DiscoverYou Are Not CrazyThe Abuse That Didn’t Look Like Abuse
The Abuse That Didn’t Look Like Abuse

The Abuse That Didn’t Look Like Abuse

Update: 2025-07-16
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There’s a version of abuse that presents as calm and reasonable. It doesn’t look chaotic, and at first, it doesn’t even feel that way. It feels quiet and measured. It sounds like someone who wants to work through things. Someone who seems thoughtful and emotionally attuned.

Under the surface, there’s control, pressure, and a constant pull to make you question whether your reactions are valid, whether your needs are too much, and whether you’re the one creating the problem.

In this episode, I share a case study from my own experience—one that illustrates how the cycle of emotional abuse can play out through over-explaining, emotional caretaking, and subtle self-betrayal.

If you’ve ever felt like your nervous system was screaming while your partner calmly told you everything was fine, this episode will help you name what’s happening.

This episode is part of Unhooked, my private podcast series on mapping the cycle of abuse—especially the kind that doesn’t look like abuse from the outside.

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Website: Emotional Abuse Coach and high-conflictdivorcecoaching.com
Instagram: @emotionalabusecoach
Email: jessica@jessicaknightcoaching.com

{Substack} Blog About Recovering from Abuse


{E-Book} How to Break Up with a Narcissist
{Course} Identify Signs of Abuse and Begin to Heal
{Free Resource} Canned Responses for Engaging with an Abusive Partner

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The Abuse That Didn’t Look Like Abuse

The Abuse That Didn’t Look Like Abuse

Jessica Knight