Author Archive: Steve Becker, LCSW

By Lovefraud Professional Resources | November 14, 2018 1 Comments

Dr. Laura Rubiales: Addressing fatigue after a social predator

20 shares

By Laura Rubiales, ND, LAc

If you find yourself drained and tired after an experience or relationship with a social predator, these are my suggestions: Cut all ties with them and those with whom you will get the social predator’s garbage. Try to reach some kind of emotional neutrality about the situation so you are not giving them your mental and emotional energy anymore. A skilled therapist can be invaluable in this process.

I understand that this is much easier said than done when the predator was an intimate partner or affected your safety in the world. See if you can revitalize yourself with activities that recharge and soothe you…. Mine are yoga classes, time in nature, naps, … Read more

Posted in: Lovefraud Professional Resources, Recovery from a sociopath, Uncategorized

By Mary Ann Glynn, LCSW, CHT | November 13, 2018 5 Comments

Help your therapist measure the abuse you’ve endured with this questionnaire and survey

30 shares

By Mary Ann Glynn, LCSW, CHT

For several years I have been working with people in abusive relationships, that includes partners of those with Cluster B personality disorders and co-morbid traits of psychopathy — those we call narcissists, sociopaths, psychopaths, exploiters.

There is one complaint I hear most often and continually: “I can’t find a therapist who gets these relationships,” or “The therapist we went to sided with my partner in blaming me and I feel traumatized all over again.”

The people making these complaints are right. Therapists are not trained in how relationships go with these personalities and the inherent, and often subtle, abuse that is present. It has now been proven by Lovefraud’s research study that … Read more

Posted in: Events and announcements, Lovefraud Professional Resources, Recovery from a sociopath

By Donna Andersen | November 12, 2018 11 Comments

Here’s the absolutely best way to protect yourself from sociopaths

200 shares

Yes, you can avoid letting a sociopath into your life. All you have to do is listen to your intuition.

Security expert Gavin deBecker, who wrote The Gift of Fear, explains that intuition evolved within us over the millennia for one reason: To protect us from predators. Sociopaths are predators, and our intuition will warn us about them.

The key is to pay attention.

Sometimes the warning is blatant — one woman told me about feeling instantly terrified when a man approached her. But instead of heeding her internal warning, she berated herself for being judgmental — after all, the man had done nothing to her. She talked to him; they became romantically involved; he was, in … Read more

Posted in: Donna Andersen, Explaining the sociopath

By paisleyhansen | November 10, 2018 3 Comments

5 Ways to Feel Better After Dating a Sociopath

14 shares

Life gets everybody down now and then. Sometimes, we get hit with truly traumatizing experiences such as dating a sociopath. Sociopaths can cause a massive decrease in self-esteem, self-confidence, trust, happiness, and just ruin your life in general. Sometimes, when you get stuck in a hole of sadness due to this terrible person, it’s hard to climb back out again. If you focus on your sadness, it gets bigger, more overwhelming, and harder to chase away.

But you don’t have to resign yourself to feeling down. Whether you’re sad about something that’s happened in your life or you’re just in a funk, it’s possible to feel better. Here are five things you can do to lift yourself up … Read more

Posted in: Recovery from a sociopath

By Donna Andersen | November 9, 2018 1 Comments

Recovery from the sociopath through self-forgiveness

5 shares

The sociopath devastated your life, and you feel like it’s all your fault. In this webinar you learn that through understanding and gentle self-forgiveness, you can put down the burden of guilt and find peace.

Travis Vining, the instructor, teaches from his heart — and from experience. His father was a serial killer who pressured Travis to help cover up his crimes. Talk about guilt! It was so traumatic that Travis repressed the memories for years.

Finally, in a reflective and spiritual way, Travis found peace. In this webinar, he shares his approach with you. Click for more information:

Self-forgiveness: Understanding and letting go of guilt

By Lovefraud Reader | November 8, 2018 8 Comments

My emotionally abusive ex-wife almost caused me to commit suicide

118 shares

Editor’s note: Lovefraud received the following story from a reader whom we’ll call Andrew18.

My ex wife was emotionally abusive throughout marriage. She had female “friends” throughout marriage of 21 yrs. Every weekend she went out with them and left me to watch kids. Played mind games of saying I should discipline kids but when I did she would overrule it and let kids off every time. She loved humiliating me in front of others by saying how she almost left me after our first born because she didn’t need me but decided to stay for our child. Love was a carrot to dangle in front of me. Be a better husband and maybe she would not be … Read more

Posted in: Female sociopaths, Spath Tales / Letters to Lovefraud

By Donna Andersen | November 7, 2018 1 Comments

Social worker charged in plot to hire hit man

5 shares

So today I open up the newspaper and see that a local therapist, Diane Sylvia, 58, attempted to hire a hit man. She wanted a guy’s “pretty little face” bashed in. She also wanted his arm broken, so he could no longer work out.

Diane Sylvia is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Somers Point, New Jersey. According to her title, she is also a certified domestic violence counselor.

One of Sylvia’s clients had belonged to a criminal gang. She asked him if he knew anyone who could do the job. The client notified the authorities, who then wanted him to introduce Sylvia to a hit man — except that it was really an undercover FBI agent.… Read more

Posted in: Donna Andersen, Media sociopaths

By Donna Andersen | November 5, 2018 3 Comments

How to dump the sociopath

25 shares

Suppose you realize that you’re in an unhealthy romantic relationship. Or, your instincts are telling you that the person in hot pursuit of you is bad news. How do you end the involvement?

When you’re romantically involved with reasonably normal individuals, you usually try to spare their feelings. You don’t come out and say that they’re boring, or needy, or oafish, even if that’s what you feel. You make up excuses. You tell them that you’re getting back with an old boyfriend or girlfriend, even if that’s a lie. You say you’re just not ready for a relationship right now, even if that’s also a lie.

In essence, when breaking up with an okay person who just isn’t … Read more

Posted in: Donna Andersen, Hooked by a sociopath, Recovery from a sociopath

By Donna Andersen | November 4, 2018 1 Comments

Utah track athlete shot by ex-boyfriend who lied about his name, age, and sex-offender status

5 shares

Lauren McCluskey (University of Utah)

The story of University of Utah track athlete Lauren McCluskey, 21, is a tragedy from beginning to end.

She started dating Melvin S. Rowland in September. A month later, she found out who he really was — a 37-year old sex offender who had recently been paroled. When Lauren broke off their relationship, Rowland stalked her. Then, on October 22, he shot and killed her, leaving her body in a car on campus. He fled and later killed himself.

Here’s a timeline of the events in the extortion and shooting death of University of Utah student Lauren McCluskey, on SLTrib.com

When Lauren McCluskey first reported Rowland, the university police did not open an … Read more

Posted in: Donna Andersen, Media sociopaths

By Lovefraud Reader | November 2, 2018 0 Comments

My ex wants to eliminate me from my son’s life

7 shares

Editors note: Lovefraud received the following story from a reader who posts as “momto4kiddos.”

I dated my psychopath for almost 3 years. He manipulated me into having a child with him. My son is now 5 years old.

I battled at court with him for 4 years now. He retained an attorney as ruthless as he is to obtain custody and put him on a path to totally eliminate me from my son’s life, including trying to put me in jail. He even filed bogus reports with CPS to have my then-boyfriend ordered out of my son’s life.

My psycho took his truck door and slammed it in my son’s head causing head trauma and concussion and blamed … Read more

Posted in: Sociopaths and family, Spath Tales / Letters to Lovefraud