When many people hear the word “abuse” in reference to a relationship or marriage, their minds may instantly go to physical abuse or violence. Unfortunately, this is not the full picture when it comes to abuse, as Dr. Christine Cocchiola goes on to explain. Abusive relationships can drag on painfully for a long time without one partner even fully comprehending the abuse due to something called coercive control, which manifests itself in gaslighting, victim-blaming, and more. Christine M. Cocchiola, DSW, LCSW is an expert on the experiences of adult and child victims of coercive control. A college professor teaching social work, she received her doctorate in clinical social work from New York University working under the tutelage of Dr. Evan Stark. She presents nationally and internationally on coercive control with a focus on educating professionals, advocates, and protective parents, on the experiences of children and best intervention strategies for adult and child victims of coercive control/narcissistic abuse. She is the creator of The Protective Parenting Program, a therapeutic evidence based attachment focused program for parents of children harmed by abusers. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx