Send us a Text Message. In this week's episode, Kerry and Tara discuss co-parenting challenges when you have a toxic ex. How do you stay regulated when kids are involved, and what do you do when the kids are being used as pawns? Today's self-help tip is learning to talk to yourself as if you were a friend. Links: OnwardOurFamilyWizardWeParentCustodyConnectionParentship2HousesBreaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse season 1 episode 66: Listen here.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. Start your healing after narcissistic abuse by joining Lisa Sonni and me for the Healing Strong Group Coaching, beginning August 22.  Discover insights on gaslighting in relationships with Dr. Robin Stern on The Gaslight Effect podcast. Tune in for expert interviews and advice. Support the Show.

What's best for the kids, leaving or staying in a toxic relationship?

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; you're in the right place.

 Join&nbsp; Dr. Kerry McAvoy, a mental health clinician and author of Love You More, as she tackles 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 complex 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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Mental Health

Send us a Text Message. The mind of a narcissist is wildly self-absorbed and oblivious to those around them. They are excessively focused on me, me, me. 

Dr. Les Carter joins me to discuss what victims get wrong about the mind of a narcissist. He shares how our assumptions and misunderstandings create false hope, causing us to stay too long and to give too many chances. 

To learn more about Dr. Carter: Visit Website & his Surviving Narcissism YouTube channel.

Dr. Carter's book: When Pleasing You Is Killing Me

In an exclusive interview on the Podcast Extra, Dr. Carter shares what he believes creates the shame-based narcissistic self. Become a subscriber to hear his opinions for only $5/month on either Substack or Ko-fi! Same great content in 2 different places: substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse or https://ko-fi.com/kerrymcavoyphd Start your healing after narcissistic abuse by joining Lisa Sonni and me for the Healing Strong Group Coaching, beginning August 22.  Support the Show.

Only Me & Never You: Inside the Bizarre Mind of a Narcissist - Interview with Dr. Les Carter

Send us a Text Message. Could you be trauma-bonded to a narcissist? Are you battling a strange mix of love and fear? 

Lisa Sonni joins me this week to discuss trauma bonds--an intense connection to another person that is very difficult to break. We think we feel love when it's based on fear. 

Learn more about how to recognize if you're trauma-bonded and why it's so difficult to leave. 

Become a subscriber and get the Podcast Extra exclusive conversation about WHY identifying and breaking a trauma bond is so difficult. substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse or https://ko-fi.com/kerrymcavoyphd- Two places, the same cost, and the same great content!


Books Mentioned: 
The Betrayal Bond by Patrick Carnes, PhD
The Passionate Marriage by David Schnarch, PhD
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay Gibson, PhD
Recovering From Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay Gibson, PhD (Appendix contains the 10 Emotional Bill of Rights)

Resources Mentioned: 
Strong & Unstoppable Retreat for Women Oct 3-6
Healing Strong 12-Week Group Coaching with Lisa and Kerry
Dr. McAvoy's Toxic-Free Relationship Club
1:1 Coaching with Lisa Sonni

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, commission is earned from qualifying purchases at no cost to you as the customer. Start your healing after narcissistic abuse by joining Lisa Sonni and me for the Healing Strong Group Coaching, beginning August 22.  Discover insights on gaslighting in relationships with Dr. Robin Stern on The Gaslight Effect podcast. Tune in for expert interviews and advice. Support the Show.

I desperately love and fear them: The Terrifying Power of a Trauma Bond

Send us a Text Message. Have you asked yourself, "Why can't I leave?" You know you should. You've even started hiding the ugly truth of what's really going on behind closed doors. 

In this episode, Lisa Sonni joins me to discuss late-stage cognitive dissonance. Learn the underlying cause of the agonizing confusion that paralyzes the victim from acting in their own best interest. Find out what it took for us to break free from its terrible grip.

To learn more about cognitive dissonance, become a Podcast Extra Subscriber. This week, Lisa and I deconstruct the causes of intense paralysis and share practical steps for seeing through the narcissist's deceptive mask. 

Sign up here: substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse or https://ko-fi.com/kerrymcavoyphd. Two great places featuring the same helpful content.

Want to know my story? Read Love You More: The Harrowing Tale of Lies, Sex Addiction, & Double Cross-- available here: https://amzn.to/3NVMBXO

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. Start your healing after narcissistic abuse by joining Lisa Sonni and me for the Healing Strong Group Coaching, beginning August 22.  Discover insights on gaslighting in relationships with Dr. Robin Stern on The Gaslight Effect podcast. Tune in for expert interviews and advice. Support the Show.

Why Can't I Leave? The Crazy Confusion from Late-Stage Cognitive Dissonance

Send us a Text Message. Have you left a relationship feeling duped? Not just betrayed, but conned? You’ve likely met a covert narcissist.

In this episode, Elena Sagredos, author of But They’re So Nice, joins me to talk about the deceptiveness of covert abuse. We often miss the signs we’ve met a covert narcissism behind their guise of niceness, only later to discover their extreme duplicity. 

To learn more about Eleni, you can follow her here:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nonarcsense
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/no_narcsense

To purchase her book:
But They’re So Nice

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.

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. Start your healing after narcissistic abuse by joining Lisa Sonni and me for the Healing Strong Group Coaching, beginning August 22.  Discover insights on gaslighting in relationships with Dr. Robin Stern on The Gaslight Effect podcast. Tune in for expert interviews and advice. Support the Show.

Feeling duped and conned? Why We Miss the Signs of a Covert Narcissist: An Interview with Eleni Sagredos

Send us a Text Message. Relationships with narcissists can be confounding, confusing, and incredibly frustrating. 

Join Dr. Kerry for this holiday episode when she revisits the highlights of her three favorite interviews. Hear Dr. Les Carter’s explanation of why narcissists are so tricky, Lisa Sonni’s three steps to breaking a trauma bond, and Dr. Robin Stern’s disturbing description of gaslighting’s power. 

To listen to these full episodes: 

Dr. Les Carter: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.com/podcast/s2-ep25-why-do-narcissists-have-to-make-life-miserable-dr-les-carter-explains-narcissism/

Lisa Sonni: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.com/podcast/s2-ep27-why-am-i-so-confused-the-making-breaking-of-a-trauma-bond-with-lisa-sonni/

Dr. Robin Stern: https://www.breakingfreenarcissisticabuse.com/podcast/54-whats-wrong-with-me-the-power-of-gaslighting-to-confuse-and-control-interview-with-dr-robin-stern

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. Start your healing after narcissistic abuse by joining Lisa Sonni and me for the Healing Strong Group Coaching, beginning August 22.  Discover insights on gaslighting in relationships with Dr. Robin Stern on The Gaslight Effect podcast. Tune in for expert interviews and advice. Support the Show.

What's best for the kids, leaving or staying in a toxic relationship?

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