

257 You're Not the Problem: The Impact of Narcissism and Emotional Abuse with Helen Villiers and Katie McKenna
52 snips Apr 2, 2024
Psychotherapists Helen Villiers and Katie McKenna discuss emotional abuse and generational trauma from narcissistic parenting. They highlight the importance of recognizing toxic behaviors, setting boundaries, and breaking dysfunctional family cycles. The conversation explores the impact of manipulative guilt-tripping, narcissistic dynamics, and the far-reaching effects of emotional abuse on child development.
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Toxic Parenting is Often Normalized
- Narcissistic parenting is widespread and often normalized, not necessarily extreme or obvious abuse.
- Emotional abuse uses fear, obligation, and guilt to control children and maintain family dynamics.
Child's Survival Fuels Self-Blame
- Children live in fear of abandonment for survival, responding automatically to please parents.
- They learn they are the problem and must fix relationship disruptions to stay safe.
Brain Equates Emotional & Physical Threats
- The brain reacts the same way to emotional and physical threats via the amygdala.
- This explains intense fear and anxiety responses even in non-threatening situations like watching movies.