What is emotional manipulation?

Sometimes it takes a long time for us to understand that we are emotionally manipulated in a relationship. Not all relationships are healthy and full of safety – some are based on guilt trips, manipulations and a lot of toxic behaviors. Addressing this, Therapist Maria G Sosa wrote, "If it feels like love but actually looks like a combination of chaos, guilt trips, a sense of indebtedness, silent treatments, punishing behaviors or constantly walking on eggshells to prevent the next thing that will set them off…it’s not what we think it is." We are never sure of the way our partner may be feeling – this makes us walk on eggshells and have constant guilt on how to behave so as to not anger the other person or be the reason for chaos. Transactional dynamics: It is always a give and take relationship – we are constantly reminded how much we owe to the other person.