Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse

Latest Episodes:

Best Advice for Divorcing a Narcissist Without Losing Your Sh*t: Interview with The Dirty Laundry Podcast Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

Divorcing a narcissist often ends up a contentious battle. Victims come into court shaken up and traumatized, whereas their toxic ex appears poised and confident.
Today, two Toronto legal mediators, Amanda Silver and Alex Howard, are joining me. They are also the co-hosts of the Dirty Laundry Podcast. They are going to share how to protect your interests better when leaving a narcissist.
To learn more about Amanda and Alex, please see:
Podcast: https://dirtylaundry.buzzsprout.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJxM73RNPkuk5doIOcqelWA

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

Resources

The Complete Recovery Collection: Narcissistic abuse resources
First Steps to Leaving: Online self-paced digital course
Toxic-Free Relationship Club: Live coaching & community support

Follow Kerry!

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., an author and educator, helps listeners decode toxic dynamics, recognize manipulation, and rebuild self-trust.

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases.

This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice, nor does listening create a doctor-patient or therapist-client relationship. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911 or contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 (US/Canada).

When You Can't Leave: How to Survive a Narcissistic Relationship Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

What if you're not going to leave a narcissist? What if leaving isn't possible? Is there a way to survive a toxic relationship?
Sometimes, leaving a toxic relationship isn't possible due to complex reasons. Lisa Sonni joins me this week to discuss why some victims find themselves trapped in a bad partnership and what to do if this describes your situation.
Resources Referenced:
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Surviving a Relationship with a Narcissist by Dr. Ramani Durvasula: https://amzn.to/4cx4cAe

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

Resources

The Complete Recovery Collection: Narcissistic abuse resources
First Steps to Leaving: Online self-paced digital course
Toxic-Free Relationship Club: Live coaching & community support

Follow Kerry!

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., an author and educator, helps listeners decode toxic dynamics, recognize manipulation, and rebuild self-trust.

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases.

Stop trauma dumping on me! How to know if you're trauma dumping vs. trauma reprocessing Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

Have you heard of trauma dumping? It’s become a new way to attack victims for talking about their narcissistic abuse experiences.
Rossana Faye joins me as this week’s special guest to explore the importance of sharing your trauma and the role it plays in helping you heal from abuse.
And you don’t want to miss this week’s Podcast Extra where Ro and I discuss the differences between trauma reprocessing and trauma dumping. For this exclusive interview, subscribe here: substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse
Reference:
Betrayal Blindness by Jennifer Freyd: https://amzn.to/3VIEvFU

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

Resources

The Complete Recovery Collection: Narcissistic abuse resources
First Steps to Leaving: Online self-paced digital course
Toxic-Free Relationship Club: Live coaching & community support

Follow Kerry!

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., an author and educator, helps listeners decode toxic dynamics, recognize manipulation, and rebuild self-trust.

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases.

Aren't all relationships tough? Why We Struggle to Spot Narcissistic Abuse Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

In celebration of the upcoming holiday, this episode features three of our listeners’ favorites.
Listen in as Tara Blair Ball and I discuss:
1. How narcissistic abuse is different from emotional abuse
2. Why covert narcissists are difficult to spot
3. If it's true that narcissists make good lovers
Listen to the full episodes here:
S2 EP 102: Were you emotionally abused or narcissistically abused? Why the differences matter
S2 EP 107: Are you trapped by a covert narcissist? The top reasons why you're not spotting covert narcissists faster!
S2 EP 99: Are all narcissists sex addicts? What goes wrong with intimacy in the bedroom

References:
Defining Narcissistic Abuse: The Case for Deception as Abuse by Dr. Kristen Milstead

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

Resources

The Complete Recovery Collection: Narcissistic abuse resources
First Steps to Leaving: Online self-paced digital course
Toxic-Free Relationship Club: Live coaching & community support

Follow Kerry!

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., an author and educator, helps listeners decode toxic dynamics, recognize manipulation, and rebuild self-trust.

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases.

Only Me & Never You: Inside the Bizarre Mind of a Narcissist - Interview with Dr. Les Carter Jun 24, 2024

Show notes

The mind of a narcissist is wildly self-absorbed and oblivious to those around them. They are excessively focused on me, me, me.
Dr. Les Carter joins me to discuss what victims get wrong about the mind of a narcissist. He shares how our assumptions and misunderstandings create false hope, causing us to stay too long and to give too many chances.
To learn more about Dr. Carter: Visit Website & his Surviving Narcissism YouTube channel.
Dr. Carter's book: When Pleasing You Is Killing Me

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

Resources

The Complete Recovery Collection: Narcissistic abuse resources
First Steps to Leaving: Online self-paced digital course
Toxic-Free Relationship Club: Live coaching & community support

Follow Kerry!

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., an author and educator, helps listeners decode toxic dynamics, recognize manipulation, and rebuild self-trust.

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases.

I desperately love and fear them: The Terrifying Power of a Trauma Bond Jun 17, 2024

Show notes

Could you be trauma-bonded to a narcissist? Are you battling a strange mix of love and fear?
Lisa Sonni joins me this week to discuss trauma bonds--an intense connection to another person that is very difficult to break. We think we feel love when it's based on fear.

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

Resources

The Complete Recovery Collection: Narcissistic abuse resources
First Steps to Leaving: Online self-paced digital course
Toxic-Free Relationship Club: Live coaching & community support

Follow Kerry!

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., an author and educator, helps listeners decode toxic dynamics, recognize manipulation, and rebuild self-trust.

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases.

Why Can't I Leave? The Crazy Confusion from Late-Stage Cognitive Dissonance Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

Have you asked yourself, "Why can't I leave?" You know you should. You've even started hiding the ugly truth of what's really going on behind closed doors.
In this episode, Lisa Sonni joins me to discuss late-stage cognitive dissonance. Learn the underlying cause of the agonizing confusion that paralyzes the victim from acting in their own best interest. Find out what it took for us to break free from its terrible grip.

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

Resources

The Complete Recovery Collection: Narcissistic abuse resources
First Steps to Leaving: Online self-paced digital course
Toxic-Free Relationship Club: Live coaching & community support

Follow Kerry!

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., an author and educator, helps listeners decode toxic dynamics, recognize manipulation, and rebuild self-trust.

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases.

Feeling duped and conned? Why We Miss the Signs of a Covert Narcissist: An Interview with Eleni Sagredos Jun 03, 2024

Show notes

Have you left a relationship feeling duped? Not just betrayed, but conned? You’ve likely met a covert narcissist.
In this episode, Elena Sagredos, author of But They’re So Nice, joins me to talk about the deceptiveness of covert abuse. We often miss the signs we’ve met a covert narcissism behind their guise of niceness, only later to discover their extreme duplicity.
To learn more about Eleni, you can follow her here:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nonarcsense
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/no_narcsense
To purchase her book:
But They’re So Nice
Eleni Sagredos is an abuse educator and a certified Domestic Violence Advocate with a passion for raising awareness about covert abuse and domestic violence. She is the author of the book "But They're So Nice: Unmasking Covert Abuse & Narcissistic People," which sheds light on the insidious nature of emotional and psychological abuse often overlooked or minimized. Eleni is most active on TikTok, where she shares her insights, experiences, and resources to help others recognize the dynamics and tactics in abusive relationships.

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

Resources

The Complete Recovery Collection: Narcissistic abuse resources
First Steps to Leaving: Online self-paced digital course
Toxic-Free Relationship Club: Live coaching & community support

Follow Kerry!

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., an author and educator, helps listeners decode toxic dynamics, recognize manipulation, and rebuild self-trust.

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases.

Is my partner a narcissist? Highlights from Dr. Kerry's 3 Favorite Interviews May 27, 2024

Show notes

Relationships with narcissists can be confounding, confusing, and incredibly frustrating.
Join Dr. Kerry for this holiday episode when she revisits the highlights of her three favorite interviews. Hear Dr. Les Carter’s explanation of why narcissists are so tricky, Lisa Sonni’s three steps to breaking a trauma bond, and Dr. Robin Stern’s disturbing description of gaslighting’s power.
To listen to these full episodes:
Dr. Les Carter: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.com/podcast/s2-ep25-why-do-narcissists-have-to-make-life-miserable-dr-les-carter-explains-narcissism/
Lisa Sonni: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.com/podcast/s2-ep27-why-am-i-so-confused-the-making-breaking-of-a-trauma-bond-with-lisa-sonni/
Dr. Robin Stern: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.com/podcast/54-whats-wrong-with-me-the-power-of-gaslighting-to-confuse-and-control-interview-with-dr-robin-stern

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

Resources

The Complete Recovery Collection: Narcissistic abuse resources
First Steps to Leaving: Online self-paced digital course
Toxic-Free Relationship Club: Live coaching & community support

Follow Kerry!

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., an author and educator, helps listeners decode toxic dynamics, recognize manipulation, and rebuild self-trust.

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases.

"We're just trying to help!" How to Manage Toxic In-Law Drama May 20, 2024

Show notes

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.

Submit your question to be answered on air here!

Resources