Recovery from a sociopath

Some of our greatest life lessons are learned after we think we already passed the test. I believed that ending my marriage to a sociopath would be the defining step to my recovery and healing.  I committed myself to a healthy lifestyle, and practiced the long-forgotten skill of believing in myself and trusting my instincts. So, it came as quite a surprise that there was much more work to be done if I wanted to rid my life of the residual effects of a toxic fifteen year relationship. Starting Over By the time I met the man who would turn out to be the real love of my life, I thought I had grown and healed much more than I actually had. Not eager to start a new relationship, I spent …

Recovery From A Sociopath: Next StepsRead More

by Quinn Pierce Have you ever looked at someone that you've known for much of your life and thought, “Who are you?” I had that moment today, standing outside my son's doctor's office listening to my ex-husband threaten to bring the police to my house to enforce his visitation rights.  I watched his face contort and strain, his eyes hardened to match his tone, and his entire body tense as if for a fight.  I looked to his right to see my younger son frozen in place, thrown into a state of post traumatic stress, and I thought: who is this maniac standing here yelling at me? A Moment of Clarity But then, I snapped back into the moment and realized I was about to get sucked into arguing wi …

Divorced From a Sociopath: The Imperfect StrangerRead More

by Quinn Pierce It's like a switch, really, the way he turns his charm on and off.  I watch the tell-tale facial expressions change in a split second as someone enters or exits the room.  I often want to look around and yell, “Didn't you see that?” But he is too careful not to reveal the wrong mask to the intended person.  It's another one of those moments when you think, “Am I really the only one who can see this?  Doesn't anyone else realize this is all an act?” The Mask Slips And for so long, no one saw.  He practiced and planned his timing like a seasoned actor on stage: perfect performance every time”¦.until recently. It may have taken twenty years, but it was worth the wait.  …

Divorced From a Sociopath: Tools For SuccessRead More

By Quinn Pierce   I was very proud to be sitting in the front row in my pretty new dress, listening to the speaker praise us for our accomplishments and hard work.  I had spent two years taking classes at night while running a business from home and taking care of my two children.  There were nights I would be so tired after a three hour class that I would have to pull over and rest my eyes for a few minutes during my hour long commute home late at night. Balancing Act Most nights, I would come home to a relatively calm house, the boys asleep, my husband watching tv.  But, some nights I would return to find invoices that need to be entered before the next day, or estimates that n …

Recovery From A Sociopath: Redefining SuccessRead More

by Quinn Pierce I've been thinking a lot lately about the process of learning from our mistakes.  It sounds simple enough.  After all, it's easy to look in the rear-view mirror and see exactly where we went wrong.  Events always look so clear and uncomplicated when looking at them from a safe distance. So, with a little self-reflection, we can identify those decisions that led us into unsafe territory and vow never to make them again. Complicated Choices But, this is where I run into a problem.  I know which experiences I do not want to repeat, but the choices I made that led to those experiences are not as black and white as the experiences themselves. For example, I chose to love …

Recovery From A Sociopath: Learning From Past MistakesRead More