About Manya Wakefield

For a long time, the experience of surviving coercive control had no name.

People were sitting across from psychologists, describing their lives – the isolation, the fear, the slow erosion of who they were – and being handed diagnoses that located the problem inside them. Anxiety, depression, personalities disorders. However, the violence happening in their homes, the calculated pattern of coercive control being exercised over them, rarely entered the clinical frame. The same was true across cultures, across every corner of the world where family- and intimate partner violence occurs behind closed doors.

Manya Wakefield noticed this. And she decided that noticing wasn’t enough.

“I’m an ordinary person who built a mental health platform based on the simple belief that recovery should be accessible to anyone. Once I understood the financial dimension of coercive control, I made it my mission that no oppressed person should be denied mental health support because of poverty.”

Manya Wakefield

The Work

Manya is a trauma recovery coach, researcher, and human rights activist specializing in coercive control and narcissistic abuse. Thought her career, she has worked at the intersection of psychology, human rights, and legislative reform – translating complex research into practical tools for people who need them the most. She has collaborated with leading experts in the field globally, and her work has been cited in peer-reviewed law journals, academic books, and policy decisions across multiple countries.¹

In her coaching practice, Manya works with survivors of narcissistic abuse, coercive control, and Adult Children of Narcissists using two proprietary frameworks: the Coercive Trauma Recovery Method™, which addresses coercive trauma in its neurological, perceptual, and identity dimensions, and TENEL™, which addresses the developmental injury produced by early narcissistic exposure. She specializes in working with clients whose presentations have been most resistant to standard approaches — the cases most practitioners decline — and has documented consistent outcomes across seven years of direct practice.

In 2020, she created The Global Coercive Control Legislation Index – the first of its kind–at a time when the UK stood nearly alone in having criminalized this form of abuse. It is now a primary reference source for researchers and advocates worldwide.^{2 3} That same year, Manya featured alongside Dr. George K. Simon and Dr. Ramani S. Durvasula as a panel expert for the debut of Veronika Archer’s podcast series, ‘You Get to Be You This Time.’ In 2026, she created The Global Femicide Legislation Index, documenting the emergence of legal frameworks specifically designed to address the killing of women and girls.

Through her coaching practice, her podcast, and the delivery of over $30,000 in subsidized coaching through the Elsie Heinz and Nillan Funds, Manya’s work has reached survivors across the globe.

“I’ve had the honor of witnessing some of the most breathtaking transformations a person can make–the slow, hard, courageous world of rebuilding a life after abuse.”

Manya Wakefield

Social Impact

In 2020, The Narcissistic Abuse Rehab Podcast launched and in its very first season charted on the global stage – reaching the top of the charts in multiple countries. It was #15 in Health & Wellness in Sweden, #47 in Health & Wellness in the United States.

The podcast continues to reach listeners across dozens of countries who are navigating recovery from coercive- and narcissistic abuse.

Throughout 2024 and 2025, Manya deepened her practice as a social impact investor, establishing The Elsie Heinz Trauma Recovery Fund and The Nillan Fund for Mental Health Equity — two pioneering vehicles for deploying capital where it is needed most. Together, these initiatives delivered over $30,000 in free coaching to survivors, and gave rise to a replicable model that weaves together expertise, advocacy, and funding to drive measurable change in underserved communities.

The Source

The shape of Manya’s work–the research, the advocacy, the practice, the funds, the podcast–comes from values instilling by her mother. She was a person who believed in this work before it had an audience, who invested in her daughter’s training and quietly made possible everything that followed.

Through her mother’s generous sponsorship, Manya was able to launch Narcissistic Abuse Rehab in 2019 and provide thousands of hours of free coaching.

Manya has spoken about her mother’s influence in interviews, including a conversation with Dating News. This platform is, in no small part, a tribute to her.

“The values that drive my mission were instilled in me by my wonderful mother. In every way, I continue the work she dedicated her life to: strengthening families and communities by breaking the cycle of abuse.”

Manya Wakefield

The Mission

The work has never been about indexes, citations or recognition.

It has always been about the person sitting in a psychologist’s office wondering why they can’t seem to get better. The person searching the internet at 2 AM for language that matches what they have lived. The person who has been told, in a hundred different ways, that what happened to them was their fault, or wasn’t real, or wasn’t serious enough to matter.

This platform exists for them.

Everything here–the research, the resources, the tools–is built on the belief that understand what happened to you is the beginning of recovering from it. That there is help. That healing is real. And that another life is not just possible–it’s waiting for you.

Short Biography

Manya is a narcissistic abuse recovery coach, coercive trauma specialist, and researcher. She is the developer of the Coercive Trauma Recovery Method™ — a structured recovery framework for survivors of coercive control and narcissistic abuse — and TENEL™ (Traumatic Exposure to Narcissism in Early Life), a specialist framework for Adult Children of Narcissists. Both frameworks have been reviewed by Dr. Michael Kinsey, PhD, clinical psychologist, New School for Social Research.

She is the creator of The Global Coercive Control Legislation Index (2020) and The Global Femicide Legislation Index (2026)–both primary references cited in peer-reviewed journals, academic books, and policy discussions worldwide.⁴ Her expertise has been featured in Newsweek, Elle,  Cosmopolitan, Parade, and HuffPost, among other publications. She is the founder of Narcissistic Abuse Rehab and host of The Narcissistic Abuse Rehab Podcast, which reached number 15 in Health in Sweden and number 47 in Health in the United States in its first season.

Follow her on Substack Coercive Control at manyawakefield.substack.com

Academic Citations

Manya Wakefield’s research and indexes have been cited in numerous peer-reviewed and academic publications, including:

• Scotto di Carlo, G. (2025). Understanding Discourse and D.A.R.V.O.: Theories and Methods. In: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Violence against Women. Palgrave Studies in Language, Gender and Sexuality. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-88866-3_3
• Das, Sushavan & Ghosh, Ananya. (2025). Behind the Mask: Narcissistic Abuse and the Silent Crisis of Domestic Violence. International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews. 12. 440-472.
• Rajendran, Pavithra. (2024-2025) Crime or Care?: International Laws to Address “Control” in Violence within Domestic Relationships. 49 S. Ill. U. L.J. 499. Southern Illinois University School of Law’s Journal (Special Edition on Domestic Violence).
• Kvarstein, Anne-Marit. (2024) Raising Awareness of Coercive Control. The Role of Literary Representations. University of Agder.
• Bahtić, L. (2023) Reputation management and public opinion: a media coverage analysis of public figures facing a reputation crisis. Undergraduate thesis. VERN University. Page 29.
• Herbenick, D., Fu, Tc., Eastman-Mueller, H. et al. Frequency, Method, Intensity, and Health Sequelae of Sexual Choking Among U.S. Undergraduate and Graduate Students. Arch Sex Behav 51, 3121–3139 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02347-y
• Stevens, L. and Achten, V., 2025. Zwijgen, spreken en gehoord worden. Over# MeToo, openbaarheid en erkenning bij seksueel grensoverschrijdend gedrag. (ENG: “Silence, Speaking Out, and Being Heard: On #MeToo, Public Disclosure, and Recognition in Cases of Sexual Misconduct”). KU Leuven Metaforum Group.

Media Mentions

• Sager, Jessica. (2025, February 7). 150 Narcissistic Quotes To Help You Understand, Cope With and Defeat Narcissism in Your Own Life. Parade.
• Aarmo, Ørjan. (2025, August 11). Hva er årsaken til at en menighet blir til en sekt? Hvodan Varsle.
• Spollen, Micki. (2025, April 23). 11 Signs of a Wife Who Doesn’t Love Her Husband Anymore. Your Tango.
• N/A. (2025, May 16). Fascism is Political Narcissism. Kelsoland Institute.
• Smothers, Hannah and Andrews, Taylor. (2025, September 30). Should You Text Your Ex “Happy Birthday.” Cosmopolitan (USA).
• Slabbekoorn, Zayda. (2024). 11 Phrases That Put Fake People in Their Place. Your Tango.
• Saad, Syeda Khaula, and Saint Thomas, Sophie. (2024, May 9). 60 Hot Ways to Turn Him On Although, obvs, you can use these on folks of any gender! Cosmopolitan (USA).
• Robinson, Solomon, E. (2024, July 1). Diddy Or Didn’t He? Unpacking The Allegations Of Sean “Diddy” Combs. The Trill.
• Crowe, Toni. (2024, December 20). Be Careful Out There – It is Hobosexual Season. Fourth Wave. Medium.
• Tu, Jessica. (2023, February 23). In Singapore, a man sues a woman for not reciprocating his romantic intentions. Women’s Agenda (Australia).
• Borschel, Monica. (2023, September 28). How Can I Get Away from My Narcissistic Partner. Doctor Monica Borschel.
• Nolan, Emma. (2022, May 13). Experts Can’t Agree on Who’s the True DARVO Victim in Depp v. Heard. Newsweek.
• Uren, Isabelle. (2022, January 24). Re-Ignite Your Sexual Desire – 40 Sex Therapists Share Their Advice. BedBible.com
• Pajer, Nicole. (2021, January 1). 11 Little Ways To Make 2021 Feel Like A Fresh Start (Even If It’s Not). Huffington Post.
• Frederick, Candice. (2020, December 29). ‘Promising Young Women’ Is a Devastating Portrait of Survivor’s Remorse. Elle (USA).

Resource Mentions

N/A. Domestic Abuse Websites. Shadows of Control.

Literature

• John, Timothy. (2024). Dark Psychology and Manipulation Defense: Defend Yourself From Insidious Tactics and Learn to Recognize Covert Manipulation, Mind Control, and Unwanted Persuasion Used to Trap Innocent Victims. Pages 204 and 218. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8322325222
• Wellesley, Meredith. (2020, December 1). Unmasking Manipulation: Maneuvering The Undertow With Shrewdness and Innocence. Koehler Books.

Podcast Mentions

• Kamihira, Elle and Blundell, Natalie. (2025, April 8) Ill Intentions and Hidden Tactics. Chat in the Commons. Episode 3.
• Soon Stephanie. (2025, Oct. 23). Episode 399: 13 Deaths Around Diddy: 9 Victims of City College Incident, Tupac & Biggie, Kim Porter, and more. Rotten Mango Podcast.
• Sahas Chopra. (March 2, 2026). Beware of Hobosexual Men. [Instagram Reel], Instagram.
• LeRoy, Rachel. (2024, April 23). S3 Ep4: How Toxic People Use DARVO to Manipulate and How to Protect Yourself. Christian Emotional Recovery: Trauma Survivors Unite.

If you have cited Manya Wakefield’s articles or references her tools and would like to be included on this page, please contact us with a link to your publication.

References

1. Scotto di Carlo, G. (2025). Understanding Discourse and D.A.R.V.O.: Theories and Methods. In: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Violence against Women. Palgrave Studies in Language, Gender and Sexuality. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-88866-3_3 ↩︎
2. Rajendran, Pavithra. (2024-2025) Crime or Care?: International Laws to Address “Control” in Violence within Domestic Relationships. 49 S. Ill. U. L.J. 499. Southern Illinois University School of Law’s Journal (Special Edition on Domestic Violence). ↩︎
3. Kvarstein, Anne-Marit. (2024) Raising Awareness of Coercive Control. The Role of Literary Representations. University of Agder. ↩︎
4. Scotto di Carlo, G. (2025). Understanding Discourse and D.A.R.V.O.: Theories and Methods. In: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Violence against Women. Palgrave Studies in Language, Gender and Sexuality. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-88866-3_3 ↩︎

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