Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse

Narcissistic abuse doesn't just affect our mind, it also impacts the body. Learn why our body braces because of the danger that it senses.

Narcissists and other character-disturbed partners do odd things with their loved ones' names. Learn the four different patterns of this minimizing and objectifying psychological tactic.

Were you brainwashed to stay — and didn't even know it? A cult doesn't need a compound, robes, or a manifesto. All it needs is two people: one who sets the rules and one who lives by them. Dr. Kerry reads your most powerful wake-up moments — from the woman who recognized every cult trait laid down in the first three months of a nine-year relationship, to the viewer who grew up in a home where productivity meant safety, to the one who finally had a word for what she'd survived: br...

Why can you spot every red flag, name every tactic, and still find yourself in another toxic relationship? A commenter recently wrote that she had been raised by three narcissists, married to one, dated another for five years, recently lost a friendship to one, and a former partner just resurfaced. She wrapped up by saying “the law of averages can't explain it. So what can?” In this episode, Dr. Kerry unpacks why insight alone never sets survivors free. Submit Your Question ...

Have you heard of an Alpine Divorce? During a listener’s two-year marriage to a psychopath, her husband took her hiking and then left her clinging to a rock in gale-force winds while he filmed her terror and laughed. This is what’s commonly called an "Alpine Divorce." It is also an example of malignant sadism. In this episode, Dr. Kerry unpacks one of the most chilling tactics in a dangerous personality's playbook. Learn how some abusers engineer life-threatening situati...

A listener from Texas writes in: after escaping a narcissistic marriage, her adult daughter is now demanding that she admit that she was an abuser too. How does she reach her daughter now? In this episode, Dr Kerry unpacks one of the most painful and least-talked-about consequences of narcissistic abuse — what happens to your children when you stay. How do you hold two devastating truths at the same time: you were a victim, and your child was hurt by your inability to leave? Subm...

A YouTube viewer asks: What about someone's makeup drives them to snoop instead of simply addressing the red flags? In this episode, Dr. Kerry digs deeper into a question raised in the February 19, 2026, Fan Mail segment, Feeling the Urge to Snoop on Your Partner? Here's What It's Really Telling You. Learn why victims of narcissistic abuse feel compelled to hunt for proof and why it never brings the relief you're looking for. Submit Your Question If you'd like Dr. Kerry to answer your...

What happens when a simple, healthy boundary triggers five years of stalking, dismantling your life? A viewer declined an odd social interaction with a neighbor that then sparked a stalking campaign that has followed her and her 15-year-old daughter across state lines. Learn what’s called "street theater” and how these repeated tactics were ussd to make this victim sound crazy. In this episode, Dr. Kerry explains: • Why the public tends to dismiss extreme gang stalking stori...

A listener from Australia writes in: "l have been jealous of women who are loved unconditionally because being raised by a mother who cannot or does not love you, fully and completely without condition, entangles every aspect of you until many women are seething with anger, confusion, and hate." In this episode, Kerry McAvoy, PhD explores why the mother wound - the emotional neglect left by a mother who withheld unconditional love - runs so deep. Whether your mother was narcissistic, em...

If you're experiencing betrayal trauma after discovering your spouse's secret life, how do you finally leave a long-term narcissistic partner without triggering their rage? A listener from the US writes in, "We've been in and out of therapy for 7 years trying to save our marriage. Two months ago I found out he wasn't sober again. I left and I'm now living with my mother. How do I get out without him turning into a monster? I need strength. I need to be done." In this episode, Kerr...

Why does a partner hide money, and is it always a sign of financial abuse? A viewer from the US writes in, "He is very good at hiding money using apps and credit cards. How do I find out what he's hiding?" In this episode, Dr. Kerry breaks down the difference between financial secrecy and financial abuse and how to reclaim your power in an unsafe relationship. Submit Your Question If you'd like Dr. Kerry to answer your question on air, email it to clients@kerrymcavoyphd.com ...

Why does the person who calls out a narcissist end up looking like the unhinged one? A Facebook follower writes in, "Why does the person recognizing and confronting the narcissistic behavior often appear unhinged to everyone else?" In this episode, Dr. Kerry explains why narcissists always appear calm and credible while their victims come across as unstable. Submit Your Question If you'd like Dr. Kerry to answer your question on air, email it to clients@kerrymcavoyphd.com or...

My best friend divorced her narcissistic ex two months ago — but she keeps talking to him, then ignoring him, then reaching out again. She says she wants to move on, but she can't seem to break the cycle. In this episode, Dr. Kerry explains why leaving a narcissist doesn't automatically break the trauma bond — and what's really driving the painful push-pull your friend can't escape. Learn how to support someone you love through this without shaming, lecturing, or pushing them further aw...