Outsmarting the Narcissist in Family Court
Navigating family court is a next-level nightmare for most survivors of narcissistic abuse. Narcissists thrive in chaotic situations where they can manipulate, twist the truth, and expertly present themselves as victims. They’ve created a power imbalance while you were busy trying to love them and care for your family. Narcissists are masters of manipulation and domination, honing their skills over years while you’re left dazed, confused, and desperately trying to figure out what’s real. It can feel hopeless and overwhelming, at first. But with the right strategies, you can protect yourself and your children from further harm and regain control of your life.
I’ve been there. It felt like going head-to-head with a shape-shifting predator for five long years. I know how terrifying it is to stand up in court against someone who’s trying to destroy you, but I’m here to tell you that it’s possible. By employing these techniques, you can improve your chances of a win. Below are key strategies to help you navigate the family court system when you're dealing with a narcissist.
Surviving a Narcissistic Business Partner
What more could you ask for in a business partner than confident, smart, successful, and equally motivated to see the business flourish? Maybe it’s a perfect match for your skill set. You focus on your craft while your business partner handles the day-to-day operations. Or maybe you’ve found a charming salesperson with incredible business acumen to promote your services. After all, Brownell et al. (2021) discovered in their meta-analysis that individuals exhibiting sub-clinical narcissism tend to outperform their peers in entrepreneurial pursuits.
Protecting Your Social Support Before the Narcissist Destroys It
Walking through the minefield of narcissistic abuse, domestic violence, and coercive control is akin to entering Harry Potter’s Forbidden Forest. It demands awareness, bravery, resilience, discipline, and strategy. One of the many insidious tactics employed by abusers is the purposeful sowing of chaos among friends and family. In this blog, I want to teach you the skill of recognizing and countering this manipulation, ensuring your social support system remains as intact as possible. We’ll look at practical strategies, rooted in both psychological insights and real-life experiences, to safeguard your mental well-being and break free from the narcissist's abusive grip.
The Dangerous Cocktail of Narcissistic Abuse and Alcohol
Today, we're delving into the tangled web of manipulation, shedding light on the dark corners where narcissistic abusers collide with alcohol abuse. Now, hold up. This blog is not just about the abuse of alcohol by the perpetrator. It's also about how they will purposely encourage YOUR use of alcohol. Think about it. You are far easier to control while you’re under the influence, and this, of course, is what they want.
The Other Narcissists in Your Life
Narcissistic abuse, often associated with abusive romantic partners, is a presence that transcends our personal relationships. While many of us are familiar with narcissistic abuse within romantic contexts, what often remains hidden is the existence of narcissistic individuals in other areas of our lives. This blog explores the world of "The Other Narcissists in Your Life," shedding light on the stealthy abusers who may be lurking within your family, friendships, workplaces, and social circles.
Unmasking the Narcissist: How to Protect Your Social Support Amidst Orchestrated Chaos
Navigating the intricate maze of narcissistic abuse, domestic violence, and coercive control demands awareness, resilience, discipline, and a strategic mindset. One of the most insidious tactics employed by abusers is the deliberate sowing of chaos and discord among your friends and family. In this blog post, we will delve into the skill of recognizing and countering this manipulation, ensuring your social support system remains intact. Let's explore practical strategies, rooted in both psychological insights and real-life experiences, to safeguard your mental well-being and break free from the narcissist's grip.
An Open Letter to our Beacons of Support: Navigating the Journey of Support for Survivors of Narcissistic Abuse*
Dear Family Member/Friend,
My sincerest thank you for being here to support me. I may not show it, but my world is upside down. I am crumbling on the inside. I may not be able to adequately articulate all of my feelings now, but I feel scared, confused, outraged, and overwhelmingly isolated. If the hurt the narcissist inflicted on me appeared on my body as bruises or broken limbs, you would see my body bearing the vivid scars of a harrowing battle, but my injuries are invisible, therefore dismissible to the average person because my abuser has worked diligently to make you believe they are a good person.
Chilling and Calculating Tactics of Financial Abuse
In a seemingly normal and loving relationship, it can be difficult to recognize the subtle ways a narcissist exerts coercive control since it is planned and executed underhandedly. It is initially effective because the perpetrator hooks you in with love-bombing, followed by the devaluation stage. This leaves the victim/survivor craving the “good old" love bombing days like a drug.
A Journey of Triumph: From Suck to Reconstruct
In the face of adversity, I discovered an inner strength that I never knew existed. This is the story of part of my journey as an abused woman, navigating the treacherous path paved by the narcissistic ex-husband. From being left penniless, homeless, friendless, without a car, and unemployed to emerging victorious in the custody battle, I hope my story inspires others facing similar challenges to find resilience and hope.
Subtle Ways the Narcissist Erodes Your Self-Esteem Part two: Gaslighting and Blame Shifting.
The narcissist wouldn’t be performing their job competently without the addition of blame shifting and gaslighting. These two indispensable tactics keep you so distracted doubting your own instincts, fact checking, and questioning your version of reality that you become blinded to the genuine intent of the narcissist…keeping you under their control.
Subtle Ways the Narcissist Erodes Your Self-Esteem Part One: Love-Bombing & Devaluation
The narcissist is usually, charming, witty, attentive, extremely complimentary and overly loving. That is how they likely attracted you. They have an ability to sense just how to stroke your ego in order to set the hook. This is called love-bombing.
So You Managed to Get the Narcissist into Therapy? Here’s What You Can Expect Next.
So you’ve found a therapist for your partner with narcissistic personality disorder or maybe you’ve scheduled your first visit for couple’s counseling. Under any other circumstance, I would applaud your efforts.
A Practical Guide to Leaving the Narcissist
Leaving a relationship is undoubtedly one of the more difficult challenges in life. You are often swimming in a cloud of self-doubt, hurt, and uncertainty. Leaving a relationship with a narcissist is next-level difficult. You are likely dealing with the effects of trauma that can, minimally, screw with your thinking.
Supporting your Kids Through Narcissistic Abuse
As we parents try to process the trauma from narcissistic abuse, we use the tools we have in our toolbox and we eagerly look to adopt more. We seek a support system, we read books on abuse, we talk to mental health experts, and we attempt to practice self-care. However, our kids typically haven’t had the time or experience to build a toolbox of their own. They may not even be able to understand or verbalize their experience. While they may be old enough to be aware that what is happening to them is “bad”, they may not necessarily understand why. Almost certainly they are not aware of narcissists or narcissistic abuse. This may even be true with your adolescent child. Think about it. How could they? The abusive parent is one of only two parents they’ve ever seen in action.
Some Outrageous, Shameless Lies and Stories From Narcissists That Will Make Your Head pin.
This is a little glimpse into the mind of the narcissist and the bazaar, unbelievable things that they do. These are actual accounts from individuals' court records, emails, and texts (consent to share these accounts has been obtained and any identifying information has been omitted) . You cannot make this stuff up if you tried!
The Fine Art of Holding your Tongue When Dealing with a Narcissist in Court
Just STFU. I say this with all good intentions, kindness, and love. I lived through a five-year custody battle with a royal narcissist, so I feel your pain. I know first hand how maddening dealing with a narcissist can be, especially post separation and the post-separation abuse that usually ensues. I empathize with all of you out there battling for the health, safety, and welfare of your children and yourself. In an effort to maximize your success, please heed this warning, no matter how much you ache to verbally stand your ground. This is one instance where it simply does not work and worse, it might backfire against you.
A Beginners Guide to Spotting Red Flags
Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder will often become combative, defensive, argumentative, and even sadistic when confronted. They will deflect, project, deny, lie, bamboozle, blame shift, and change the narrative to the point that you may start to believe their story (a.k.a. gaslighting)