Challenging Coercive Control

“I worked with Dr Ellerman while I was newly divorced and entering a custody battle with parental alienation claims from my abuser. I remember feeling so anxious, fearful and worried. I have experienced gaslighting, DARVO, blame-shifting, along with other abuse tactics for so long that I was struggling to put all my thoughts and stories together cohesively. Oftentimes, I was so used to being invalidated that I questioned whether my experience was truly as frightening as I felt it was.

Dr. Ellerman was able to see the patterns of abuse from the scattered stories I told her. The report she wrote for me really helped me grasp what has happened to me. The report also helped my attorney understand what I went through in a cohesive story, allowing her to change her approach appropriately for my case.

I appreciate Dr. Ellerman and her work immensely and would recommend her to any coercive control survivor. It is not all in your head, you are not imagining things, your experiences and feelings are real!”

“Mei-Ling Ellerman provided invaluable assistance in documenting the coercive control and abuse I experienced during and after my marriage. Her ability to meticulously lay out a clear and undeniable pattern of abuse was extraordinary, especially given that physical violence was not involved—something many professionals overlook.

Mei-Ling tied every event to well-established studies on coercive control, demonstrating its devastating impact on protective parents and their children. Her thoroughness in capturing the nuances of my experience, coupled with her depth of knowledge, gave me a sense of validation and clarity I had not found elsewhere.

Beyond her professionalism, Mei-Ling was incredibly kind and compassionate throughout the process. She listened with empathy, respected my story, and worked tirelessly to ensure the document reflected the truth in a powerful and compelling way. I cannot thank her enough for her dedication and expertise, which have brought light to a painful and often misunderstood reality.”