No Visible Bruises

We hear the word ‘narcissist’ thrown around so much these days, so much so that it feels like everyone is branded with the word. In this episode, I’m going to discuss how the word is used and the differences between the word being used casually and the actual diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

What you will learn in this episode:

• What the word ‘narcissist’ actually represents.

• Is the word ‘narcissist’ overused?

• How a person becomes a narcissist and why we can’t rely on a medical diagnosis. 

You shouldn’t feel shame in using the word ‘narcissist,’ after all, it isn’t a swear word… I also want to emphasise the point of how the medical diagnosis of narcissism is failing so many of us who suffer from narcissistic abuse. So, in this episode, I’ll show you how the casual use of the term is dangerous, but also how we can spot a narcissist, even without the person being medically diagnosed. 

Podcast Resources:

• Access my FREE 5 Video Mini-Series To Heal & Thrive After Narcissistic Abuse https://carolinestrawson.com/mini-series-ig
• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low-cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

There are two words that should never be used at the same time, narcissism and parenting. Unfortunately, having children with a narcissist is a situation that so many people find themselves in, and it’s one of the biggest issues people come to me with. So, in this episode, I will discuss how you can raise your children successfully, even when their other parent is a narcissist. 

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why healing yourself is the biggest gift you can give to your children.

• Strategies you can use to manage your emotions.

• The common behaviours a narcissistic parent exhibits around their children.

The best thing that you can do for your children is to make sure you heal yourself. By prioritizing your healing, you pave the way for a healthier next generation. Children's nervous systems and behaviours are influenced by their surroundings, making it essential to model good behaviour by regulating our own emotions. This approach becomes even more crucial in mitigating the effects of a narcissistic parent's influence. I hope this episode can help you heal yourself, to ensure your children grow up loved and happy. 

Podcast Resources:

• Access my FREE 5 Video Mini-Series To Heal & Thrive After Narcissistic Abuse https://carolinestrawson.com/mini-series-ig

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse

• Access my low-cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse

• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/

• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 

• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

When the narcissist knows you know and they’re exposed for who they truly are, it all unravels for them, but how does their behaviour change? One thing is guaranteed, they won’t admit to being in the wrong and they won’t change their behaviour for the better. All too often, they will try to shift the blame onto you and will do everything in their power to make you look like the bad person. So, in this episode, I will tell you how to deal with a narcissist when the truth starts coming out about the person they really are. 

What you will learn in this episode:

• The common actions a narcissist takes to counter-act the negative perception about them.

• What you can do to ensure you’re believed and that you’re not the bad person in the relationship. 

• How to address questions and claims you may get, such as “he doesn’t seem that bad” or “he’s so nice to me!”

To show you how a narcissists behaviour changes when their actions are exposed, I will share the story of what my ex-husband did when he knew that I knew he was cheating. I’ll tell you how he tried to make the break-up look like he was doing the nice thing for me and how the abuse escalated post-seperation. 

Podcast Resources:

• Access my FREE 5 Video Mini-Series To Heal & Thrive After Narcissistic Abuse https://carolinestrawson.com/mini-series-ig

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse

• Access my low-cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse

• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/

• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 

• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Have you ever reacted to a situation in such a negative way that you end up questioning if you’re the problem? This is what we call Reactive Abuse. I had never heard of the term when I came out of the relationship with my narcissistic husband. Still, when I learnt what it meant, I was so grateful, as it meant that my reactions were a result of all of the abuse I had endured and not a reflection of my personality.

What you will learn in this episode:

• What reactive abuse is and how a narcissist uses it against you.

• How a narcissist will manipulate you to make it look like you’re the problem.

• Why abuse often escalates after separating from the narcissist. 

Reactive abuse is the equivalent of poking a bear with a stick and waiting for them to react aggressively and then trying to blame the bear for their reaction. Now, a bear probably won’t reflect on their reaction, asking themselves “Am I the bad one in this situation?” But, most humans will ask that question. As you can see from this situation, the bear wasn’t at fault, and neither were you. I hope this episode can guide you to see that you’re not the problem in your situation, and any reaction is usually because you have no other choice. 

Podcast Resources:

• Access my FREE 5 Video Mini-Series To Heal & Thrive After Narcissistic Abuse https://carolinestrawson.com/mini-series-ig
• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Many people feel that a diagnosis of anxiety, depression, or ADHD is a permanent label. However, it doesn't have to be like that. These conditions often stem from past experiences. To heal, it's important to understand and address the root causes of our feelings. In this episode, I’ll discuss how we can look inside and heal from our past, instead of putting a band-aid on our feelings like so many medical diagnoses will do. 

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why modern diagnoses and treatments don’t cure our problems

• How Somatic Healing can address the root cause of our behaviours

• What causes our body to feel trauma post narcissistic abuse

When I work with behaviours at the level of the nervous system and tackle the root cause, people often see their behaviours change. This means they might not need medication anymore because we've dealt with the reasons behind their body's reactions, rather than just covering up their emotions. From narcissistic abuse to generational trauma, there are so many things that could be causing you to feel the way that you do, but we’ll never fully heal until we truly understand the reason for how we feel, my aim for this episode is to help you address your feelings from a nervous system level. 

Podcast Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Narcissistic abuse causes us to act in so many different ways as a response to the trauma, this is our body creating a protector part of ourselves to try and make us feel safe. One of these protector parts can show up as over-explaining! Do you find it hard to simply say “no” to a request, without going into an essay into why you can’t do something? This is over-explaining, and I was the QUEEN of over-explaining. 

What you will learn in this episode:

• How our body creates safeguards that hurt us in the long term

• Why over-explaining can often make the situation worse

• What you can do to feel comfortable in your response to people

I found that the more I tried to explain, the worse I’d make the situation. It’s so common to dig ourselves into a hole the more that we try to explain away our behaviours, and unfortunately, it’s not our fault, it’s our body trying to safeguard ourselves from disappointing our friends and family. In this episode, I’m going to explain why we over-explain and how we can address the root cause of this issue so that we can finally be a reflection of our true selves and not worry about what other people think of us anymore. 

Podcast Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse

• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse

• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/

• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 

• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

One of the hardest things for me after leaving my narcissistic husband was getting back into the dating scene. Not only do we feel a lack of self-worth after narcissistic abuse, but we are often so afraid to end up in a relationship with another narcissist. So, in this episode, I’m going to share with you 10 ways to spot a narcissist on a first date.

What you will learn in this episode:

• The common behaviours of a narcissist.

• How to safely get back into the dating scene.

• What your body is telling you and learning to trust your gut.

From being impatient and entitled, to love bombing, there are many behaviours that a narcissist will display that can help you see a red flag. Whilst a lot of the behaviours I’ll share are common on a first date, when they start to add up, that’s when you may be dealing with a narcissist. I don’t want to scare you into not dating, I just want you to be prepared when you do start.

Podcast Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse

• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse

• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/

• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson

• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Navigating the challenges of co-parenting with a narcissist can be emotionally taxing. To address this, it's crucial to develop strategies for managing our own emotions in these situations, especially when they're the other parent of our children. In this episode, I’ll explore how to understand the root causes of our emotional responses and share techniques to handle them.

What you will learn in this episode:

• The impact our nervous system has on our healing.

• How to manage our emotions and self-regulate.

• Why our emotions can get the better of us and what our body is trying to tell us.

Managing our emotions is particularly important as our emotional well-being not only affects us but also our children and those around us. I’ll share a structured approach to co-parenting with a narcissist. Including strategies for transitions, such as when our children go to or come back from the other parent, and how to maintain our parenting roles effectively in this complex dynamic. 

Podcast Resources:

• Managing Emotions Masterclass: carolinestrawson.com/managing-emotions-masterclass

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse

• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse

• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/

• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 

• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

One of the most asked questions I receive is how do you parent your children with a Narcissistic partner? Parenting alongside a narcissist is challenging, but my aim for this episode is to equip you with the knowledge to create a positive environment for your children. I’ll explore strategies to navigate and overcome the obstacles a narcissistic partner or ex-partner might present, helping you ensure the best upbringing for your kids.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How to minimise the impact of the narcissist on your children.

• Methods to raise your children in the manner you want and reduce the influence of the narcissistic parent.

• What technology and apps you can use to make your parenting life easy.

Unfortunately, narcissists will try using your own children against you to make you look like a bad parent. To reduce the narcissist's impact, I will share with you ideas such as Parallel Parenting and Extreme Modified Communication so that you can prioritize your mental health and your children's well-being. The hardest thing for me after splitting up with my narcissistic husband was trying to parent effectively, so I want to share with you what I learned to make your life as simple as possible. 

Podcast Resources:

• Register for my FREE Virtual Rage Release Retreat: https://carolinestrawson.com/rage-retreat

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse

• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse

• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/

• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 

• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Suppressing emotions is a one-way path to stress and deeper suffering. In today's episode, I'll explore effective strategies for expressing rage and other intense emotions. This way, we can prevent these feelings from simmering within us, leading to a healthier emotional state.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How to healthily express our emotions.

• Why internalising emotions can lead to illness and disease.

• Methods to not be so critical of ourselves and how to find self-worth.

After splitting up with my husband, I felt like I had no self-worth and I let so many of my negative emotions boil up inside of me. However, I eventually learned how to express these emotions in a healthy way, which allowed me to begin healing from the narcissistic abuse. My aim for this episode is for you to recognise what is happening inside of your body and how to externalise your emotions.

Podcast Resources:

• Register for my FREE Virtual Rage Release Retreat: https://carolinestrawson.com/rage-retreat

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse

• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse

• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/

• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 

• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/