Something's Not Right: Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuse--And Freeing Yourself from Its Power

“A beacon of truth and wisdom for the abused and a help in their healing.” ―Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer, authors of A Church Called Tov

“Reading this book . . . will change you forever, for the better.” ―Rachael Denhollander, speaker, victim advocate, and author of What Is a Girl Worth?

“Sincerely thoughtful, incredibly practical, and truly compassionate book on abusive systems and the consequences of cover-ups.” ―Christina Edmondson, PhD, cohost of Truth’s Table podcast

“Am I the only one who sees this―am I just imagining things? Is something wrong with me . . . or could this be abuse?”

Maybe you don’t know for sure: all you know is something feels off when you think about a certain relationship or interaction with an institution or organization. You feel alone and confused―but calling it “abuse” feels extreme and unsettling, a label for what happens to other people but not you. Yet you can’t shake the feeling: something’s not right.

In his debut book, researcher and advocate Wade Mullen introduces us to the groundbreaking world of impression management―the strategies that individuals and organizations utilize to gain power and cover up their wrongdoings. Mullen reveals a pattern that accompanies many types of abuse, almost as if abusers are somehow reading from the same playbook. If we can learn to decode these evil methods―if we can learn the language of abuse―we can help stop the cycle and make abusers less effective at accomplishing destruction in our lives.

Combining years of study with deep compassion and personal experience, Wade Mullen gives readers:

• Tools for identifying subtle markers of abuse
• The confidence to cast off shame and champion the changes needed for yourself and others
• A list of resources available to survivors of different kinds of abuse and trauma―including spiritual abuse, domestic violence, and workplace abuse

Something’s Not Right will help you to identify and describe tactics that were previously unidentifiable and indescribable, and it will give you the language you need to move toward freedom and create a safer future for yourself and others.

“Am I imagining things . . . or could this be abuse?”
Using the term abuse may seem extreme, a label for what happens to other people, not you. Yet when you think about a certain relationship or institution, you just can’t shake the feeling that something’s not right.

Something’s not right. In his debut book, researcher and advocate Wade Mullen introduces us to the strategies individuals and organizations employ to gain power and cover up their wrongdoings. Abusers of all kinds use these patterns to control and coerce, to keep their victims silent. If we can learn to decode these methods―if we can learn the language of abuse―we can begin to stop the cycle of destruction in our lives.

Something’s Not Right will help you identify and describe tactics that were previously unidentifiable and indescribable, giving you the language―and courage―you need to move toward freedom and create a safer future for yourself and others.

Wade Mullen, Phd, is a professor, researcher, and advocate working to help those trapped in the confusion and captivity that mark abusive situations. His personal experiences and ongoing research enable him to write with both care and expertise.