You're not crazy. You're not too sensitive. And you're not imagining it. If you've ever felt like you were losing your mind in a relationship—constantly second-guessing yourself, walking on eggshells, apologizing for things you didn't do—this book is for you. Drawing on twenty years of clinical experience and the psychological tension of Freida McFadden's The Housemaid, Dr. Elena Hartwell reveals the hidden architecture of emotional manipulation: gaslighting, coercive control, trauma bonding, and the systematic erasure of your reality. Inside, you'll discover: Why your confusion wasn't confusion—it was calculated How to recognize the cage you've been living in (and how it was built) Why leaving can feel harder than staying—and how to survive the brutal aftermath How to rebuild boundaries, self-trust, and your sense of identity Why the shame you're carrying was never yours to begin with How to love again without losing yourself This isn't just a book about surviving abuse. It's a roadmap to reclaiming your freedom. With trauma-informed guidance, real survivor stories, and practical exercises for every stage of recovery, Behind Closed Doors is the companion you need when the world tells you to "just get over it"—but your nervous system knows it's not that simple. You survived the abuse. Now it's time to survive the recovery. "A lifeline for anyone who's ever questioned their own reality. Dr. Hartwell writes with the perfect balance of clinical expertise and profound compassion." If you've been living in someone else's version of reality, it's time to reclaim your own.