Dr. John Lemoncelli looks to biology to create a metaphor to help victims of child abuse understand its lingering effects: A Parasite has entered into your system as contaminated love. If it has its way, it will invade your psyche-your soul-and consume its host. But you need not give this Parasite one more day of your life. You are not damaged; you are not a bad person. You have an illness from which you begin recovering today.