Narcissism Explained

Feed Swap: Covert Narcissist Relationships — When You Can’t Live the Lie Anymore with Renee Swanson

If you can name the patterns and see the behaviors, have you wondered why do you still feel so stuck? This week I’m sharing an episode from Renee Swanson of the Covert Narcissism Podcast — a feed swap I wanted to bring straight to this community. Renee unpacks what she calls “hitting the wall”: the moment you can no longer live the lie in a covert narcissistic relationship, when you can’t keep pretending that you’re fine, that your family is fine, when it simply isn’t. Renee Swanson, the host…

Your Birthday Was Rigged to Fail: How Narcissists Sabotage Special Days

It’s your special day. Your birthday. Maybe the narcissist participated in the build-out or maybe they pretended not to notice. But you knew. And you got your hopes up. Perhaps this birthday will go differently. What you didn’t expect was to spend the rest of your birthday managing their feelings. In this Viewers’ Stories episode, Dr. Kerry shares submitted accounts of birthdays that ended in tears, anniversaries engineered to fail, and being asked to comfort the person who hurt you. Thi…

Why Narcissists Refuse to Say Sorry: Real Survivors Reveal the Pattern

Dr. Kerry shares real survivor stories that reveal how toxic and character-disordered individuals turn special occasions into opportunities for manipulation and emotional harm. If you’ve ever been left comforting the person who hurt you, this episode will help you understand the pattern—and why it was never your fault.

Road Rage & Other Terrifying Ways Narcissists Use Cars to Intimidate You

If you’ve ridden in a car with a narcissist, then you’ve likely experienced them using their driving to intimidate, threaten, or scare you. People with narcissistic traits often use vehicles like a weapon, turning you into more of a hostage instead of a passenger. This week, Dr. Kerry and co-host Lynn break down why road rage and narcissism frequently co-occur and how the car gets used for far more than just driving, i If you’ve survived narcissistic abuse, want to watch the part we couldn’t …

Why Narcissists Use Pet Names Instead of Calling You by Your Real Name

What if the sweet pet name your partner calls you isn’t affection at all — but rather designed to keep you off balance? In this episode, Dr. Kerry and co-host Lynn Strathdee unpack one of the strangest and most overlooked patterns in narcissistic relationships: the use of pet names. Learn why some narcissists even speak about themselves in the third person, and the chilling moment when a “compliment” reveals exactly what they really think of you. Podcast Extra Exclusive Segment …

Why Your Kids May Have Blamed You for the Narcissist’s Abuse — and What to Do Now

A listener from Texas writes in: after escaping a narcissistic marriage, her adult daughter is now demanding that she admit that she was an abuser too. How does she reach her daughter now? In this episode, Dr Kerry unpacks one of the most painful and least-talked-about consequences of narcissistic abuse — what happens to your children when you stay. How do you hold two devastating truths at the same time: you were a victim, and your child was hurt by your inability to leave? Subm…

Childhood Neglect: The Hidden Damage From Narcissistic Families That Follows You Into Every Relationship

Did you experience childhood neglect? If you keep repeating painful patterns in your relationships — choosing wrong partners, feeling invisible, never asking for what you need — this might be why. Dr. Rachna Buxani, author of “Unseen,” joins Dr. Kerry to expose the hidden roles children are assigned in narcissistic family systems — and the lasting damage those roles leave behind in every relationship you’ll ever have. Childhoos neglect doesn’t stay in childhood — it follows you. PODCAST E…

Confessions of a Womanizer: “How I Became a Narcissist’s Perfect Victim”

What happens when the man who spent years love bombing and manipulating women becomes the victim of the very same tactics? This week, Wade Belair joins Dr. Kerry for a raw, unflinching conversation about the shocking overlap between closeted men and narcissistic abuse — and what genuine healing actually requires. Wade grew up the privileged son of an iconic retail brand founder — raised in an elite, hyper-masculine culture where conquest was currency, and vulnerability was weakness. He play…

Why Covert Narcissists Always Make You Feel Guilty (Even When You’ve Done Nothing Wrong)

Covert narcissism (NPD) is the hardest form of narcissistic abuse to identify — and the most damaging. Have you ever walked away from a conversation feeling like you did something wrong — even though you can’t quite explain what? In this episode, Dr. Kerry McAvoy sits down with Dr. Anthony Mazzella (The Narcissism Decoder) to break down exactly how covert narcissists use guilt and victimhood to keep you trapped. PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE SEGMENT Find the exclusive secon…

How to Tell You’ve Met a Narcissist: Coach Dan Ratner’s Best Sniff Test

Have you ever felt completely drained after spending time with certain people in your life? This week, Coach Dan Ratner joins Dr. Kerry to explore the hidden world of emotional vampires: the 12 types of energy-draining people we all have in our lives and why narcissists are the most dangerous of them all. Dan shares his powerful KEEPER framework for identifying who truly deserves a place in your life. PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE SEGMENT Find the exclusive second segment and week…