Send us a Text Message. In this episode, Kerry and Tara address a common fallacy that all relationships are a lot of hard work. We will explore why many of us struggle to recognize signs of a toxic partnership. And the self-help tip is using our bodily sensations to identify safe connections and situations. 

Links: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay GibsonRecovery from Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay GibsonToxic People by Lillian GlasseBreaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse Season 1 Episode 20:  To avoid being lovebombed by a narcissist, how much is too much to share?Support Us:Become a supporter of the show here. Get in Touch:YouTube: @breakingfreefromnarcabuseInstagram: @breakingfreefromnarcabuseFacebook: @breakingfreefromnarcabuseE-mail: hello@breakingfreewithkerrytara.comNewsletter: https://breakingfreewithkerryandtara.substack.com/Website: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.com/

As an Amazon affiliate, commission is earned from qualifying purchases. Uncover the unconscious psychological blocks holding your recovery back and reclaim your confidence at the Strong & Unstoppable Retreat this October. I've saved you a spot!  Support the Show.

My relationship is toxic? I thought all relationships required a lot of work

Are you in a relationship that confuses you? One that leaves you feeling attacked or walking on eggshells? Maybe you've left but aren't sure what to do next; then you're in the right place.

 Join&nbsp; Dr. Kerry McAvoy, a mental health clinician and author of Love You More, as she tackle toxic relationship dynamics.

 Listen as Dr. McAvoy describes destructive personalities, typical partner profiles, progressive stages of abuse, and common manipulation tactics. Find out why these relationships are difficult to avoid, what makes them tough to leave, and how to recover and rediscover healthy self-compassion and self-respect again.

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Send us a Text Message. Do you find yourself exasperated or angry at your partner, but you aren’t sure why? Do they put you into no-win binds?

Covert narcissists love to play subtle, often hidden mind games. They are masterful at twisting the truth, hiding exploitative agendas, and playing the victim, enraging their partners and families while keeping them in the dark. 

In this episode, Lisa Sonni joins to discuss the common mind games covert narcissists use. This week's self-help tip is how to use your emotional reaction and personal history to identify toxicity. 

Join Lisa and me and learn the top strategy to defeating a covert narcissist on this week's Podcast Extra--exclusive content for only $5/month. When you become a subscriber, you'll get weekly member-only video content, psychological insights, and helpful tips on the topics that matter. 

Join either on Substack: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse or Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/kerrymcavoyphd. Same great content in 2 different places! Follow Dr. McAvoy!YouTube: @kerrymcavoyphdInstagram: @kerrymcavoyphdFacebook: @kerrymcavoyphdE-mail: hello@kerrymcavoyphd.comNewsletter: https://breakingfreenarcabuse.substack.com/ or https://ko-fi.com/kerrymcavoyphdWebsite: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.comKerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., a mental health specialist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships, deconstructing narcissism, and understanding various other mental health-related issues. Her memoir, Love You More: The Harrowing Tale of Lies, Sex Addiction, & Double Cross, gives an uncensored glimpse into the dynamics of narcissistic abuse. As an Amazon affiliate, a commission is earned from qualifying purchases. Uncover the unconscious psychological blocks holding your recovery back and reclaim your confidence at the Strong & Unstoppable Retreat this October. I've saved you a spot!  Support the Show.

"How mad can I make you?" The Toxic Games Covert Narcissists Play

Send us a Text Message. Have you noticed managing boundaries with narcissists always fails? That they find some tricky way to evade limit setting? 

Suddenly, you’re being accused of being too controlling or sensitive, or they can’t understand what you're asking. 

In this podcast, Lisa Sonni joins me to discuss the problems of managing boundaries with narcissists. We'll explore this issue from a narcissist's perspective: why they find boundaries threatening. The self-help tip is the importance of evaluating both partners' investment in the relationship as a measure of a healthy relationship. 

Now, you don't need to wait a week for your next podcast fix. For only $5/month, sign up for weekly podcast extras! Join me on Ko-fi! Follow Dr. McAvoy!YouTube: @kerrymcavoyphdInstagram: @kerrymcavoyphdFacebook: @kerrymcavoyphdE-mail: hello@kerrymcavoyphd.comNewsletter: https://breakingfreenarcabuse.substack.com/ or https://ko-fi.com/kerrymcavoyphdWebsite: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.comKerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., a mental health specialist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships, deconstructing narcissism, and understanding various other mental health-related issues. Her memoir, Love You More: The Harrowing Tale of Lies, Sex Addiction, & Double Cross, gives an uncensored glimpse into the dynamics of narcissistic abuse. As an Amazon affiliate, a commission is earned from qualifying purchases. Uncover the unconscious psychological blocks holding your recovery back and reclaim your confidence at the Strong & Unstoppable Retreat this October. I've saved you a spot!  Support the Show.

"You're trying to control me!" Why Managing Boundaries with Narcissists Fails

Send us a Text Message. (Trigger Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of abuse.)

This week, Jessica Kent, a wildly popular social media figure, joins me to share her story of escaping abuse. Jessica reveals how covert narcissistic abuse can go from subtle to violent, especially when victims leave the relationship. 

Jessica Kent is best known for prison reform advocacy. To learn more about her and her work:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JessicaKent
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesken12/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jesken12?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficiallyJessicaKent

Now, you don't need to wait a week for your next podcast fix. For only $5/month, sign up for weekly podcast extras! Join me on Ko-fi! Follow Dr. McAvoy!YouTube: @kerrymcavoyphdInstagram: @kerrymcavoyphdFacebook: @kerrymcavoyphdE-mail: hello@kerrymcavoyphd.comNewsletter: https://breakingfreenarcabuse.substack.com/ or https://ko-fi.com/kerrymcavoyphdWebsite: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.comKerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., a mental health specialist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships, deconstructing narcissism, and understanding various other mental health-related issues. Her memoir, Love You More: The Harrowing Tale of Lies, Sex Addiction, & Double Cross, gives an uncensored glimpse into the dynamics of narcissistic abuse. As an Amazon affiliate, a commission is earned from qualifying purchases. 

 Uncover the unconscious psychological blocks holding your recovery back and reclaim your confidence at the Strong & Unstoppable Retreat this October. I've saved you a spot!  Support the Show.

"You’re not taking my babies from me!" How Jessica Kent Escaped Abuse

Send us a Text Message. Sometimes, the truth can be right in front of you, but you still can't see it. Rossana Faye joins me this week to discuss a concept Dr. Jennifer Freyd, in her book Blind to Betrayal, calls “betrayal blindness.” Some truths can be so devastating that they are difficult to face. 

And, the self-help tip is the importance of listening to what feels off, uncomfortable, or wrong to recognize signs you may be missing critical details in your relationship or family.

Blind to Betrayal: Why We Fool Ourselves When We Aren’t Being Fooled by Jennifer Freyd, Ph.D.: https://amzn.to/3TRNPpO

Now, you don't need to wait a week for your next podcast fix. For only $5/month, sign up for weekly podcast extras! Join me on Ko-fi! Follow Dr. McAvoy!YouTube: @kerrymcavoyphdInstagram: @kerrymcavoyphdFacebook: @kerrymcavoyphdE-mail: hello@kerrymcavoyphd.comNewsletter: https://breakingfreenarcabuse.substack.com/ or https://ko-fi.com/kerrymcavoyphdWebsite: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.com/Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., a mental health specialist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships, deconstructing narcissism, and understanding various other mental health-related issues. Her memoir, Love You More: The Harrowing Tale of Lies, Sex Addiction, & Double Cross, gives an uncensored glimpse into the dynamics of narcissistic abuse. As an Amazon affiliate, a commission is earned from qualifying purchases. 

 Uncover the unconscious psychological blocks holding your recovery back and reclaim your confidence at the Strong & Unstoppable Retreat this October. I've saved you a spot!  Support the Show.

How Could I Have Not Known? How Devastating Betrayals Blind Us

Send us a Text Message. Is it ever okay to go through your partner's phone? I've been guilty of snooping and might consider doing it again.

Narcissists and toxic personalities are masters at creating ambiguity. My ex used to readily offer me his credit card after we first started dating. He'd send photos of broken machinery and take me on company runs, all as a way to build trust so that I couldn't tell real company crises from manufactured ones. 

I later learned he'd created this elaborate ruse to hide a double life.

Yet going through our loved one's phone can become a hard habit to break. Sometimes, we struggle to exit toxic relationships despite overwhelming evidence of betrayal. 

In this podcast, Lisa Sonni and Dr. Kerry share their personal stories and discuss important considerations when facing these tricky situations. 

Now, you don't need to wait a week for your next podcast fix. For only $5/month, sign up for weekly podcast extras! Join me on Ko-fi!

Follow the Dr. McAvoy!YouTube: @kerrymcavoyphdInstagram: @kerrymcavoyphdFacebook: @kerrymcavoyphdE-mail: hello@kerrymcavoyphd.comNewsletter: https://ko-fi.com/kerrymcavoyphdWebsite: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.com/

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D., a mental health specialist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships, deconstructing narcissism, and understanding various other mental health-related issues. Her memoir, Love You More: The Harrowing Tale of Lies, Sex Addiction, & Double Cross, gives an uncensored glimpse into the dynamics of narcissistic abuse. 

 Uncover the unconscious psychological blocks holding your recovery back and reclaim your confidence at the Strong & Unstoppable Retreat this October. I've saved you a spot!  Support the Show.

My relationship is toxic? I thought all relationships required a lot of work

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