I have recently had several clients who have come to see me having lost their mothers. One in traumatic circumstances, the other through illness.

I was struck recently by one of my young adult clients, who said he could not look at his phone messages because he feared he would go back to his controlling girlfriend. The fear was not of her—but of himself. The ‘compelling’ pull towards her.

I have noticed recently that there is increasing media and online discussion about domestic abuse. It has made me think about such relationships. How do they begin?