by Dr. Jeanne King, Ph.D.
“When the name you call someone is factual, even though it is distasteful, is it name-calling?” asks a reader.
I’ve heard this question and I’ve seen it play out in domestic abuse relationship therapy. Here’s how it looks…
Steve calls his partner Linda a lousy housekeeper. She hears this as “name-calling,” yet from his point of view, the reference to his wife as a lousy housekeeper is descriptive.
In therapy, Steve insists that he is not being verbally abusive by referring to Linda as a “lousy housekeeper.” On the receiving end of his commentary is a wounded wife who declares that her husband is abusing her verbally.
To read the complete article, please visit Verbal Abuse Signs – Is Name-Calling Verbal Abuse or Descriptive Feedback?
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