Courtney Christine Woods, LCSW
1 min readOct 20, 2019

You’re doing important work, Peter. Remember that it will take your friend a LONG time to heal and trust again. Even if you are a hundred times kinder than her current partner, she still may feel jumpy and sensitive in her other relationships. Being in an abusive relationship can cause symptoms similar to PTSD. Or she may wonder if she is “crazy,” exhibiting signs of extreme anxiety or depression, maybe even a personality disorder. We’re learning that toxic relationships — especially early ones and prolonged ones — actually change the brain and the way it works. Here’s a good article on that. https://blogs.psychcentral.com/liberation/2017/10/long-term-narcissistic-abuse-can-cause-brain-damage/

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Courtney Christine Woods, LCSW
Courtney Christine Woods, LCSW

Written by Courtney Christine Woods, LCSW

Storyteller, social worker, solo parent. Fan of triads and alliteration. Believer that we’re all out here doing our best. Find me on FB @courtneycwrites

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