Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this Patreon bonus episode, host Rachel Bernstein, LMFT, MSEd, examines how victim blaming functions across abusive relationships, sexual violence, cults, and high-control religious environments — and why it remains one of the most pervasive obstacles to survivor recovery.
Rachel discusses why those who cause harm often present as calm and credible while survivors, navigating the effects of trauma, are met with skepticism. She explores the role of guilt in maintaining emotional captivity, and how coercive control can be obscured through isolation, financial manipulation, reality distortion, dependency, and the gradual erosion of identity. The conversation offers language, context, and validation for survivors working to understand their experiences, as well as insight for those supporting them.
In this Patreon bonus episode, host Rachel Bernstein, LMFT, MSEd, examines how victim blaming functions across abusive relationships, sexual violence, cults, and high-control religious environments — and why it remains one of the most pervasive obstacles to survivor recovery.
Rachel discusses why those who cause harm often present as calm and credible while survivors, navigating the effects of trauma, are met with skepticism. She explores the role of guilt in maintaining emotional captivity, and how coercive control can be obscured through isolation, financial manipulation, reality distortion, dependency, and the gradual erosion of identity. The conversation offers language, context, and validation for survivors working to understand their experiences, as well as insight for those supporting them.
