Understanding Empathy in Narcissistic Personality Disorder

About this episode

The episode explores the complexities of empathy in the context of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, challenging the notion that it is solely defined by a lack of empathy.

This video continues the Heal NPD Seminar Series, featuring Dr. Mark Ettensohn with his associates, Deanna Young, Psy.D., and Danté Spencer, M.A. In this session, the group discusses Empathy and Narcissistic Personality Disorder: From Clinical and Empirical Perspectives (2014), examining the long-standing assumption that narcissistic personality disorder is defined by a lack of empathy. Drawing on the article’s review of empirical findings and clinical case material, the conversation explores empathy as a multidimensional and context-dependent capacity rather than a fixed trait. Key themes include the distinction between emotional and cognitive empathy, the variability of empathic functioning across grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic states, and the ways shame, threat, and affective overload can disrupt empathic engagement in intimate relationships. The discussion highlights how empathy may appear intact or even robust in some contexts, while collapsing in situations that feel most emotionally consequential. This video continues the Heal NPD Seminar Series, featuring Dr. Mark Ettensohn with his associates, Deanna Young, Psy.D., and Danté Spencer, M.A. In this session, the…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Ettensohn

Guests: Deanna Young, Danté Spencer

Topics covered

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder
• Empathy
• Emotional and Cognitive Empathy
• Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism
• Intimate Relationships
• Clinical Perspectives

Keywords

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder
• Empathy
• Emotional Empathy
• Cognitive Empathy
• Clinical Case Material
• Shame
• Affective Overload

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Empathy and Narcissistic Personality Disorder: From Clinical and Empirical Perspectives

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