Escape the Paradox
Welcome to Escape the Paradox, where I expose the hidden reality of coercive control and domestic violence including psychological, emotional and physical abuse.
I’m Helena, a survivor of childhood abuse. I'm a mental health nursing student and advocate, here to support you in breaking free from the confusion, fear, and isolation that abuse creates.
Home should be the safest place, but for many, it becomes the most dangerous.
In each episode, I share my personal story and dive into my own experiences, as well as survivor experiences, trauma-informed insights, and expert research to help you understand the mechanisms of abuse and begin your healing journey.
We’ll explore tactics such as gaslighting, and how abusers wield and seek power and control, not to diagnose, but because naming abuse is the first step in reclaiming your reality.
If you're ready to reconnect with your truth and rebuild your self-worth through clarity and understanding, you’re in the right place.
Follow Escape the Paradox on Threads, Instagram, and TikTok: @escapetheparadox.
Escape the Paradox
Intimidation in Relationships: Understanding Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Coercive Control
In this episode, I delve into the element of intimidation in abusive relationships and how it oppresses the target, making escape incredibly challenging. I also share my personal experience with the very real tactics abusers use to discredit their targets, adding even more layers of difficulty to leaving.
Sources
Please see this study regarding PTSD, and the associations between experiencing trauma and threats, as in DV/IPV/Child Abuse:
Kredlow, A., Fenster, R. J., Laurent, E. S., et al. (2022). Prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and threat processing: Implications for PTSD. Neuropsychopharmacology, 47(1), pp.247–259. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-021-01155-7
Please see the study which I drew on to show the similarities between threats and intimidation. This article was used more in Episode 2.
Wood, K., Giesbrecht, C. J., Brooks, C., & Arisman, K. (2024). "I couldn't leave the farm: Rural women's experiences of intimate partner violence and coercive control." Violence Against Women. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012241279117
Welcome to Escape the Paradox, a podcast dedicated to exposing and exploring the truth about coercive control, emotional abuse, and the long-term trauma caused by abusive relationships.
Whether it's childhood abuse from a parent, intimate partner violence, or domestic abuse in any form, this podcast dives into the patterns, dynamics, and the psychological impact.
My name is Helena, and I am your host! I share my own lived experience as a survivor of childhood abuse, while also creating space for survivor stories, expert insight, and compassionate support.
Healing is non-linear, and a complex and difficult process.
If you're looking for support, please visit escapetheparadox.com to learn more about my services in abuse consulting and advocacy and 1:1 sessions.
Don't forget to subscribe (follow) wherever you get your podcasts!
Remember: It's not your fault, and your story matters!
