What If Narcissism Is a Trauma Adaptation? with Dr. Mark Ettensohn
About this episode
Dr. Mark Ettensohn discusses the relationship between narcissism and trauma, challenging misconceptions about narcissistic personality disorder.
Dr. Mark Ettensohn explains why narcissistic personality disorder is often misunderstood online—and how complex trauma, shame, attachment wounds, and identity shape pathological narcissism. Narcissism has become a buzz word on social media. It has moved from a psychological understanding to a term that is used for blaming, scapegoating, and other emotionally charged narratives. This polarization has led to casting someone with narcissist traits as a villain who is intentionally cruel, manipulative, and beyond help. While those with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) can exhibit difficult or even harmful traits, social media has erased the distinction between mental illness and moral defect. One clinician cautions that this "narcisso-sphere" content contributes to the despair of an already vulnerable population and even suicidality among those who identify with the diagnosis. On this episode of Transforming Trauma , host Emilly Ruth welcomes Mark Ettensohn, Psy, D. Mark is the founder of Heal NPD, a clinical and educational platform focused on the understanding and treatment of narcissistic personality disorder. His work explores the developmental and relational roots of…
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