Gaslighting is an insidious form of emotional abuse that causes immense damage to clients’ psychological and physical health!

Many victims of this gaslighting feel they’re unable to disclose the abuse, or, unaware of the abuse because they’ve been discredited by the perpetrator as “crazy” and left feeling unsure of reality…

…trapped in a web of manipulation and control.

Help your clients identify gaslighting and extract themselves from unbearable suffering perpetrated by narcissists and sociopaths.

Join Stephanie Sarkis, PhD, author of Gaslighting, to get the tools you need to identify and treat the emotional abuse of gaslighting, and understand the behavior patterns of those inflicting the emotional abuse.

You’ll learn:

• Top 10 questions for uncovering gaslighting abuse in your clients
• The profile of the gaslighting perpetrator
• Signs and fallout from emotional abuse
• How to differentiate gaslighting from other forms of abuse
• The complexities of the grieving process when leaving a gaslighter
• Tools to help clients rebuild self-awareness and emotional balance

And More!

Don’t let this underserved population of abuse go untreated. The quicker we can identify the signs and psychological ramifications of gaslighting, the sooner we can help clients rebuild their lives.

Register today!

Objectives

1. Utilize solution focused, cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to address victims of emotional abuse.
2. Differentiate between abusive behaviors defined as “gaslighting”, poor communication, and other forms of emotional abuse.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of evidence based practices to address emotional abuse
4. Determine whether a client is experiencing complicated grief as a result of leaving their abuser using techniques from attachment and complicated grief therapy.
5. Utilize clinical strategies from a trauma-informed perspective to identify vulnerabilities and trauma that abusers prey upon.
6. Educate clients to identify potential abusive behavior in future relationships.

Outline A More Dangerous Form of Emotional Abuse

• Potential for domestic homicide is higher
• Lifetime attachment issues for children witnessing the abuse
• Parental alienation
• Chronic loss of self-esteem; higher suicide rates
• Gaslighting probability higher in men

Warning Signs of Gaslighting

• Intermittent positive reinforcement (breadcrumbing)
• Slow spiral into instability
• Compulsive lying with malicious intent
• Jekyll and Hyde personality

Unpacking Profile of Perpetrator

• Narcissist, sociopath, or learned behavior? Nature/nurture
• Demands absolute loyalty, never gives it in return
• Chronic pattern of infidelity
• May be very charismatic
• They’ll only attend couples therapy, never individual
• Gaslighting the therapist
• Case study: 38-year-old male, gaslighting his partner

Recognizing Gaslighting Abuse in Clients

• Disconnected and isolated from family and friends
• Blames self for abuse
• Difficulty recognizing gradual build of abuse
• Ruminates on how to “fix” relationship
• Abuse in family of origin
• Increase in anxious attachment style traits
• Given up independence, including job and solo activities
• Enters therapy because they view themselves as the “problem”

Healing from Family-of-Origin and Complicated Grief

• Insecure attachment
• Permission to detach, reduce, or cease communication
• Sticking to healthy boundaries
• Reverse relationship patterns
• Case study: Cassie, 60-year-old female, family of-origin engages in gaslighting

Help Clients Rebuild Their Lives

• Effective strategies for co-parenting with gaslighter
• Legal protections for clients and their children
• Formation of healthy boundaries
• Case study: Jamie, 45-years-old, co-parenting with a narcissist
• Case study: 35-years-old, co-parenting with gaslighting ex-partner

Potential Pitfalls for Therapists

• Triangulation of therapist
• Being swayed by gaslighter’s charisma
• Frustration over client returning to relationship
• Pushing own agenda of client independence
• Vicarious traumatization and burnout

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social workers
• Psychologists
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Physicians
• Addiction Counselors
• Mental health professionals who specialize in women’s issues, work in domestic violence shelters, work with LGBTQIA+ clients
• Therapists that work in private practice, group settings, inpatient, and at schools