Gaslighting in Relationships: How to Recognise It and Reclaim Your Reality
Gaslighting is one of the most confusing and destabilising experiences that can occur in a relationship. It’s not always loud or overt. Often, it arrives through subtle comments, repeated denials, or quiet emotional dismissal. But over time, it can create deep self-doubt, emotional isolation, and a loss of connection to your own truth.
At our North Sydney therapy practice, we support individuals and couples to recognise gaslighting patterns, rebuild internal trust, and create relationships rooted in clarity, emotional honesty, and safety.
What Is Gaslighting?
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation where one person causes another to question their own perception, memory, or emotional experience. It often includes:
Denying things that clearly happened
Minimising or mocking your emotional reactions
Shifting blame and avoiding responsibility
Undermining your confidence in subtle or overt ways
Common Gaslighting Phrases:
“You’re imagining things—that never happened.”
“You’re too sensitive. You always overreact.”
“I never said that. You must be remembering wrong.”
“You’re crazy. No one else would put up with you.”
“If you really loved me, you wouldn’t act this way.”
Over time, these messages can cause you to question your reality, suppress your instincts, and become emotionally dependent on the very person who’s undermining you.
Why Gaslighting Happens
Gaslighting often stems from emotional insecurity or a fear of vulnerability. A person who feels threatened may use control, dismissal, or distortion as a defense mechanism—sometimes without full awareness of the harm it causes.
In some cases, gaslighting is a learned behavior, shaped by childhood environments where emotional avoidance or manipulation was the norm. In others, it’s used consciously to avoid accountability or maintain control.
Regardless of intent, the impact is the same: you begin to lose touch with yourself.
The Emotional Impact of Gaslighting
Living in a gaslighting dynamic often leads to:
Chronic self-doubt and confusion
Feeling like you’re constantly overreacting or wrong
Apologising frequently, even when you didn’t do anything wrong
Fear of setting boundaries or speaking your truth
Loss of emotional confidence and intuition
Feeling emotionally small or powerless
These effects don’t just impact your relationship—they affect your sense of self.
How Therapy Helps You Heal from Gaslighting
Healing from gaslighting is not just about recognising the behavior. It’s about reclaiming your internal compass and rebuilding emotional trust in yourself. In therapy, we support you to:
Identify patterns of emotional manipulation and invalidation
Reconnect with your own thoughts, feelings, and memories
Strengthen boundaries and rebuild self-respect
Understand why this pattern persisted—and how to interrupt it
Reclaim the confidence to speak and act from your truth
For couples who are genuinely committed to change, therapy can also create a space to unpack gaslighting dynamics and co-create a more emotionally honest and respectful relationship.
North Sydney Therapy for Gaslighting Recovery
If you’re questioning your reality, second-guessing your emotions, or feeling emotionally silenced in your relationship—you are not alone. These are often signs of deeper relational patterns that need attention, not more self-blame.
At The Embodied Mind Collective, we offer therapy for gaslighting and relational healing in North Sydney and online across Australia. Whether you attend individually or as a couple, you’ll find a space of compassion, clarity, and support.
Book a Session
You deserve to feel grounded in your truth.
Reach out today to begin your healing journey. In-person and online sessions available.
