
Breaking Free from Toxic Relationships
Reconnaître, sortir, se reconstruire
By Gildas Garrec · 240 pages · 2025
Available formats
About this book
Guide TCC complet pour identifier les relations toxiques (manipulation, emprise, gaslighting, narcissisme), s'en extraire et reconstruire son estime de soi. 9 chapitres, 12 protocoles, exercices pratiques.
Do you feel trapped in a relationship that's destroying you? You apologize constantly, doubt your own perceptions, no longer recognize the person you were before meeting them? This clinical guide decodes the mechanisms of relational control — manipulation, gaslighting, trauma bonding, love bombing followed by intermittent reinforcement — across eight chapters that move from spotting the ten warning signs to rebuilding after the relationship ends, covering the narcissistic manipulator profile along the way. Written by a psychopractitioner specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), it draws on real anonymized clinical cases and recent research in relationship psychology (Kaighobadi et al., 2024) to show that relational toxicity isn't just a feeling — it's a documented, measurable phenomenon. You'll learn to tell a healthy conflict apart from a control dynamic, break free of constant self-blame, and guard against relapsing into a new toxic pattern — a path toward rebuilding self-esteem and independence, not just a list of tips.
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Take the toxic relationship test →Table of contents
- 1Manipulation, Narcissistic Abuse, and Recovery — A CBT Guide with Practical Exercises
- 2Defining the Toxic Relationship
- 3The Difference Between Healthy Conflict and a Toxic Relationship
- 4The Spectrum of Toxicity
- 5The Ten Warning Signs
- 6Scientific Research on Toxic Relationships
- 7Why Is It So Difficult to Recognize a Toxic Relationship When You Are Living It?
- 8Returning to Nathalie's Case
- 9PRACTICAL EXERCISE: The Warning Signs Journal
- 10Key Points of Chapter 1
- 11What Is Trauma Bonding?
- 12The Neurochemistry of Trauma Bonding
- 13Intermittent Reinforcement: The Heart of the Trap
- 14Why Victims Stay: Beyond Neurochemistry
- 15Echo and Narcissus: A Two-Way Dependence
- 16The Physiological Cost of Trauma Bonding
- 17Returning to Sebastien's Case
- 18PRACTICAL EXERCISE: The Emotional Map
- 19Child Witnesses: The Silent Victims of Trauma Bonding
- 20Key Points of Chapter 2
- 21Origins of the Term
- 22Defining Gaslighting
- 23The Eight Techniques of Gaslighting
- 24Institutional and Cultural Gaslighting
- 25The Impact of Gaslighting on Mental Health
- 26Subtle Forms of Gaslighting: Beyond the Obvious
- 27How to Recognize That You Are a Victim of Gaslighting
- 28Returning to Camille's Case
- 29PRACTICAL EXERCISE: The Reality Journal
- 30Key Points of Chapter 3
- 31The Four Phases of the Coercive Control Cycle
- 32The Karpman Drama Triangle: Understanding Relational Roles
- 33How Manipulators Choose Their Targets
- 34Cognitive Distortions Maintained by the Abuser
- 35Returning to Amina's Case
- 36PRACTICAL EXERCISE: Identifying My Role in the Karpman Triangle
- 37Key Points of Chapter 4
- 38Bibliographic References for Chapters 1 to 4
- 39Understanding Pathological Narcissism
- 40DSM-5 Criteria: Narcissistic Personality Disorder
- 41Grandiose Narcissism Versus Vulnerable Narcissism
- 42The Narcissistic Wound: Understanding the Origins
- 43Can a Narcissist Change?
- 44The Trap of Misplaced Compassion
- 45The Question of Co-Parenting
- 46When the Narcissist Is in the Mirror
- 47CBT in Service of Coercive Control Victims
- 48The Cognitive Model Applied to Toxic Relationships
- 49Cognitive Distortions Maintained by the Manipulator
- 50The ABC Model: Understanding the Link Between Events, Beliefs, and Consequences
- 51Behavioral Activation: Rebuilding a Life
- 52The Therapeutic Journal: A Daily Ally
- 53Cognitive Defusion: Detaching from Toxic Thoughts
- 54When CBT Is Not Enough
- 55The Time for Rebuilding
- 56Rebuilding Self-Esteem: Jeffrey Young's Schema Model
- 57Relearning Trust: Building Secure Attachment
- 58The Art of Setting Boundaries
- 59Why Victims Fall Back Into the Trap
- 60Warning Signs in a New Relationship
- 61The Role of Attachment Style in Partner Choice
- 62Building a Support Network
- 63Cultivating the Relationship with Yourself
- 64Forgiveness: A Nuanced Question
- 65What This Book Cannot Do
- 66A Message of Hope
- 67When to Consult a Professional
- 68Resources
- 69Scientific References Cited (Chapters 5 to 8)
- 70Reference Works
- 71Domestic abuse
- 72Crisis resources
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