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Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Kerry McAvoy, Ph.D.
205 episodes
1 day ago
Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! This week’s Fan Mail brings us two powerful questions: • From Syracuse, New York: “The family referee took my custody and handed it over to the father who was absent for years. My children have been separated from their siblings, and I’m only allowed one hour a week of visitation. The court won’t let me present my evidence, and I feel silenced and helpless. What can I do?” From Wichita, KansasAnd from Kansas C...
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Relationships
Education,
Society & Culture,
Self-Improvement,
Health & Fitness,
Mental Health
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All content for Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse is the property of Kerry McAvoy, Ph.D. and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! This week’s Fan Mail brings us two powerful questions: • From Syracuse, New York: “The family referee took my custody and handed it over to the father who was absent for years. My children have been separated from their siblings, and I’m only allowed one hour a week of visitation. The court won’t let me present my evidence, and I feel silenced and helpless. What can I do?” From Wichita, KansasAnd from Kansas C...
Show more...
Relationships
Education,
Society & Culture,
Self-Improvement,
Health & Fitness,
Mental Health
Episodes (20/205)
Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
When Your Therapist is the Narcissist! + Answering Your Fan Mail
Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! What happens when a narcissistic therapist uses their professional training against you? This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener in Seattle who writes: “I dated a narcissist who was also a licensed clinical social worker. Can you talk about the weaponization of therapeutic training by narcissists?” In this episode, Dr. Kerry unpacks how narcissistic mental health professions can use psychology to pathologize y...
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3 days ago
8 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
How the Victim’s Personality & Attachment Styles Shape Healing and Recovery - Featuring Chelli Pumphrey
Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! Do you know what one of the most dangerous traps you can fall for? Believing that you can “fix” a narcissist’s early attachment wounds. In this exclusive episode, therapist and author Chelli Pumphrey explains why narcissists rarely have secure attachments, how anxious or disorganized patterns drive their constant need for supply, and why survivors’ empathy often backfires when met with exploitation. PODCAST EXTRA EX...
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6 days ago
37 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Can You Really Heal a Trauma Bond? + Why Do Narcissists Cheat? Answering Your Fan Mail
Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! Can you really heal a trauma bond—or is the damage permanent? This week’s Fan Mail features two powerful questions. The first comes from a YouTube listener who asks: “Is it really possible to break a trauma bond? Even Dr. Ramani says she still struggles daily—so what’s the point of fighting, especially if kids are involved?” The second comes from a listener in New York, New York who wants to know: “Why do narciss...
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1 week ago
11 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
When Your Mother Hurts Instead of Loves You: Understanding The Controlling Mom
Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! Can you ever be “good enough” for a difficult mother? In this episode, psychotherapist Katherine Fabrizio, author of The Good Daughter Syndrome, reveals why empathic daughters feel trapped in cycles of guilt, exhaustion, and approval-seeking—and how to finally reclaim your power and identity. Tronick’s Still (Blank) Face Experiment PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Find it here: https://substack.com/@breaki...
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1 week ago
27 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Why Do We REALLY Stay? Answering Your Fan Mail
Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! This week’s fan mail dives into two powerful questions about surviving emotional abuse. First, Dr. Kerry explores what it means when you stop crying—and why emotional shutdown can be a survival mechanism in toxic relationships. Then she tackles whether the sunk cost fallacy is really what keeps us stuck with a narcissist, or if something deeper is at play. Submit Your Question! If you would like your question addressed on ai...
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2 weeks ago
6 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
How to Outsmart a Narcissist in Court: Family Law Secrets from Michele Locke
Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! Going through a custody battle or divorce with a narcissist? The you know the legal system can feel stacked against you. This week, former family law judge and attorney Michele Locke reveals exactly how narcissists twist the truth, exploit legal loopholes, and weaponize the court process — and what you can do to outsmart them. Whether you’re divorcing a narcissist, navigating parental alienation, or preparing for a high-conf...
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2 weeks ago
27 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Practical Steps to Stopping the Crazy Confusion: Answering Your Fan Mail
Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! What do you do when you can’t just cut off a toxic person? This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a YouTube listener who asks: “How do I stop the cognitive dissonance and self-doubt when I can’t go no-contact with a toxic person?” In this episode, Dr. Kerry explains why cognitive dissonance is such a powerful trap in emotionally abusive relationships—especially when you’re forced to maintain contact. Submit Your Question I...
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3 weeks ago
6 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Why We Miss the Abuse — And How to Break Free from the Confusion
Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! Why do so many survivors miss they’re being abuse? In this Labor Day Special, I’m revisiting three powerful interviews that follow the journey from denial to freedom. First, we explore how abuse often hides in plain sight, even for smart, capable people. Then, we examine how cognitive dissonance keeps you stuck. Finally, we describe what late-stage cognitive dissonance sounds and feels like—when you barely recognize yourself...
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3 weeks ago
27 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Why the Narcissist’s Mask Slips: Answering Your Fan Mail
Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! Is my daughter-in-law a malignant narcissist? How did she hide her worst qualities for so long? Today, Dr. Kerry answers 2 listeners’ questions. The first is from New York, New York about narcissists’ public and private personas. Many narcissistic individuals create a false mask to hide their worst qualities. The second comes from Southern Pines, North Carolina, who wants to know more about love-bombing. SU...
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1 month ago
8 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Exposing Love Bombing: Insights from The Wolf of Wall Street’s Ex-Wife
Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! What if the person you fell in love with never really existed? In this episode, Dr. Nae — psychologist, author of Run Like Hell, and former wife of the real “Wolf of Wall Street” — exposes how master manipulators use love-bombing, mirroring, and coercive control to create a false sense of intimacy. Learn: How abusers build a fake romantic persona to hook their targets Why trauma bonds are so difficult to break, ev...
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1 month ago
29 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
He Has Successfully Destroyed Me! Answering Your Fan Mail (Bonus)
Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! Welcome to our new podcast segment called Fan Mail! This is where Dr. Kerry answers your questions. To kick off our weekly bonus episode, Dr. Kerry is responding to a listener who writes, “He has destroyed me and my world after 16 years of marriage.” -- from Westminster California More About the Episode Today Dr. Kerry answers two fan mail requests: 1. "Please address abuse from a man's perspective." -Cleveland, Ohio...
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1 month ago
6 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Dr. Les Carter on the #1 Sign Someone Lacks Emotional Maturity in Conflict
Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! What’s the single biggest giveaway that someone lacks emotional maturity — especially when the pressure’s on? In this episode, Dr. Les Carter, psychologist, best-selling author, and expert on narcissism and emotional health, reveals the #1 sign of low emotional maturity during conflict. We dive into how this pattern plays out in everyday disagreements, why it derails problem-solving, and what you can do to protect your own e...
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1 month ago
27 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
The Part No One Talks About: What It Really Takes to Heal from Narcissistic Abuse
Send us a text This week, I’m pulling back the curtain on something few of us talk about—the emotional toll of surviving narcissistic abuse after the relationship ends. Healing is hard. Helping others heal while still navigating your own recovery? Even harder. In this episode, I share why I’m taking a short summer hiatus—and how you can still stay connected and supported during this time. 💌 For Paid Substack Subscribers: Here’s What’s Ahead This Summer -July 9th @ 5pm CT – Ask Me ...
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3 months ago
9 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
What’s Wrong With Me? Why Abuse Victims Believe They're the Narcissist
Send us a text This US holiday weekend, let’s revisit three of your favorite podcast episodes. Interestingly, they all have the same theme: why narcissistic abuse survivors initially think they’re the problem. Clip 1 is from Season 3 Episode 64: "How mad can I make you?" The Toxic Games Covert Narcissists Play” Video: https://youtu.be/pfU0y1ycgtg Audio: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2150391/episodes/15052505 Clip 2 is from Seoson 3 Episode 57: “Am I The Narcissist? When Toxic People Accuse You o...
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4 months ago
25 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Have Bad Taste in Partners? The Red Flags We Often Miss
Send us a text Why do we pick bad partners? Is purely because of deception or are we missing early warning signs of a toxicity? This week, author and clinician, Mary Crocker Cook joins us to discuss the problems of early socialization and different expectation in the dysfunctional relationship. Looking for the Podcast Extra Interview with Mary Crocker Cook? 🔹 Are you wondering how to exit a toxic relationship safely? Mary shares some powerful no-nonsense advice on how to prepare to leave.&nbs...
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4 months ago
25 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
How Your Relationship Changes When Your Partner Has Narcissism and ADHD
Send us a text Can someone be both narcissistic and neurodivergent? This week, ADHD coach and neurodiversity educator Sheila Henson joins Dr. Kerry to explore the nuanced overlap between narcissistic traits and ADHD. Together, they unpack how these two very different dynamics can sometimes co-exist—and what that means for the health of your relationship. Looking for the Podcast Extra Interview with Sheila Henson? 🔹 Are you wondering if your narcissistic partner who’s struggling with ADHD can ...
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4 months ago
26 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
When Is It Really Over? The Top Signs a Dying Relationship
Send us a text Is your relationship displaying signs that it’s over? Maybe it’s on its last legs, and you wonder if it can be saved? In this episode, Dr. Becky Whetstone delves into the complexities of relationships, particularly focusing on the challenges faced during marriage crises. She shares her experiences and insights as a marriage therapist, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and recognizing the signs of an unhealthy relationship. Looking for the Podcast Extra Interview with...
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4 months ago
30 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Are You an Over-Functioner? The Problem of Doing Too Much
Send us a text Are you living with a narcissist or a stressfully demanding person? These types of relationships often require us to step up with extra emotional labor without us even realizing it. This week, psychotherapist and author Terri Cole joins us to explore the hidden costs of high-functioning codependency. Learn why over-helping is often a trauma response, not a personality trait—and what to do if you're living with a boundary bully. Looking for the Podcast Extra Interview with...
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5 months ago
23 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
When Your Best Friend is a Narcissist: Cost of Toxic Female Relationships
Send us a text Are female friendships just as damaging as pathological love relationships? This week, Sabrina Kirberg, author of We Used to be Best Friends, joins us to discuss the harmful consequences of toxic women friendships. Learn why we often miss spotting toxic female relationships and their common harmful dynamics. Looking for the Podcast Extra Interview with Sabrina Kirberg? 🔹Does your best friend fit one of the toxic female stereotypes? Learn the most common toxic women relationship...
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5 months ago
24 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
The Shocking Psychological Cost of Living with a Narcissist: Interview with Lynn Strathdee
Send us a text Living with a narcissistic or emotionally toxic person will wreak havoc on your personality or sense of self. This week, Lynn Strathdee, mental health therapist and expert, joins us today to discuss the effects of chronic exposure to narcissistic abuse. Learn how dysfunctional relationship shapes your personality, giving “echoistic” tendencies. Looking for the Podcast Extra Interview with Lynn Strathdee? 🔹Can the psychological damage done to our pers...
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5 months ago
29 minutes

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below! This week’s Fan Mail brings us two powerful questions: • From Syracuse, New York: “The family referee took my custody and handed it over to the father who was absent for years. My children have been separated from their siblings, and I’m only allowed one hour a week of visitation. The court won’t let me present my evidence, and I feel silenced and helpless. What can I do?” From Wichita, KansasAnd from Kansas C...