22/10/2025
💜 My client told me she finally gets it —🦋 the relationship she was in for years was far more abusive than she ever realized—even just six months ago.
So what changed? 💜 She started learning what subtle abuse actually looks like. 🦋 The kind that hides behind words like “too sensitive” or “hard to please.” 💜 She said to me “I thought I was just difficult. I thought love was supposed to feel like constantly working on myself.” 🦋 Truth is, she grew up in a home where love came mixed with double messages and shame. 💜 And chronic exposure to that kind of energy rewires our instincts—🦋 It teaches us to doubt our perception and chase safety in places that are anything but. 💜 So when someone new comes along who knows how to read us—to us it feels like sweet relief. 🦋 Like finally someone really sees us. 💜 And with a history that creates a vacuum in our soul, it’s easy to mistake strategy for caring—or even love. 🦋 Manipulators study people. They ask questions—they observe and skillfully mirror back what fills that vacuum. 💜 And that creates a powerful chemistry. 🦋 Genius on their part. 💜 So how does one stop this pattern of mistaking “strategizers” for true relationship contenders? 🦋 Begin by taking a step back when meeting someone—stop answering questions so fast or just handing them information. 💜 Instead, be the questioner. 🦋 Not like an interviewer—but keep the conversation on them. 💜 Get to know them first so they can’t mimic you and your needs. 🦋 And ask questions that count. 💜 Find out how they handle accountability, empathy, conflict, stress! 🦋 Pay attention — really pay attention — to what happens next. 💜Their willingness to answer alone is very telling. 🦋 Safe people to date stay open and willing to share. 💜 Unsafe ones flinch—they deflect, turn it back to you, crack jokes, try to make you feel foolish for asking… 🦋 Or worse—become visibly angry because they aren’t controlling the conversation. 💜 The more you listen rather than talk, the more quickly you’ll see any red flags. 🦋 Watch for blaming, minimizing, or even bragging about behavior that’s not ok—that’s actually abusive. 💜 And remember— key to being able to do any of this effectively is nervous system regulation. 🦋 Wanna spare yourself another rollercoaster? 💜 For more tools to w**d them out quick so you can find authentic love, contact me: Vaughn Marie