Emotional Blackmail

Bestselling author and therapist Dr. Susan Forward, author ofMen Who Hate Women and the Women Who Love Them and Toxic Parents) shows us how to defend ourselves against those people who say to us: If you don‘t behave the way I want you to, you will suffer.aIf you loved me, you‘d‘stay at home with the kids: float me a loan: work extra overtime; stop seeing your friends on Friday nights. Sound familiar? We‘ve all been targets of emotional blackmail, no matter whether the threats are explicit or implied. Susan Forward‘s book will be full of practical advice for recognizing and defusing blackmail effectively and with grace.aThe blackmailer in your life could be a lover, a parent, a boss, friend, coworker, or child. We all need to learn how to recognize emotional blackmailers. Dr. Susan Forward has seen the devastating effects of emotional blackmail during her twenty years as a therapist, and she knows how complex the relationship between blackmailer and target can be. Sometimes the blackmailer is unaware of his/her behavior; sometimes we need to combat the blackmail but preserve an otherwise loving relationship; sometimes we need to identify-and run from-a blackmailer who is a potential abuser. And since insight alone won‘t solve the problem, nor will nagging, pleading, or screaming, Susan provides the reader with checklists, practice scenarios and concrete communications techniques to help the reader change his/her behavioral strategies and break the blackmail cycle for good.