Ever wonder why you didn't see the danger coming?

This week, Dr. Leslie Dobson joins Dr. Kerry to unpack the psychological mechanisms that drive narcissistic and antisocial behavior—where they overlap, where they differ, and how they show up in relationships. We explore how predators groom their victims, why the legal system struggles to address coercive control, and the subtle tests that reveal danger long before violence occurs.

PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE SEGMENT

Find the exclusive second segment and weekly newsletter here: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse

MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST EXTRA INTERVIEW

🔹 Red flags you're missing: how to spot pressure, boundary testing, and grooming before it's too late.

Dr. Dobson breaks down the early warning signs—from gold-toothed "tests" to rushed intimacy—and why trusting your intuition (even when you can't name what's wrong) could save your life.

👉 Get immediate access to this extended interview: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse

MORE ABOUT DR. LESLIE DOBSON

Website: https://www.DrLeslieDobson.com

Instagram & TikTok: @DrLeslieDobson

YouTube: Dr. Leslie Dobson

Podcast: Intentionally Disturbing (iHeartRadio, available on all platforms)

Book: The Friend Cleanse: How to identify energy vampires, set boundaries & balance your glass of life - https://amzn.to/4oEKc54

DR. LESLIE DOBSON is a clinical and forensic psychologist specializing in dangerous personalities. With extensive experience working inside jails, prisons, and state hospitals—including assessments of high-risk sex offenders and violent psychopaths—Dr. Dobson brings rare expertise to understanding the dark side of human behavior. She now works in civil litigation, using her forensic training to expose manipulation and coercion in family court and beyond. Through her social media platforms and upcoming television projects, she educates the public about recognizing and protecting themselves from predatory individuals.

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. 

In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She h

Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Break free from narcissistic abuse with ReclaimYou. The app that's like having Dr. Kerry as your personal coach in your pocket 24/7. Get personalized support, healing exercises, and expert guidance whenever you need it. Join the waitlist now and be first to reclaim your life at studio.com/drkerry

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Disclaimer: This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Dr. Les Carter has spent decades studying narcissists, and in this retrospective, he reveals what most people miss until it's too late.

Narcissists seem so perfect at first—charming, attentive, interested in everything about you. But something felt off, didn't it? We revisit five groundbreaking conversations about what's really happening behind the mask: why they can't feel regret, how they gather information like they're building a case file on you, and the warning signs that someone is presenting 'as if' they're safe when they're anything but.

Get a glimpse into the weekly Substack newsletter with this week’s complimentary copy. Sign up today using this link: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse 

Dr. Carter may have produced his last video, but his wisdom continues on his YouTube channel, Surviving Narcissism: https://www.youtube.com/@SurvivingNarcissism

Thank you, Dr. Les Carter, for all your wonderful work. You have made the world a more lovely, enlightened place.

DR. LES CARTER is a retired clinical psychotherapist, best-selling author, and expert on narcissistic abuse who hosts the popular YouTube channel "Surviving Narcissism". With over 40 years of experience in private practice, he is a specialist in anger management and narcissistic personality disorder, helping people understand and heal from narcissistic abuse. 

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. 

In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Bre

Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

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Disclaimer: This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

“Is the Dark Triad a real disorder—or just a dangerous type?”

This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener in Germany who writes after a recent video:

“You called ‘dark triad’ a personality disorder, but it isn’t in the DSM-5. Isn’t it a subclinical descriptor?”

In this episode, Dr. Kerry clarifies what is the Dark Triad and why we need to get better at spotting this type of personality. 

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👉 https://kerrymcavoyphd.fillout.com/fan-mail

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. 

In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Support the show

Disclaimer: This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Ever feel like you’re slowly running out of air in a “nice” relationship?

This week, Eleni Sagredos joins Dr. Kerry to unpack how coercive control hides behind charm and “preferences,” and why it’s so hard to spot until your autonomy has been chipped away. We trace the subtle dynamics that slowly worsen an abusive power imbalance. 

PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE SEGMENT

Find the exclusive second segment and weekly newsletter here.

MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST EXTRA INTERVIEW 

🔹 From subtle control to danger: how escalation works—and why “just leave” can be a privilege, yet safety planning matters now.

Eleni and Dr. Kerry map the climb from small criticisms to coercion to high-risk moments, and where to get immediate support (DV hotlines, advocates, transitional housing). 

👉 Get immediate access to this extended interview: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse

MORE ABOUT ELENI SAGREDOS

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• Book: But They're So Nice: Unmasking Covert Abuse & Narcissistic People

ELENI SAGREDOS is an abuse educator and a certified Domestic Violence Advocate with a passion for raising awareness about covert abuse and domestic violence. She is the author of the book But They're So Nice: Unmasking Covert Abuse & Narcissistic People, which sheds light on the insidious nature of emotional and psychological abuse often overlooked or minimized. Eleni is most active on TikTok, where she shares her insights, experiences, and resources to help others recognize the dynamics and tactics in abusive relationships.

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. 

In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Support the show

Disclaimer: This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

“My son’s in a toxic marriage—how do we help without making it worse?”

This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener in Raleigh, North Carolina:

“My adult son is in a toxic marriage with a likely narcissist. He’s miserable, says he wants out, but stays—partly because of their three young kids. How can we support him when he shares the emotional abuse without pushing or making things worse?”

In this episode, Dr. Kerry explains how best to support a loved one who’s being abused—especially when it’s your son. Learn what helps and what will make things worse.

Submit Your Question

If you’d like your question addressed on air, send it here: 👉 https://kerrymcavoyphd.fillout.com/fan-mail.

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. 

In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Support the show

Disclaimer: This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Ever feel like you can’t find “you” anymore? That you’re second-guessing everything, going numb, or swallowing your words just to keep the peace?

This week, psychologist Dr. Shahrzad Jalali joins Dr. Kerry to unpack how long-term emotional abuse scrambles your nervous system, erodes self-trust, and leads to identity confusion—and what actually helps you get “you” back. We trace the early red flags, why we repeat familiar patterns, and the body-level toll (sleep, gut, jaw, hypervigilance) that keeps you on edge. 

PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE SEGMENT

Find the exclusive second segment and weekly newsletter here.

MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST EXTRA INTERVIEW 

🔹 Two common trauma responses—flooding vs. minimizing: what to do if you either overwhelm others with pain or downplay what happened.

Dr. Jalali lays out a gentle, step-by-step plan that starts with naming what’s happening and accepting you’re not “overreacting.”

👉 Get immediate access to this extended interview: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse

MORE ABOUT DR. JALALI

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SHAHRZAD JALALI, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist. She completed an M.A. in Clinical Psychology (Marriage and Family Therapy) and received training during her internship in the field of addiction. She further received a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology and completed a practicum training as well as pre-doctoral internship at a child and adolescent clinic, emphasizing human development and stages of growth. Dr. Jalali completed her post-doctoral fellowship in the adult track at several different private practices under the supervision of the numerous mentors specializing in depth work, couples’ and sex therapy, and trauma. She approaches her patients from a bio/psycho/social perspective that emphasizes the role of relationships in the evaluation of the sense of self.   

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. 

In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Support the show

Disclaimer: This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

“My abuser claims he’s ‘trauma bonded’ to me…Can that be true?

This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener on YouTube who wants to know how common it is for an abusive partner to be trauma bonded. Hers claims to be. She’s wonders if this true or if her partner is attempting to dodge responsibility. 

Submit Your Question

If you’d like your question addressed on air, send it here: 

👉 https://kerrymcavoyphd.fillout.com/fan-mail

Stay in Touch With Dr. Kerry!

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. 

In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Support the show

Disclaimer: This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Has your adult child gone no contact? Cut off all communication with you? Are you struggling to figure out how to repair things with them?

There’s an alarming trend of adult children walking away from family connections called parental estrangement. Why is going no contact becoming the go-to way of handling strained relationships? And what can you do if it happens to you?

This week, psychologist and author Dr. Joshua Coleman, author of Rules of Estrangement, joins Dr. Kerry to unpack why estrangement is on the rise and what actually helps parents reopen the door.

Podcast Extra Exclusive Interview

Find the exclusive second segment and weekly newsletter here.

More About the Podcast Extra Interview 

🔹 When the problem isn’t just your child: in-laws as gatekeepers, grandkids used as leverage, and disrespect that crosses the line. In this members-only bonus, Dr. Joshua Coleman offers practical solutions, like boundary scripts, de-escalation moves, and how to say “no” to money requests. 

👉 Get immediate access to this extended interview: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse 

MORE ABOUT DR. JOSH COLEMAN 

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• Book: Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties and How to Heal the Conflict

DR. JOSHUA COLEMAN is a psychologist in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and a Senior Fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families, a non-partisan organization of leading sociologists, historians, psychologists and demographers dedicated to providing the press and public with the latest research and best practice findings about American families. 

He is a frequent contributor to the Washington Post "Ask a Therapist" column and has also written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Scientific American, NBC THINK, The Behavioral Scientist, CNN, MarketWatch, the San Francisco Chronicle, Greater Good Magazine, AEON, Huffington Post, Psychology Today, Variety, and more. He has given talks to the faculties at Harvard, the Weill Cornell Department of Psychiatry, UC Irvine, and other academic institutions. 

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. 

In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma

Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Support the show

Disclaimer: This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

“Can narcissists or psychopaths ever live moral lives?”

This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener who asks: “Do you think there are some narcissists or psychopaths who genuinely try to live moral lives—perhaps guided by religion or conscience—or are they all just pretending?”

Her question was prompted by years of watching her ex, a man she believes to be a malignant narcissist, play the part of a “righteous” and religious man in public while being manipulative and cruel in private.

In this episode, Dr. Kerry explores the complex intersection between moral development, conscience, and personality disorders.

Submit Your Question 

If you’d like your question addressed on air, send it here: 👉 https://kerrymcavoyphd.fillout.com/fan-mail 

Stay in Touch With Dr. Kerry!

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. 

In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Support the show

Disclaimer: This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.

Ever wonder why you keep attracting the same kind of person—the ones who feel magnetic at first but end up draining you emotionally?

This week, therapist and author Jessica Baum, creator of Anxiously Attached and SAFE: An Attachment-Informed Guide to Building Secure Relationships, joins Dr. Kerry to explore the hidden attachment wounds that pull us toward toxic partners. 

Podcast Extra Exclusive Interview

Find the exclusive second segment and weekly newsletter here.

More About the Podcast Extra Interview

🔹 What does healing really look like after a narcissistic or toxic relationship? In this members-only bonus, therapist and author Jessica Baum dives deep into the real work of recovery—how safety, connection, and self-compassion rebuild what trauma once broke.

👉 Get immediate access to this extended interview: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse

MORE ABOUT JESSICA BAUM 

• GIFT FOR LISTENERS
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• Book - SAFE: An Attachment-Informed Guide to Building More Secure Relationships
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JESSICA BAUM, is a licensed psychotherapist whose journey began with a lifelong curiosity about the “Whys” of life—why we feel, connect, and experience the world the way we do. This passion led her to specialize in trauma, attachment theory, and interpersonal neurobiology. Jessica is the founder of the Relationship Institute of Palm Beach, a private group practice, and she leads a global coaching company offering support to clients worldwide. 

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. 

In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Submit your question to be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Support the show

Disclaimer: This podcast/video is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or your local emergency number.