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Buried by Maternal Narcissism: The ‘Good Daughter’s’ Plight December 13, 2016 . 16 Comments
The “good daughter” of the narcissistically defended mother may be frequently concerned with either looking good or making sure everyone else is good with her. This is often her only ... Read More
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Taking Back Your Life from a Narcissistic Family Upbringing November 29, 2016 . 44 Comments
People with narcissistic qualities tend to view life in black-and-white: a world of only losers and winners, victims and victimizers. They loathe feeling like losers or victims. In the ... Read More
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What Do You Really Mean When You Call Someone a Narcissist? September 26, 2016 . 14 Comments
“Narcissism.” This word is tossed around easily these days. Because people hear it so often, they tend to think they know what it means. This is often what happens when a clinical ... Read More
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Reclaiming Your Voice: Saying No to Emotional Abuse July 7, 2016 . 34 Comments
The term “domestic violence” is an umbrella term that encompasses so much more than just physical violence. It involves a pattern of manipulative behaviors meant to control and maintain ... Read More
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Does Excessive Adoration Lead to Narcissism in Children? March 11, 2015 . 9 Comments
Participation trophies, praising children for no apparent reason, and encouraging every child to feel special are relatively new developments in parenting culture, and most of us have heard ... Read More
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Gaslighting: A Slow-Burning Emotional Abuse Tactic January 21, 2015 . 65 Comments
In my work with people who have survived narcissistic abuse, I find that many have endured a devastating form of emotional abuse called gaslighting. The film Gaslight (1944), starring Ingrid ... Read More
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Surviving the Holidays Amid the Narcissism of a Family Member December 9, 2014 . 21 Comments
Healthy relationships require empathy, trust, reciprocity, vulnerability, compromise, accountability, and authenticity to endure the test of time. Unfortunately, in families where an individual ... Read More
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Is It Enabling or Excessive Altruism? Exploring Codependency September 10, 2014 . 6 Comments
Editor’s note: Susan Heitler, PhD is a clinical psychologist specializing in healthy conflict resolution and the author of The Power of Two, a workbook for couples. Her continuing ... Read More
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Not Necessarily Narcissism: Self-Love for Building Confidence May 22, 2014 . 7 Comments
The two greatest days of my life took place in August, eight years apart. One was in 1998, when my eldest daughter, Gabriela, was born. The second happened in 2006, when I gave birth to ... Read More
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Recovering from Narcissistic Abuse, Part III: The Groundhog January 29, 2014 . 110 Comments
In my private practice, I provide psychotherapy for mainly women and men who struggle with depression, anxiety, life cycle changes, and grief/loss/trauma. I have found a common theme among ... Read More
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Scrutinizing the ‘Selfie’: Self-Confidence or Self-Obsession? December 3, 2013 . 10 Comments
Celebrities do it, regular folks of all ages do it, and several articles and blog posts have been written discussing and analyzing the fascinating trend that is the selfie. It’s a word ... Read More
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Recovering from Narcissistic Abuse, Part II: The No-Contact Rule June 18, 2013 . 149 Comments
In my previous article, I touched on the subject of narcissistic abuse recovery. I decided to write a second article as a follow-up for individuals who wish to explore further how to move ... Read More