In a vulnerable and courageous memoir, Joan shares how her therapist-turned-husband broke her self-confidence, emotionally abusing her for over a decade-and how she escaped, found herself, and reclaimed her life one breath at a time.
Joan spent years pushing her body and mind to the very limit as a professional dancer. When she entered therapy, she felt it would be a safe place. At first, it was not only safe, but also exciting.
Her therapist at the time was everything she had ever dreamed of in a partner, and she ended up falling for him. Not to mention, he encouraged her attention. After several years as his client and an additional five years of grooming, they married.
Six days later, the interrogations began.
Mind F**ked: A Story of Therapy Abuse is Joan's memoir of her thirteen-year relationship with her therapist-turned-husband. His knowledge of how her mind worked, how her insecurities manifested, and how she processed emotions made his actions all the more harrowing. Interspersing abusive episodes with deep affection and love, Joan was trapped in a never-ending cycle of pain.
"But like a frog in boiling water, I finally woke up to realize that he was literally trying to kill me. I left with only the clothes on my back."
Despite the risk, Joan found a chance to escape and, within a few short months, uncovered a civil suit, board reprimands, and other female clients he had abused.
Mind F**ked exposes the hidden epidemic of intimate partner violence and therapy abuse-often endured in silence by even the strongest among us. It speaks directly to women or anyone who has lost themselves in relationships, trusted the wrong people, and are searching for a way back to themselves.
