S5, Ep 5 Best Friend Therapy: Gaslighting - What is it? How can we recognise coercive control? Does it only affect romantic relationships?

TW; discussions around suicide.

This week we are talking about gaslighting, where the term originates from and how it has helped us name a particular type of coercive control.

We also talk about how it has been more recently adopted in casual conversation and how therapy talk doesn't always serve us when it’s overused or taken out of context.

As always, our insights are informed by popular culture - namely the Archers, Jury Duty and Married at First Sight Australia (we’re talking to you, Harrison).

We cover gaslighting as it appears in romantic relationships, but also how it can show up in friendships, family dynamics and broader society.

Emma takes us through a Transactional Analysis theory known as Escape Hatches and Elizabeth shares her experience of being on the receiving end of gaslighting, to help us understand what to look out for and how to own our truth.

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For anyone interested in escape hatch theory, here is a clip from two legends of TA, Ian Stewart and Adrienne Lee, discussing how to decide on life: https://youtu.be/FaKxr5Lfkv4

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Best Friend Therapy is hosted by Elizabeth Day and Emma Reed Turrell, produced by Chris Sharp.

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Social Media:

Elizabeth Day @elizabday

Emma Reed Turrell @emmareedturrell

Best Friend Therapy @best.friend.therapy