Coercive control is experienced by most survivors as devastating and overwhelming. Coercive control is a strategic pattern of terroristic tactics used to completely dominate another person. In coercive control, the target (victim) is subjected to terroristic and torturous psychological, emotional and, sometimes even, physical abuse. These highly manipulative and deceptive tactics work together to break down the target's sense of reality and personhood... robbing them of their dignity, agency and self-esteem.
The aftermath of coercive control can leave the target with years of severe physical, emotional and psychological symptoms. Survivors often spend years, or even decades, attempting to recover, and some never fully do. The fallout from coercive control can be so completely overwhelming that many survivors find it difficult to find adequate support from friends, family or even therapists. The symptoms caused by even short-term contact with a coercive controller require specialized knowledge in thought reform, brainwashing, coercion, abuse of power, trauma and coercive control to be effective.
For these reasons, and others, creative therapies can be a safer outlet to relieve some of the trauma as a survivor works through their coercive control aftermath and trauma.
Thanks to Rebel Studio Arts, I have provided an example of art that can be healing. Expressing one's experience through images, song or movement, can help process and release some of the survivor's pain in an environment that may be less likely to re-traumatize them. If you are a survivor of coercive control, you might want to consider singing, dance, photography, scrapbooking or other forms of artwork to work through your experiences.
If you have artwork you would like to share on this blog email: kate@endccusa.com
