Chances are, you’ve encountered a narcissist—maybe in love, maybe in life. Statistically, 1 in 200 people have Narcissistic Personality Disorder (and that’s just the diagnosed ones). In this episode, I open the door—just a crack—into my own experience dating one. Trust me, this story needs a Part 2… maybe even a Part 10.
I’ll walk you through the 10 stages of what I call “The Narcissist Cycle”:
1. Love bombing & fantasy love
2. Subtle (and not-so-subtle) control
3. Boundary bulldozing
4. Cold-blooded lack of empathy
5. Hot & cold confusion
6. Projection, deflection, and manipulation
7. Validation addiction—yours and theirs
8. The awakening: rediscovering self-worth
9. Pattern recognition & reclaiming your power
10. The breakaway—breaking free, for real
If you’re in it—or recovering from it—I’ve got your back. Around 26:00, I share a few grounding mantras to help you stay centered if you’re tangled in any relationship with a narcissist.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.