Trauma bonding inside unhealthy relationships arises as the recipient experiences ongoing emotional overload.  Dr. Les Carter describes how you can break the bond by understanding what the narcissist hopes to gain, then by identifying and living into your best version of yourself.  You can succeed in defining who you want to be, separate from the narcissist. Thank you to Aura for sponsoring this episode. Secure your online presence and get 40% off of all plans using my link: https://aura.com/DrCarter Sign up for Dr. Carter’s NEW course: Ready, Set, Connect https://courses.survivingnarcissism.tv/courses/ready-set-connect Get 30% off when you use the coupon code: SNCommunity30 Dr. Les Carter is a best selling author and therapist who has semi-retired to Waco, TX. In the past 40+ years he has conducted more than 65,000 counseling sessions and many workshops and seminars.  He specializes in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder. Join the Team Healthy community HERE: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/subscribe/  Check out videos, articles, quizzes, and more at our website:  https://survivingnarcissism.tv You can follow Surviving Narcissism on: Twitter:  @SNarcissism101 Instagram:  @survivingnarcissism101 Facebook: @survivingnarcissism101 Dr. Carter has two other courses that you may find to be useful: Free to Be: Reclaim & rediscover your uniqueness https://survivingnarcissism.tv/free-to-be-course/ This Is Me: Setting boundaries with the controllers in your life   https://survivingnarcissism.tv/this-is-me  Dr. Carter's personal website: http://drlescarter.com/ Dr. Carter's other YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/drlescarterBookstore: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/books-on-narcissism-surviving-narcissism/ If you are interested in online therapy, Dr. Carter has a sponsor who can assist.  As the need is there, please seek the help you deserve: https://betterhelp.com/survivingnarcissismpodcast We receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. We only recommend services that we trust.

Narcissists, being fully committed to the False Self, want you to assume they are the ones with the answers, when in fact, they are deeply insecure.  In this episode, Dr. C responds to questions he has received from listeners for the purpose of showing you some of the many ways narcissists display their inner tension.  They can't come to terms with their hidden insecurities, but you can stay disentangled when they attempt to drag you into their dysfunction. Go to https://betterhelp.com/survivingnarcissismpodcast for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Sign up for Dr. Carter’s NEW course: Ready, Set, Connect https://courses.survivingnarcissism.tv/courses/ready-set-connect Get 30% off when you use the coupon code: SNCommunity30 Dr. Les Carter is a best selling author and therapist who has semi-retired to Waco, TX. In the past 40+ years he has conducted more than 65,000 counseling sessions and many workshops and seminars. He specializes in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder. Join the Team Healthy community HERE: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/subscribe/ Check out videos, articles, quizzes, and more at our website: https://survivingnarcissism.tv You can follow Surviving Narcissism on: Twitter: @SNarcissism101 Instagram: @survivingnarcissism101 Facebook: @survivingnarcissism101 Dr. Carter has two other courses that you may find to be useful: Free to Be: Reclaim & rediscover your uniqueness https://survivingnarcissism.tv/free-to-be-course/ This Is Me: Setting boundaries with the controllers in your life https://survivingnarcissism.tv/this-is-me Dr. Carter's personal website: http://drlescarter.com/ Dr. Carter's other YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/drlescarter Bookstore: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/books-on-narcissism-surviving-narcissism/

A defining feature of narcissism is the willingness to manipulate.  And because of other issues like the need for control, an attitude of entitlement, and raw selfishness, it is predictable that they will have serious anger issues too.  Not a good combination.  Dr. Les Carter welcomes therapist Jim Brillon who will discuss in detail how to maneuver through the traps narcissists wish to lay in front of you. Visit Jim's website to learn more about him: https://jimbrillon.com/ You can follow Jim Brillon on:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JimBrillonTherapyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jim.brillon/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimbrillon?lang=en Go to https://betterhelp.com/survivingnarcissismpodcast for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Sign up for Dr. Carter’s NEW course: Ready, Set, Connect https://courses.survivingnarcissism.tv/courses/ready-set-connect Get 30% off when you use the coupon code: SNCommunity30 Dr. Les Carter is a best selling author and therapist who has semi-retired to Waco, TX. In the past 40+ years he has conducted more than 65,000 counseling sessions and many workshops and seminars.  He specializes in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder. Join the Team Healthy community HERE: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/subscribe/  Check out videos, articles, quizzes, and more at our website:  https://survivingnarcissism.tv You can follow Surviving Narcissism on: Twitter:  @SNarcissism101 Instagram:  @survivingnarcissism101 Facebook: @survivingnarcissism101 Dr. Carter has two other courses that you may find to be useful: Free to Be: Reclaim & rediscover your uniqueness https://survivingnarcissism.tv/free-to-be-course/ This Is Me: Setting boundaries with the controllers in your life   https://survivingnarcissism.tv/this-is-me  Dr. Carter's personal website: http://drlescarter.com/ Dr. Carter's other YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/drlescarter Bookstore: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/books-on-narcissism-surviving-narcissism/

Dr. Les Carter shares an insightful interview with psychologist Dr. Craig Malkin, who is a lecturer at the Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and who also maintains an active therapy practice.  Dr. Malkin explains how narcissism is a combination of inborn temperament and learned patterns, and also discusses why they have such difficulty regulating themselves as adults. Go to https://betterhelp.com/survivingnarcissismpodcast for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Sign up for Dr. Carter’s NEW course: Ready, Set, Connect https://courses.survivingnarcissism.tv/courses/ready-set-connect Get 30% off when you use the coupon code: SNCommunity30 Dr. Les Carter is a best selling author and therapist who has semi-retired to Waco, TX. In the past 40+ years he has conducted more than 65,000 counseling sessions and many workshops and seminars.  He specializes in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder. Join the Team Healthy community HERE: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/subscribe/  Check out videos, articles, quizzes, and more at our website:  https://survivingnarcissism.tv You can follow Surviving Narcissism on: Twitter:  @SNarcissism101 Instagram:  @survivingnarcissism101 Facebook: @survivingnarcissism101 Dr. Carter has two other courses that you may find to be useful: Free to Be: Reclaim & rediscover your uniqueness https://survivingnarcissism.tv/free-to-be-course/ This Is Me: Setting boundaries with the controllers in your life   https://survivingnarcissism.tv/this-is-me  Dr. Carter's personal website: http://drlescarter.com/ Dr. Carter's other YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/drlescarterBookstore: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/books-on-narcissism-surviving-narcissism/ Dr. Craig Malkin, author of the internationally acclaimed, Rethinking Narcissism and co-author of the NYT bestselling The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, is a clinical psychologist and Lecturer for Harvard Medical School with over 30 years of experience helping individuals, couples, and families. His articles, advice, and insights on relationships have appeared in newspapers and magazines such as Time, The New York Times, The Sunday Times, Psychology Today, Women’s Health, Huffington Post and Happen Magazine, as well as countless other popular print and online media outlets.  He’s also been a featured multiple times on NPR, CBS Radio, the Oprah Winfrey Network channel, appeared on various local morning shows, and been a guest on many radio stations and podcasts here and abroad. Dr. Malkin is president and director of the Cambridge, Massachusetts–based YM Psychotherapy and Consultation, Inc., which provides psychotherapy and evidence-based couples workshops. He lives in Boston with his wife and twin girls.

A hallmark of the mature personality is the willingness to take responsibility for who you are.  Mature people understand that every stage of life presents challenges, and they welcome the process of introspection as they determine how to wisely respond.  Narcissists, however, refuse to do the hard work of finding insight and making adjustments.  Instead, their psychological laziness prompts them to look outwardly toward you, requiring you to adjust so they can feel satisfied.  Dr. Les Carter contrasts healthy introspection to a narcissist's shallowness, and encourages you to take the more fulfilling path. Thank you to Aura for sponsoring this episode. Secure your online presence and get 40% off of all plans using my link: https://aura.com/DrCarter Sign up for Dr. Carter’s NEW course: Ready, Set, Connect https://courses.survivingnarcissism.tv/courses/ready-set-connect Get 30% off when you use the coupon code: SNCommunity30 Dr. Les Carter is a best selling author and therapist who has semi-retired to Waco, TX. In the past 40+ years he has conducted more than 65,000 counseling sessions and many workshops and seminars.  He specializes in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder. Join the Team Healthy community HERE: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/subscribe/  Check out videos, articles, quizzes, and more at our website:  https://survivingnarcissism.tv You can follow Surviving Narcissism on: Twitter:  @SNarcissism101 Instagram:  @survivingnarcissism101 Facebook: @survivingnarcissism101 Dr. Carter has two other courses that you may find to be useful: Free to Be: Reclaim & rediscover your uniqueness https://survivingnarcissism.tv/free-to-be-course/ This Is Me: Setting boundaries with the controllers in your life   https://survivingnarcissism.tv/this-is-me  Dr. Carter's personal website: http://drlescarter.com/ Dr. Carter's other YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/drlescarterBookstore: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/books-on-narcissism-surviving-narcissism/ If you are interested in online therapy, Dr. Carter has a sponsor who can assist.  As the need is there, please seek the help you deserve: https://betterhelp.com/survivingnarcissismpodcast We receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. We only recommend services that we trust.

Narcissists are predators who are quite willing to exploit and use you for their own personal gain.  Dr. C describes their mindset as they engage with you, then he also identifies cues they look for to determine if indeed you will susceptible to their schemes.  As you see through their patterns it will position you to remain true to yourself, staying out of the snares they lay in front of you. Go to https://betterhelp.com/survivingnarcissismpodcast for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Sign up for Dr. Carter’s NEW course: Ready, Set, Connect https://courses.survivingnarcissism.tv/courses/ready-set-connect Get 30% off when you use the coupon code: SNCommunity30 Dr. Les Carter is a best selling author and therapist who has semi-retired to Waco, TX. In the past 40+ years he has conducted more than 65,000 counseling sessions and many workshops and seminars.  He specializes in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder. Join the Team Healthy community HERE: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/subscribe/  Check out videos, articles, quizzes, and more at our website:  https://survivingnarcissism.tv You can follow Surviving Narcissism on: Twitter:  @SNarcissism101 Instagram:  @survivingnarcissism101 Facebook: @survivingnarcissism101 Dr. Carter has two other courses that you may find to be useful: Free to Be: Reclaim & rediscover your uniqueness https://survivingnarcissism.tv/free-to-be-course/ This Is Me: Setting boundaries with the controllers in your life   https://survivingnarcissism.tv/this-is-me  Dr. Carter's personal website: http://drlescarter.com/ Dr. Carter's other YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/drlescarter Bookstore: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/books-on-narcissism-surviving-narcissism/

While narcissists try to present themselves as all together, behind the scenes there is much unfinished business they carry.  Dr. C talks with special guest Kati Morton about what drives narcissists and how we can maintain emotional steadiness despite their lack of it. You can find Kati on her website, https://katimorton.com/. You can follow Kati on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube at @katimorton. Thank you to Aura for sponsoring this episode. Secure your online presence and get 40% off of all plans using my link: https://aura.com/DrCarter Sign up for Dr. Carter’s NEW course: Ready, Set, Connect https://courses.survivingnarcissism.tv/courses/ready-set-connect Get 30% off when you use the coupon code: SNCommunity30 Dr. Les Carter is a best selling author and therapist who has semi-retired to Waco, TX. In the past 40+ years he has conducted more than 65,000 counseling sessions and many workshops and seminars.  He specializes in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder. Join the Team Healthy community HERE: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/subscribe/  Check out videos, articles, quizzes, and more at our website:  https://survivingnarcissism.tv You can follow Surviving Narcissism on: Twitter:  @SNarcissism101 Instagram:  @survivingnarcissism101 Facebook: @survivingnarcissism101 Dr. Carter has two other courses that you may find to be useful: Free to Be: Reclaim & rediscover your uniqueness https://survivingnarcissism.tv/free-to-be-course/ This Is Me: Setting boundaries with the controllers in your life   https://survivingnarcissism.tv/this-is-me  Dr. Carter's personal website: http://drlescarter.com/ Dr. Carter's other YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/drlescarter Bookstore: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/books-on-narcissism-surviving-narcissism/ If you are interested in online therapy, Dr. Carter has a sponsor who can assist.  As the need is there, please seek the help you deserve: https://betterhelp.com/survivingnarcissismpodcast We receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. We only recommend services that we trust.

Narcissists like to give the impression that they have life figured out and that you should defer to their mandates.  Dr. Les Carter offers a very different perspective, discussing how they are actually profoundly needy and act as they do because they have not learned to come to terms with life's challenges. Go to https://betterhelp.com/survivingnarcissismpodcast for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Sign up for Dr. Carter’s NEW course: Ready, Set, Connect https://courses.survivingnarcissism.tv/courses/ready-set-connect Get 30% off when you use the coupon code: SNCommunity30 Dr. Les Carter is a best selling author and therapist who has semi-retired to Waco, TX. In the past 40+ years he has conducted more than 65,000 counseling sessions and many workshops and seminars.  He specializes in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder. Join the Team Healthy community HERE: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/subscribe/  Check out videos, articles, quizzes, and more at our website:  https://survivingnarcissism.tv You can follow Surviving Narcissism on: Twitter:  @SNarcissism101 Instagram:  @survivingnarcissism101 Facebook: @survivingnarcissism101 Dr. Carter has two other courses that you may find to be useful: Free to Be: Reclaim & rediscover your uniqueness https://survivingnarcissism.tv/free-to-be-course/ This Is Me: Setting boundaries with the controllers in your life   https://survivingnarcissism.tv/this-is-me  Dr. Carter's personal website: http://drlescarter.com/ Dr. Carter's other YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/drlescarter Bookstore: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/books-on-narcissism-surviving-narcissism/

Dr. C welcomes trauma specialist Caroline Strawson who explains how trauma bonding to a narcissist impacts you physiologically.  Having a history in the medical profession as well as surviving her own traumatic experiences, she brings a wealth of information and insight into this vital topic. Thank you to Aura for sponsoring this episode. Secure your online presence and get 40% off of all plans using my link: https://aura.com/DrCarter Sign up for Dr. Carter’s NEW course: Ready, Set, Connect https://courses.survivingnarcissism.tv/courses/ready-set-connect Get 30% off when you use the coupon code: SNCommunity30 Dr. Les Carter is a best selling author and therapist who has semi-retired to Waco, TX. In the past 40+ years he has conducted more than 65,000 counseling sessions and many workshops and seminars.  He specializes in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder. Join the Team Healthy community HERE: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/subscribe/  Check out videos, articles, quizzes, and more at our website:  https://survivingnarcissism.tv You can follow Surviving Narcissism on: Twitter:  @SNarcissism101 Instagram:  @survivingnarcissism101 Facebook: @survivingnarcissism101 Dr. Carter has two other courses that you may find to be useful: Free to Be: Reclaim & rediscover your uniqueness https://survivingnarcissism.tv/free-to-be-course/ This Is Me: Setting boundaries with the controllers in your life   https://survivingnarcissism.tv/this-is-me  Dr. Carter's personal website: http://drlescarter.com/ Dr. Carter's other YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/drlescarterBookstore: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/books-on-narcissism-surviving-narcissism/ If you are interested in online therapy, Dr. Carter has a sponsor who can assist.  As the need is there, please seek the help you deserve: https://betterhelp.com/survivingnarcissismpodcast We receive commissions on referrals to BetterHelp. We only recommend services that we trust. Visit https://carolinestrawson.com/ to learn more about Caroline. You can follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/ and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/carolinestrawson/.

Dr. C is joined by Dr. Kerry McAvoy, author of Love You More.  She clearly describes some primary signs to watch for as you determine the level of toxicity in a narcissist.  As you understand how their outward actions are an indication of inner turmoil, you can learn not to be pulled in by their manipulations. Go to https://betterhelp.com/survivingnarcissismpodcast for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help #sponsored Sign up for Dr. Carter’s NEW course: Ready, Set, Connect https://courses.survivingnarcissism.tv/courses/ready-set-connect Get 30% off when you use the coupon code: SNCommunity30 Dr. Les Carter is a best selling author and therapist who has semi-retired to Waco, TX. In the past 40+ years he has conducted more than 65,000 counseling sessions and many workshops and seminars.  He specializes in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder. Join the Team Healthy community HERE: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/subscribe/ Check out videos, articles, quizzes, and more at our website:  https://survivingnarcissism.tv You can follow Surviving Narcissism on: Twitter:  @SNarcissism101 Instagram:  @survivingnarcissism101 Facebook: @survivingnarcissism101 Dr. Carter has two other courses that you may find to be useful: Free to Be: Reclaim & rediscover your uniqueness https://survivingnarcissism.tv/free-to-be-course/ This Is Me: Setting boundaries with the controllers in your life   https://survivingnarcissism.tv/this-is-me Dr. Carter's personal website: http://drlescarter.com/ Dr. Carter's other YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/c/drlescarter Bookstore: https://survivingnarcissism.tv/books-on-narcissism-surviving-narcissism/ Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., a psychologist and writer, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured on Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. She offers trauma-related advice on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and the Breaking Free with Kerry & Tara podcast. You can learn more about Dr. Kerry McAvoy on her website, https://kerrymcavoyphd.com/. You can follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kerrymcavoyphd/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kerrymcavoyphd. Dr. McAvoy also has a podcast, which you can find at https://breakingfreewithkerrytara.com.