#269: Ted Bundy Psychologist Explains Why People Stay in Abusive Relationships - Dr. Peter Salerno

About this episode

In this episode, Dr. Peter Salerno discusses the psychological reasons why individuals remain in abusive relationships and the effects of trauma.

Why do people stay in abusive relationships? In this episode, I speak with Dr. Peter Salerno, a psychologist and expert in trauma and abusive relationships. We explore what happens psychologically when someone is being abused - from the early signs to the long-term effects on the mind and nervous system. We talk about cognitive dissonance, manipulation tactics like gaslighting and love bombing, and why people can feel trapped even when they know something is wrong. This episode will change how you understand abusive relationships and the people who experience them. Dr. Peter Salerno is a psychologist specializing in trauma, personality disorders, and recovery from abusive relationships. Timestamps: (00:00) Intro - Signs of Abuse  (00:48) Confusion and Dissonance  (01:30) Nervous System Freeze  (03:26) Intuition Versus Gaslighting  (06:00) Manipulation Tactics  (08:23) Intentional Abuse Explained  (12:28) Psychopathy and Empathy  (17:15) Who Gets Targeted  (20:39) Why Leaving Feels Impossible  (22:49) Beyond Romance and Long Term Healing  (29:24) Finding Meaning After Trauma  (31:14) Shame During Grad School  (32:22) When…

People in this episode

Host: Nick Bracks

Guest: Dr. Peter Salerno

Topics covered

• abusive relationships
• psychology of trauma
• manipulation tactics
• cognitive dissonance
• long-term effects of abuse
• healing from trauma

Keywords

• abuse
• trauma
• gaslighting
• love bombing
• psychopathy
• manipulation
• cognitive dissonance
• healing
• relationships

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Instagram, Website

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