Emotional Manipulation: Understanding Manipulators and Helping Their Victims

• • Examine the different types of Emotional Manipulators
• • Realize how Emotional Manipulators test for vulnerabilities to locate their next victim
• • Recognize the manipulative devices of Emotional Manipulators
• • Help victims understand what an Emotional Manipulator really wants
• • Learn techniques to help victims STOP their emotional manipulation
• • Discuss a working definition of emotional manipulation
• • Identify the Ten Types of Emotional Manipulators
• • Identify the Tools of Emotional Manipulators
• • Recognize the magical thoughts of Emotional Manipulators
• • Review the magical thoughts of their victims
• • Explore Emotional Manipulators' effective use of shame, blame, and doubt with their victims
• • Learn how to support and advise their victims on untangling from emotional manipulation

Behind the Mask of Manipulation

Emotional manipulation penetrates almost every disorder and complicates many lives and relationships. People who use emotional manipulation hide beneath the mask of love, concern, dedication, and friendship, while using guilt, button-pushing, subtle anger, and many types of covert ploys to keep their victims in place, getting their victims to do whatever they want. The words of Emotional Manipulators have multiple meanings hiding their true and scheming motives. They carefully maneuver between that fine balance of skimpily giving to others but getting so much more. They are masters of getting others to believe they are doing everything for them while hiding their "what’s in it for me" motives. They carefully craft every sentence with their own selfish needs hidden between each word.

This seminar is a thorough investigation into the various types of emotional manipulation commonly associated with disorders such as antisocial personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder. Although many people are excellent emotional manipulators, they are not personality disordered. However, research finds that emotional manipulation is also utilized by abusers and their victims; sex offenders; and even bosses who emotionally manipulate their employees! Additionally, this dynamic is often found in the home when children and adult-children emotionally manipulate their parents, or parents emotionally manipulate their children. This program focuses on helping mental health care professionals recognize these individuals and begin intervention with their victims to minimize their destructive behavior. Participants will learn what drives Emotional Manipulators; the vulnerable thoughts of their victims; and how Emotional Manipulators continually manipulate their victims. Most importantly, professionals will discover how to help victims develop coping techniques to lessen the impact of emotional manipulation. At the end of the day, attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of Emotional Manipulators, their victims, and methods to assist these individuals in disengaging from unhealthy communication.