Welcome back to The Path to Peace Therapy Podcast. I’m Stephanie Buckley, an AMFT Solution-Focused Therapist who specializes in ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and narcissistic relationships. I’m also a mom to a now-thriving 22-year-old neurodivergent son, and I’ve been married for over three decades. I speak from both sides of the couch with both clinical training and lived experience guiding the work I do every day.
Today’s episode takes us into one of the most insidious and structurally complex roles a narcissist assumes: the gatekeeper of opportunity. This isn't just about being controlling; it's about architecting an entire system of dependence where they are the central hub. This is the position where they curate and control access to resources, professional networks, social mobility, or even foundational emotional approval. In doing so, they create a state of profound dependency that keeps you tethered to them, often in an invisible cage of your own perceived limitations.
To Book An Appointment The Path To Peace Therapy Website
https://www.thepathtopeacetherapy.com/book-online
The Path to Peace Therpy Blog over 65 posts
https://www.thepathtopeacetherapy.com/blog
To Book An Appointment The Path To Peace Therapy Website
https://www.thepathtopeacetherapy.com/book-online
The Path to Peace Therapy Blog over 65 posts
https://www.thepathtopeacetherapy.com/blog
Good Therapy
https://www.goodtherapy.org/therapists/profile/stephanie-buckley--20250310
Theravive
https://www.theravive.com/therapists/stephanie-buckley.aspx
This episode is for educational purposes and to provide support. They’re not a substitute for professional mental health evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment.”
The more we learn to recognize the signs behind the behaviors, the more compassion and support we can offer to our kids, our partners, and ourselves.
Thank you for spending this time with me. If this episode was helpful, I’d love it if you shared it with a fellow parent, caregiver, or educator who might need it too. You can also subscribe to stay up to date on future episodes and check out additional tools and resources at The Path To PeaceTherapy.com. Follow me on Instagram @The Path to Peace Therapy
And as always, take a deep breath, give yourself some grace, and remember: peace is possible, and you don’t have to do this alone.
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