Restoring Resilience with Chelsey Brooke Cole

You saw the red flags. You felt like something was off. And part of you knew… but you stayed anyway. So many survivors of narcissistic abuse find themselves asking: "Why didn't I leave sooner?" "Why didn't I trust my gut?" In this episode, we're breaking down the psychology behind that question so you can finally understand why this happens—and start releasing the self-blame that comes with it. Yo...

In this power-packed podcast episode of Restoring Resilience, join me as I sit down with Chris and Lisa, true experts in handling a high-conflict divorce and navigating the complexities of child custody cases. They offer invaluable insights for anyone divorcing a narcissist and strategies for overcoming parental alienation. This discussion is crucial for understanding the dynamics of narcissistic...

Have you ever asked yourself, "Why do I keep attracting narcissists?" If that question has been on your mind, this episode of Restoring Resilience with Chelsey Brooke Cole is going to give you a completely different answer than what you've probably been told. Because the truth is… You're not broken. You're not weak. And you're not the problem. In this episode, we break down: Why narcissists are dr...

In this powerful podcast episode of Restoring Resilience, Chelsey Brooke Cole sits down with Dr. Nadine Macaluso (Dr. Nae) — psychotherapist, trauma bond expert, and author of Run Like Hell — to break down the psychology behind trauma bonds, narcissistic abuse, and emotional attachment to toxic partners. Most people know Dr. Nae as the real-life inspiration behind The Wolf of Wall Street… But her...

In this episode of Restoring Resilience, Chelsey Brooke Cole breaks down why it's so hard to leave a toxic relationship with a narcissist. We cover: ✔ What a trauma bond actually is (and why it feels like addiction) ✔ How your nervous system keeps pulling you back ✔ The role of intermittent reinforcement (why the "good moments" keep you stuck) ✔ What euphoric recall is and how it distorts your mem...

If you're co-parenting with a narcissist, you may eventually face one of the most painful challenges of narcissistic abuse: parental alienation. When a narcissistic parent feels a loss of control during divorce or separation, they often escalate their tactics. One of the most common strategies is turning the children against the other parent. In this episode of Restoring Resilience, therapist Chel...

In this episode of Restoring Resilience with Chelsey Brooke Cole, we explore the early psychological signs that you may be in a narcissistic or emotionally toxic relationship — especially when nothing looks obviously abusive on the surface. Often, the first red flag isn't their behavior. It's the change in you. Narcissistic abuse doesn't just hurt you in obvious ways. It slowly erodes your clarity...

In this episode of Restoring Resilience with Chelsey Brooke Cole, we unpack how vulnerable narcissists (often called covert narcissists) slowly and strategically create self-doubt over time, without explosive arguments or obvious rage. Unlike grandiose narcissists, vulnerable narcissists don't appear arrogant or dominant.  And that's exactly what makes the manipulation so confusing. If this episod...

There is a psychological reason narcissists stay close to their ex, and it's not about love, closure, or friendship. Narcissists are not motivated by connection, closure, or emotional honesty the way healthy people are. They are motivated by access. Access to your attention. Access to your emotional energy. Access to knowing they still matter to you. What looks like friendliness is often regulatio...

Narcissistic abuse has a way of making you doubt your reality. Gaslighting, manipulation, and chronic unpredictability can leave your nervous system stuck in survival mode, replaying conversations, second-guessing yourself, and feeling disconnected from who you used to be. This podcast is a safe place to begin healing. I'm Chelsey Brooke Cole, licensed psychotherapist, certified partner trauma the...