychological abuse often experience depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideation, low self-esteem, and difficulty trusting others. Subtle psychological abuse is more harmful than either overt psychological abuse or direct aggression.*
Strength and Healing Through Counseling
In a safe, supportive and confidential environment, our licensed and highly experienced counselors help victims of child abuse, domestic violence and sex trafficking to understand the controlling, oppressive tactics of an abuser. Counselors will cover such topics as humiliation, controlling the victim, withholding information, embarrassing or diminishing the victim, isolation, denying the victim access to money and other basic resources, stalking, undermining the victim’s confidence and sense of self-worth and acts used to convince the victim that they are crazy.
NVAA counselors have extensive experience working with victims of domestic violence, child abuse and sex trafficking, and will cover a wide array of psychological abuse tactics used by abusers. With counseling victims will learn how to use tools proven to reduce and eliminate their devastating effects such as depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, PTSD and feelings of guilt. We teach skills that transform clients from victims to survivors to thrivers.
Warning Signs
7 out of 10 psychologically abused women show symptoms of PTSD and/or depression. Psychological abuse is a stronger predictor of PTSD than physical abuse among women.*
It Can Happen To Anyone
Women who earn 65% or more of their households' income are more likely to be psychologically abused than women who earn less than 65% of their households' income.*
Self-Esteem
Intimate partner victimization is correlated with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior.*