Is It Supposed to Be This Hard? Telling the Difference Between Emotional Abuse and the Hard Work of Relationship

"I never thought of it as abuse."

Most emotionally abused partners don't know they are being abused. They know that they are dealing with a difficult relationship and wonder, "Is it supposed to be this hard?"

This life-changing book helps people make sense of their situation by:

• Exploring the difference between emotional abuse and the hard work of relationship

• Helping emotionally abused partners understand themselves more and judge themselves less by showing how unconscious relationship patterns, subtlety, and denial make emotional abuse hard to identify

• Outlining steps people can take to recover from abuse, find their inner strength, and engage in better self-care

Of the twenty-eight people who tell their stories in this book-including women abused by men, people from the LGBTQ+ community, and heterosexual men abused by female partners-all have taken steps toward healing, and over half have gone on to enjoy healthy relationships. Along with compassionately presenting their experiences with emotional abuse and the wisdom they gained on their path to recovery, Haffey provides insightful self-reflection tools to help access hidden truths, leading to greater clarity, inner trust, empowering actions, and ultimately freedom from abuse.