Dimming The Gaslight: Our Healing Journey From Narcissistic Abuse

Last week, Wendy shared the story of her marriage to a man she wouldn't fully recognize as a narcissist until years after the divorce. This week? Everything explodes. A Facebook message arrives from one of his mistresses. At first, Wendy thinks it's a scam. Then the woman starts sharing details that only someone on the inside could know. What follows is a phone call that completely shatters realit...

We have an INCREDIBLE episode for you today. Wendy Cooper joins us to tell a story that starts like a fairy tale—and slowly turns into something she couldn't fully understand until years later. A successful attorney, former competitive skier, world traveler, and adventurer, Wendy thought she had found her Prince Charming. The chemistry was intense. The connection felt undeniable. The future seemed...

Saige Whitney from A Lights Out Narcissistic Podcast joins us to tell the unbelievable story of how a vulnerable friendship with a patient at a nursing facility spiraled into manipulation, addiction, emotional abuse, fake medical emergencies, and a marriage built on lies. And somehow… it only gets crazier as the episode goes on. 🏥 “I Have Six Months to Live… Will You Marry Me?”: What starts as a...

Allison Scott joins us for one of the most raw, emotional, and honestly jaw-dropping conversations we’ve had on the show yet. What starts as a conversation about her song Superman quickly turns into a deep dive into covert narcissistic abuse, religious manipulation, emotional control, infidelity, trauma, motherhood, and what it actually feels like to slowly lose yourself inside a marriage that loo...

Sonnet Daymont is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in relational trauma, but she also brings a profound, heavy lived experience to the table. 🧠 When Dangerous Feels Like Home: Sonnet details her intense personal experience of working for a boss who later committed murder, explaining how early childhood trauma creates blind spots that cause us to choose danger because it feels...

We’ve talked a lot about the damage narcissists leave behind… but this episode flips the script in a way we’ve never explored before. Lily joins us to share her story as a mother of a narcissist — a role that comes with intense shame, silence, and judgment. For years, she believed what many parents are conditioned to believe: if something is wrong with your child, it must be your fault. So she did...

We have a massive episode for you today! We talk a lot on this show about the absolute wreckage a narcissist leaves behind, but this week, we are getting into the actual science of how that damage fundamentally changes our brains and our bodies. Mac and Phil are joined by holistic psychologist and betrayal recovery expert, Dr. Debi Silber, to break down the exact roadmap for putting the pieces bac...

We are diving into the intersection of religion and narcissism. Following up on last week's Buddhist perspective, this episode takes a completely different, highly satirical approach to surviving toxic environments. 🙏 Gaslighting for God : We sit down with author Becky Garrison to discuss her new book, a satirical guidebook and memoir that tackles spiritual abuse using personal stories and sc...

Mac and Phil sit down with special guest Nana Gyesie, a lifecoach, mentor and buddist! We uncover the exact "crossroads" in life that separates a humble empath from a manipulative narcissist. 🧠 The Narcissism Spectrum: Guest Nana joins the show to explore how narcissism runs on a spectrum and how people consciously lean into dark manipulation. 🔀 The Ultimate Crossroads: We break down the pivotal...

What happens when the love-bombing is so intense that you find yourself trapped for nearly three decades? This week, we are joined by Mia Hanks  @npd.andme  , author of the upcoming memoir “Bride-Made”. Mia shares the terrifying reality of surviving a 29-year marriage to a narcissist. From the lavish dates and over-the-top gifts that reeled her in, to the relentless gaslighting that convinced her...

Eva Lavina survived 25 years of narcissistic abuse, but she almost didn't survive the final discard. In this gripping interview, the author of "Death Is No Reason To Stop Living" joins us to tell a story that sounds like a movie script. After a mysterious incident left her in a coma with complete amnesia, Eva woke up to a nightmare: her husband wasn't trying to help her recover—h...

It started with an obsession with K-Dramas. It ended with a month-long solo trip to Korea for "plastic surgery" that was actually a cover for something much darker. Our guest Tyler shares one of the most insane discovery stories we have ever heard. After his wife left him home with their three kids for a month, Tyler heard a literal voice in his head say three words: "Check the iClo...

Sean survived the 2002 Bali Bombings and a car crash that shattered his pelvis—but nothing prepared him for the war inside his own home. A high-powered Tech CEO by day, Sean was living a nightmare by night with a wife who averaged 55 drinks a week and terrified their children. When his 16-year-old daughter whispered, "Mom is drunk-driving, she nearly killed me," Sean knew he had to act....

“It felt like the total package. The chemistry, the deep conversations, the shared future—and then, overnight, it was gone. No reason. No explanation. Just a cold exit.” In this episode of Dimming the Gaslight, Phil and I sit down with psychologist @drj.smith to deconstruct the “Discard Phase.” We dive deep into why high-character “Givers” are targeted by “Empty Vessels” and the psychological blue...

This is unlike any episode we have ever recorded. Our guest, John, isn’t looking back on abuse from years ago—he is actively escaping it right now. Recorded just 24 hours after fleeing a house where he was held prisoner, John joins Mac and Phil to tell a story of survival that sounds like a horror movie. From 24/7 camera surveillance and starvation tactics that left him emaciated, to financial dev...

So I thought about it. And then thought about it, and thought about it, and thought about it some more. And then I got a case of the fuck-its. Why should I stay quiet? If it’s the truth, then let the truth be told. I’m putting this one-time Patreon episode out on the public podcast. This episode is a marathon. It's a 2.5-hour purge of the demons from a relationship I thought was real. Unfortun...

🎄👻 Holiday Horror Stories is here. From ice that somehow caused a meltdown, to a pie that turned into a full-blown nightmare, to one person quietly planning their escape while the lights are still up… If your ex ever ruined the holidays, this episode is for you. Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join us on Patreon! For all things DTG, visit 👉 ⁠www.dimmingthegaslight.com⁠ ⚖...

@lets_talk_about_narcissism  hosts the “The Narc Mother In Law” podcast. She is an old friend and I’ve been trying to have her on the pod for a long, long time! Erica’s ex-mother-in-law is a nightmare, and she didn’t get much help from her ex-husband either. Her MIL constantly badgered her about her weight, invited her husband’s ex-girlfriend to Christmas, and even made statements that led Erica t...

This week on Dimming the Gaslight, we welcome back Jennifer — you’ll remember her from Episode 113. Since then, her husband’s NEx has been busy, and Jen is here to give us an unbelievable update on the chaos she’s been dealing with. From the NEx stealing Jen’s idea for a special Disneyland trip… to taking cheap shots about Jen’s body… to even mocking a family member battling cancer — the shenaniga...

We always joke that “this whole situation could be a movie”… so why not a full-blown theatrical performance? This week, we’re joined by Brooke — writer, director, producer, and star of a one-woman show that exposes gaslighting for what it truly is: a full-on circus. She gives us a sneak peek into the plot, the characters, the chaos, and how each moment connects to her own lived experiences. This s...

One of our all-time favorite guests is back this week! Dr. Josh Smith  @drj.smith  — psychologist and expert in narcissistic abuse — joins us to break down the victim complex of narcissists. It all starts with a real situation that happened with Mac, and unfolds into a powerful talk about how toxic people twist communication, flip the script, and play the victim… and how you can protect your peace...

This week, we share one of the most harrowing “neighbor from hell” stories you will ever hear. Our guest, Heather, details a relentless campaign of terror that goes far beyond a simple dispute. She describes enduring constant stalking, high beams shone into her home at all hours, and disruptive heavy machinery (bobcats) running day and night. The harassment allegedly escalated to horrifying levels...

@kaylynhakansontheauthor  is a new friend of the podcast that wrote a book called “You Can’t Break Me”. She joins us on this exciting episode to detail how her good intentioned journey to find her biological brother turned into a harrowing journey of narcissistic abuse, unmitigated danger, and ultimately, parental alienation by an absolutely broken court system! Click here to buy Kaylyn's book "Yo...

Eddie is back from last week with part 2 of his story! From how he met his NEx, to the torment from her family, to realizing he was in a toxic relationship, Eddie’s story will continue to have you on the edge of your seat! Click ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ to join us on Patreon! For all things DTG, visit 👉 ⁠www.dimmingthegaslight.com⁠ ⚖️ Disclaimer (because our lawyers make us say this): D...

Eddie is here with an insane story! With what starts with a road trip with his NEx that turns into a compete meltdown, Eddie takes us down memory lane with stories that will make the hair on your arms stand up! Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to join us on Patreon! For all things DTG, visit 👉 ⁠www.dimmingthegaslight.com⁠ ⚖️ Disclaimer (because our lawyers make us say this): Dimming The Gasli...