Narcissism Explained

Watch Out for These 7 Empathy Weaponization Tactics That Will Trap You

Have you heard, ‘If you truly understood me, you’d give me what I want?” This week’s Fan Mail comes from a listener in Sweden who asks Dr. Kerry to explain how empathy gets weaponized. In this episode, Dr. Kerry breaks down the 5 types of empathy (affective, cognitive, compassionate, somatic, and perspective-taking) and explains why having empathy doesn’t make someone safe. Follow on Apple Follow on Spotify Submit Your Question If you’d like Dr. Kerry to answer …

Why Did They Pick You? The Trait in ‘Good’ People Narcissists Love to Exploit

Why do narcissists target good, empathetic people in relationships? This week, forensic psychologist Dr. Peter Favaro reveals why being a good person might actually make you MORE vulnerable to narcissists—and how that one irrational belief creates the exact confusion toxic people exploit. Wondering if you met a “bad person?” Find out with this free gift from Dr. Kerry! PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE SEGMENT Find the exclusive second segment and weekly newsletter here. MORE AB…

How Narcissists Trap You: A New Movie Shows Gaslighting & Coercive Control

Ever wonder why narcissists feel impossible to leave—even when you know something’s wrong? This week, filmmakers Ali & Stefanie Schmahl reveal how their docu-fiction hybrid “I Love You My Narcissist” portrays what no other film has: the internal experience of being slowly trapped by someone you love. PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE SEGMENT Find the exclusive second segment and weekly newsletter here. MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST EXTRA INTERVIEW 🔹 Ali and Stefanie take you …

When Your Abuser Won’t Leave and Won’t Change: Here’s Your Options

“My abusive partner refuses to leave or get help—and I’m trapped in a ‘silent divorce.’ What are my actual options?” This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a YouTube listener navigating an impossible situation: a long marriage, adult children, religious pressure against divorce, and an abusive partner who wants to maintain the status quo without doing any of the work to change. In this episode, Dr. Kerry untangles the confusion between church annulment and legal separation, expl…

Does Narcissism Come and Go? Why Narcissists Seem Better & Then Suddenly Aren’t

Does Narcissism Come and Go? What “Good Periods” With a Narcissist Really Mean This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener in Dubai who writes: “Can narcissism in a person wax and wane? There’s been years when my husband was acting like a narcissist, and then there’s also been chunks of years where he’s been incredibly supportive and uplifting. Can a narcissist change depending on their current situation?” In this episode, Dr. Kerry explains why narcissistic behavior can a…

Narcissist vs. Narcissist: What Happens When These Two Toxic Personalities Match-Up

“My coworker is a narcissist—and so is our boss. What happens when two narcissists have to work together?” This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a YouTube listener who writes: “Thank you for all your content! Very helpful. I am curious to know – what tends to happen when ‘a narcissist meets a narcissist’ – meaning they are introduced to each other, are coworkers or need to cooperate with each other in some way or even end up being partners? Are there any patterns to or are there typi…

Can Someone Be Both Covert AND Overt? Understanding Narcissistic Types & What Actually Matters

“My partner has traits of both covert and overt narcissism—is that possible?” This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a podcast listener who writes: “Can a person be both a covert and an overt narcissist? I’m hearing the descriptions of each and my partner has traits of both.” In this episode, Dr. Kerry breaks down the confusing language around narcissistic types—what “covert” and “overt” actually mean (hint: they describe symptoms, not people), why your partner can absolutely show bot…

Why Does Surviving Narcissistic Abuse Turn You into Someone You Don’t Recognize?

You dodged a bullet!” No—the bullet hit me. I just survived. This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a YouTube listener who writes: “People tell me I dodged a bullet. But the bullet hit me—I just survived. I feel like it turned me into a monster. The PTSD caused me to start reacting more strongly to smaller triggers and even did abusive things myself in what I felt was self-defense.” In this episode, Dr. Kerry addresses why “you dodged a bullet” feels so wrong, what survivor’s guilt re…

How are Narcissists Made: Is it Trauma or Genetic? Here’s What Dr. Salerno Thinks

Is narcissism caused by genetics or trauma? Ever heard “narcissists act that way because of bad parenting” or “because they’ve experienced trauma?” This week, Dr. Peter Salerno returns to challenge everything you thought you knew about the cause of narcissistic personality disorder. We’re diving into the controversial science of heritability. PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE SEGMENT Find the exclusive second segment and weekly newsletter here. MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST EXTRA INTERVIEW 🔹…

Why Don’t Narcissists Feel Regret? And 4 Other Questions You Need Answered, Featuring Dr. Les Carter

Dr. Les Carter has spent decades studying narcissists, and in this retrospective, he reveals what most people miss until it’s too late. We revisit five groundbreaking conversations about what’s really happening behind the mask. Get a glimpse into the weekly Substack newsletter with this week’s complimentary copy. Sign up today using this link. Dr. Carter may have produced his last video, but his wisdom continues on his YouTube channel, Surviving Narcissism. Thank you, Dr. Les Carter, for all …