Journal Prompts

Journal Prompts:
What is Freedom? And How My Freedom Changed During and After Covert Narcissistic Abuse

How do you define freedom? Are you living your definition of freedom right now?
How free do you feel in your marriage to be yourself in your actions, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs? Has this changed over the years? If so, how?
Do you feel that your husband’s needs come first? If so, when did this start? Can you think of some examples of putting his needs ahead of yours?
What is your primary motivation for doing things for your husband, or putting his needs first? Is it because you love him, or are you wanting to make him happy and trying to bring back the man you married, or do you want to avoid his anger?
In what ways have you changed yourself to avoid upsetting or disappointing your husband?
What are the “unspoken rules” or expectations in your marriage that you have learned to follow to keep the peace? How are those unspoken rules or expectations impacting your freedom to be yourself?
Do you feel heard, valued, and respected when you speak to your husband?
What parts of yourself do you feel that you need to suppress or hide in your marriage?
When in your life have you felt the most freedom to be yourself? Is it possible that there is more freedom available to you? If so, what are some possible first steps you could take to reclaim more of your freedom?
What does spiritual freedom mean to you? Is that something you are interested in?

What is your children’s relationship like with their father?
How is your relationship with your children different from their relationship with their father?
Does your children’s father’s behaviour towards the children seem to oscillate between extremely loving and thoughtful, and at other times deeply hurtful, neglectful, or distant? If yes, have you attributed this behaviour to something else, such as his stress, being a workaholic, or something else?
Have you noticed if your children’s father acts differently towards his children around others as compared to being alone as a family?
Are you slightly intimidated, afraid, or terrified of saying something to your husband about any concerns you may have with how he is treating your children?
Are your children more afraid of making a mistake, and having to deal with your parenting discipline style or their father’s? Why? What is the difference between your parenting disciplining styles?
Do you feel like you are often trying hard to shield your children’s feelings from being hurt by their father? Can you think of a particular example?
Have you noticed any subtle changes in your children’s behaviours when they are around their father compared to when they are not?
How healthy is your children’s self-esteem and self-worth? Do you see anything that concerns you?
Do you have to often reassure your children that their father loves them?