Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse

In this week’s episode, Kerry and Tara discuss the use of narcissistic abuse. It's become a very popular topic on social media. Is it being overused? Then in the Self-Help Tip for today, we'll share how to handle a common argument tactic like DARVO. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr. Kerry's AI-powered coaching app The Complete Recovery Collection : Narciss...

In this week’s episode, Kerry and Tara discuss setting realistic goals in 2023 and the Self-Help Tip is a simple strategy on how to hold better boundaries. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr. Kerry's AI-powered coaching app The Complete Recovery Collection : Narcissistic abuse resources First Steps to Leaving : Online self-paced digital course Toxic-Free Rel...

Welcome back to a new season! I’m being joined with a co-host, Tara Blair Ball, author & relationship coach and kicking off a new self-help tip segment.  Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr. Kerry's AI-powered coaching app The Complete Recovery Collection : Narcissistic abuse resources First Steps to Leaving : Online self-paced digital course Toxic-Free Relat...

Narcissist and other difficult people love to ruin the holidays. They will find some way to make it harder on you. In this episode I’m going to offer three of my favorite tips on how to manage this year’s holiday season so that it’s more manageable and meaningful. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr. Kerry's AI-powered coaching app The Complete Recovery Colle...

Narcissistic abuse damages our sense of self because our sense of self is constantly in flux. An exchange of psychological influence occurs between us and those around us. This episode will look closely at this process and how abuse impacts it as well as outline some ways to begin healing self-esteem after abuse. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr. Kerry's A...

Have you noticed how narcissists can take a seemingly straightforward decision and turn it into an exhausting, nonsensical circular argument? The constant conflict can mess with us and make us think we’re the problem. In this episode, we will explore this common dynamic, including how to determine who’s creating the problems. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou :...

Does abuse affect children the same way as the adult partner? Today, I’m joined by Bri Peterson of Abuse is Abuse. Both of us experienced emotional or narcissistic abuse as children and adults. In this episode, we will explore the differences between both types of abuse. Was the cognitive dissonance the same? How did that affect our sense of self? Submit your question to be answered on air here! R...

Anyone looking for a mental health clinician with expertise in narcissistic abuse knows this is challenging. What makes this so difficult? In this episode, we’ll explain why finding a therapist is difficult and give tips on how to vet a potential one. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr. Kerry's AI-powered coaching app The Complete Recovery Collection : Narci...

Trauma bonds are painful connection with another person that is based on fear. There’s an addictive quality making them very hard to break. In this episode, we will briefly define a trauma bond and then identify the initial steps to breaking one. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr. Kerry's AI-powered coaching app The Complete Recovery Collection : Narcissist...

It’s become popular to spend time thinking about psychopathic and narcissistic abuses—for us to obsess over what’s happened to us. In this episode, we’ll explore whether this way of thinking is good for us and how to tell if we’re falling into unhealthiness as we try to make sense of the  Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr. Kerry's AI-powered coaching app Th...

Have you heard of the acronym DARVO? It’s a nasty type of gaslighting that flips the script and attacks us when we bring up an issue. In this episode, we will address the underlying dynamic of this abusive practice along with the three steps to combatting it effectively. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr. Kerry's AI-powered coaching app The Complete Recover...

It’s tough when you first leave a narcissistically abusive relationship. Your partner has made most of the decision, and over time, you’ve given up more and more of yourself, betraying yourself and your sense of safety. How is trust rebuilt? In this episode, we will examine why reclaiming our self-integrity and relying on our intuition is challenging, along with a few practical steps to begin your...

The most common, useless advice given to victims is just to leave. Why do we say this when we know it’s hurtful and probably, not useful? In this episode, we will examine the underlying biases and assumptions about abuse and abuse victims. Why there’s a cultural blindness to victims’ plight and how it leads us to neglect this most vulnerable group. Submit your question to be answered on air here!...

I recently started reading a book that’s been around a while—Neil Strauss’ book called The Game, though he’s since come out against the practices described in it. It’s all about his experiences of learning how to manipulate women sexually through post-hypnotic suggestions and other psychologically manipulative strategies. Despite knowing there are online resources and groups encouraging predatory...

Have you heard of the term “trauma bond?” It’s a condition similar to being brainwashed by Stockholm’s Syndrome. Victims recovering from narcissistic abuse liken the breaking of a trauma bond to overcoming a heroin addiction. In this podcast episode, we will cover the seven stages of a trauma bond and how to begin recovery. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr...

Every victim wants to know how they got into a toxic or dangerous relationship. Was there an early sign of danger that they missed? Were they too trusting, gullible, or naive? Most victims have been accused of being codependent. What does research have to say? In this episode, we will dig deeper into this topic, particularly Sandra L. Brown’s groundbreaking research into the dynamics of pathologic...

On social media, it’s gotten popular to discuss masculine and feminine energy. Boundaries have come under attack as something masculine. In this episode, we will define what a personal boundary is and what makes healthy and unhealthy. We’ll also touch on why cheating happens in narcissistic and non-narcissistic relationships. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou :...

Why are we surprised that there is a mind-body connection? That what we experience, like abuse, will affect us physiologically? We cover a lot of ground in this episode, including how we see the world blinds us from recognizing dangerous people, the possibility of having narcissism and other mental health conditions, and defining dog-whistling when it comes to abuse. Submit your question to be ans...

Have you heard of the Dark Triad Personality disorder? Some have suggested this is a new personality type. In this episode, we are going to take a look at the makeup of this individual and why they pose such a risk to us. We’ll also discuss ambiguous grief and the importance of allowing ourselves to process all kinds of losses, even toxic relationships, safely. Submit your question to be answered...

It’s become popular to call it “trauma dumping” when someone talks about their abuse. But is that an accurate description? Might we be harming others when we pathologize their need to share? In today’s episode, we’ll look closely at why victims tend to overshare traumatic experiences and how we can help support them in the healing process. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources...

I can’t even begin to describe the horrific pain I felt after leaving a narcissistically abusive relationship. The intense confusion, rage, sense of betrayal, and fear. Some have likened this stage to heroin withdrawal. In this episode, we’ll talk about how to begin healing after leaving a toxic relationship. We’ll also touch if spirituality can save narcissists from this disorder and if the partn...

There are many assumptions and myths about sexuality, especially regarding the differences between men and women. How does the objectification of women impact their sexuality, particularly their interest in sex? And what improves a couple’s connection when it comes to sex? In this episode, we will be looking at some of the common dynamics that affect physical intimacy. Come as You Are by Emily Nag...

Why do victims find it so hard to leave a difficult or toxic relationship? Conventional wisdom says it should be as simple as just leaving, but it’s not. In this episode, we’ll explore the challenges victim face when trying to leave a narcissist or an even more dangerous type of person. Insight is 20/20 by Chelli Pumphrey Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources ReclaimYou : Dr....

What constitutes abuse? Have you ever stopped to consider the definition? Is it something that hurts a person’s feelings? In this episode, take a closer look at abuse and its subtleties. We’ll also discuss why narcissists often struggle to hold a job and the difference between narcissistic personality disorder and narcissistic traits. Submit your question to be answered on air here! Resources Recl...

Victims spend a lot of time trying to make sense of what happened. This is understandable since doing an analysis is part of improving our sense of safety. It goes awry when it is based on the wrong information. Men and women view the world differently but so do narcissists and the rest of the population. In this episode, we’ll take a closer look at these different frameworks and their impact on u...