Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Are you in a relationship that confuses you? One that leaves you feeling attacked or walking on eggshells? Maybe you've left but aren't sure what to do next; you're in the right place. Join Dr. Kerry McAvoy, a mental health clinician and author of Love You More, as she tackles toxic relationship dynamics. Listen as Dr. McAvoy describes destructive personalities, typical partner profiles, progressive stages of abuse, and common manipulation tactics. Find out why these relationships are complex to avoid, what makes them tough to leave, and how to recover and rediscover healthy self-compassion and self-respect again.
Episodes
Are you battling toxic in-law drama? Is your mother-in-law or father-in-law intruding into your relationship or family?
This week, Rossana Faye joins us to discuss common toxic in-law drama, particularly when it involves a narcissistic mother- or father-in-law. This week's self-help tip is the importance of strengthening your couple's boundaries over time.
Question for you: Is you...
Do you find yourself exasperated or angry at your partner, but you aren’t sure why? Do they put you into no-win binds?
Covert narcissists love to play subtle, often hidden mind games. They are masterful at twisting the truth, hiding exploitative agendas, and playing the victim, enraging their partners and families while keeping them in the dark.
In this episode, Lisa Sonni joins to discuss ...
Have you noticed managing boundaries with narcissists always fails? That they find some tricky way to evade limit setting?
Suddenly, you’re being accused of being too controlling or sensitive, or they can’t understand what you're asking.
In this podcast, Lisa Sonni joins me to discuss the problems of managing boundaries with narcissists. We'll explore this issue from a narcissist...
(Trigger Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of abuse.)
This week, Jessica Kent, a wildly popular social media figure, joins me to share her story of escaping abuse. Jessica reveals how covert narcissistic abuse can go from subtle to violent, especially when victims leave the relationship.
Jessica Kent is best known for prison reform advocacy. To learn more about her and her...
Sometimes, the truth can be right in front of you, but you still can't see it. Rossana Faye joins me this week to discuss a concept Dr. Jennifer Freyd, in her book Blind to Betrayal, calls “betrayal blindness.” Some truths can be so devastating that they are difficult to face.
And, the self-help tip is the importance of listening to what feels off, uncomfortable, or wrong to recognize signs you...
Is it ever okay to go through your partner's phone? I've been guilty of snooping and might consider doing it again.
Narcissists and toxic personalities are masters at creating ambiguity. My ex used to readily offer me his credit card after we first started dating. He'd send photos of broken machinery and take me on company runs, all as a way to build trust so that I couldn't tell ...
An all-too-common problem is narcissists and pets. Toxic people often pose a serious danger to our beloved animals.
In this podcast, Lisa Sonni and Dr. Kerry discuss the relationship toxic people often have with their family pets. Narcissists will often shower animals with love and attention only to harm the pets in private. The self-help tip includes some important boundaries to consider when begin...
Have you been a victim of spiritual abuse? It's not just interpersonal relationships that can be toxic, but also group systems and leaders. Many are stepping forward to expose toxic church leadership and oppressive and abusive spiritual belief systems.
This week, Natalie Hoffman, author of Is it Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and ...
Have you ever wondered, "Am I the narcissist?" Have you been accused of being the problem?
In this podcast episode, Rossana Faye joins me to discuss how to know who's creating the chaos. Narcissists are notorious for never seeing themselves as the root cause, but how do we know that the issue isn't us?
And the self-help tip is how to use your history to identify dysfunc...
Is being overly controlling a form of abuse?
In this podcast episode, Lisa Sonni joins me to discuss the subtleties of coercive control. Learn how to recognize the common control tactic of this insidious form of abuse. And this week's self-help tip is to assess how your partner's feelings and demands affect you. Are you doing less and becoming increasingly isolated to please them?
Stonewalling or giving someone the silent treatment is one of the nastiest forms of unfair fighting. When we ignore or reject another person's bid for a connection more than thirty percent of the time, the likelihood the relationship won't make it dramatically increases.
In this episode, Lisa Sonni joins me to discuss why stonewalling is such a popular toxic behavior and what to do if it&a...
Have you wondered what's wrong with me? This could be a sign of gaslighting.
Dr. Robin Stern, psychoanalyst, author, and expert on gaslighting, joins me to discuss the underlying dynamics of a toxic or narcissistic relationship. She delves into the hidden motivations of both the gaslighter as well as the gaslightee.
•Learn more about Dr. Stern: https://robinstern.com
•The Gaslight...
Leaving often brings along with it a fear of change. We might dread how change will affect our kids or our friendships. Maybe we're concerned about how leaving could disrupt life as we know it.
In this podcast episode, Tara and Dr. Kerry discuss the fears of change they faced and how they overcame them to leave. Tara also is leaving the show and shares about her future plans.
The self...
Could living with a narcissist be making you sick? Are you struggling with more illnesses? Maybe you even have an autoimmune disease.
In this podcast episode, Tara Blair Ball and Lisa Sonni discuss the invisible impact of living with a narcissist on our health. Learn how narcissists and other toxic people not only sabotage our self-care but also impact our physical and mental health.
Resour...
Are you stuck in a bad relationship? Are you wondering if you have good enough reasons enough to leave?
In this podcast episode, Rossana Faye, Rollercoaster of Love, joins to me to discuss how self-doubt can trap us in a bad relationship. How we can get stuck in our own heads, which only adds to the confusion we already feel in narcissistic relationships. And the self-help tip is the power of findin...
Are you considering divorcing a narcissist? Wondering how to do it safely?
In today's podcast, Kate Anthony, a High-Conflict Divorce Coach and author of The D Word, joins me to discuss how to become our own best advocate when leaving a narcissist. She covers the top dos and don'ts to exiting these challenging and even dangerous relationships.
Kate Anthony: https://kateanthony.com<...
Are you feeling off-balanced? Do you wonder how your narcissistic partner or loved one is keeping you confused?
In this podcast episode, Tara is joined by Lisa Sonni of Stronger Than Before, and they delve into how narcissists and toxic people employ intermittent reinforcement and other manipulative strategies to keep victims confused.
The self-help tip is the importance of analyzing one&a...
One of many harmful stereotypes men face is that they can't be victims of narcissistic abuse, yet the rates of narcissism are nearly equal between men and women.
In this episode, Brent MacLerie, social media activist and advocate for gender issues, joins Tara and me to discuss his experience of narcissistic abuse along with the common challenges many male victims face in abusive relationships. ...
When there's been a massive breach of trust, victims experience what's called betrayal trauma. Yet, there's often a rush to fix the duplicitous partner instead of the one betrayed, neglecting the victims' psychological devastation.
In this episode, Lisa Sonni joins Dr. Kerry as a regular special guest, and they discuss victims' common betrayal reactions. And the self-he...
Did you think you had met the most amazing person only to discover you had married a stranger?
Narcissists and other toxic personalities often wait until their partners are trapped by commitment before beginning more serious abuse and betrayals. In this episode, Tara and Kerry share how narcissists often unmask their real selves after moving in together or while on the honeymoon.
And, the...
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