The first thing children learn when they have a narcissistic parent is how to blame themselves. We know that this childhood abuse — whether overt psychological warfare, covert emotional manipulation, or the …
How “Narcissistic Training” Harms You Even When You’ve Left Toxicity Behind
How many of you didn’t pursue your goals and dreams? How many of you aren’t just grieving what happened to you, but are grieving the loss of who you wanted …
Risking Imperfection as a Survivor of Narcissistic System and Scapegoating Abuse
Do you ever feel the paralyzing effects of perfectionism? When I was doing my doctorate, my burnout levels were so high that I ended up having to write my entire …
Narcissistic System Abuse: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It’s So Damaging
“I feel like I am covered in a shroud that no one else can see and that no one else wears”, says Melissa, a 40-something mother of one. Melissa came …
Going No Contact On Your Terms: Hidden Choices, Power Moves, And The Reality Of ‘Navigating’ Narcissistic Systems
“I’ve been no contact for 23 years…and I still cry every day” “I went no-contact last week and I’ve never felt more free” “I can’t keep playing this Rigged Game, …
Unmasking Trauma: Making Recovery From Attachment Wounding More Bearable
How heavy is your mask? Are you walking around your life like “Trauma in a Trenchcoat”? Meaning, are you using up all your energy to “mask” and hide away your trauma …
There’s No Place Like Home: Creating New Horizons When You’ve Been Ejected From The Scapegoat Family
“I am lucky to have good neighbours. We’ve become close-ish. Hopefully, our friendship will continue to grow. It’s a small mercy, given I uprooted my life, and departed all my …
Facing Family Ejection: The Stark Truth About Speaking Out About Scapegoating
“I still have dreams where I can’t speak. I’m with my family of origin and I’m trying to tell them what I know, what I have found out: the abuse, …
The Dual-Edged Trauma of Family Estrangement
“No one would choose this! Why would anyone choose this? Who would go out of their way to be disconnected from a family that is supposedly loving, to lose all …
The Challenge of Making Good Friends After Attachment Wounding
Finding safe and supportive communities after experiencing attachment trauma is a real battle. Not because you are undeserving, not because you are difficult to love, not because you are weird, …