ABSTRACT
Abusive partners use power and control tactics to manipulate their partners, and there is a large mental component to this control. This chapter addresses the cognitive dimensions to the abuse recovery process. The chapter will review common lies that abusers often lead survivors to believe (e.g., An abuser says, “You won't be able to live without me,” which can deceive a survivor into believing, “I can't make it on my own”). The chapter then equips readers with a process for correcting faulty belief systems to develop more positive, adaptive cognitive processes to support the healing process.
