Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Confused by your relationship? Do you catch yourself second-guessing, walking on eggshells, or feeling emotionally drained? Whether you’re still in the chaos or trying to rebuild after leaving, this podcast is your lifeline.
Join retired psychologist Dr. Kerry McAvoy as she exposes the hidden dynamics of toxic relationships. You’ll learn how destructive personalities operate, the manipulative tactics they use, and the stages of abuse—plus the practical steps to heal and reclaim your life.
If you’re ready to break free, rebuild your self-worth, and find lasting emotional freedom, hit play and start your recovery journey today.
Episodes
226 episodes
How Do I Know If I'm in an Emotionally Abusive Relationship? Watch for These Signs
"How do I know if I'm in an emotionally abusive relationship?" asks a YouTube listener. In this episode, Dr. Kerry explains why even asking this question is an important sign of possible trouble. Dr Kerry will outline what emotional...
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Season 4
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Episode 154
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10:08
When Your Family Chooses the Narcissist Over You: What Survivors Must Know
Ever felt like you're the problem in your family—even when you're the one being hurt?This week, Ágatha Peters joins Dr. Kerry to explore how cultural expectations and family loyalty create the perfect conditions for narcissistic abuse to...
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Season 4
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Episode 153
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29:51
Why Does Surviving Narcissistic Abuse Turn You into Someone You Don't Recognize?
You dodged a bullet!" No—the bullet hit me. I just survived.This week's Fan Mail question comes from a YouTube listener who writes: "People tell me I dodged a bullet. But the bullet hit me—I just survived. I feel like it turn...
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Season 4
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Episode 152
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10:00
How are Narcissists Made: Is it Trauma or Genetic? Here's What Dr. Salerno Thinks
Is narcissism caused by genetics or trauma? Ever heard “narcissists act that way because of bad parenting" or “because they’ve experienced trauma?” This week, Dr. Peter Salerno returns to challenge everything you thought you knew ab...
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Season 4
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Episode 151
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48:51
Why Some Families Scapegoat Their Child And What to Do If It Happens to You
This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a Spotify listener: “Can you please do an episode on scapegoat children?”Why do some people get scapegoated, especially in families? Dr. Kerry explains the role of the scapegoat and ho...
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Season 4
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Episode 150
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8:59
How Dangerous People Target You (Without You Even Knowing it!)
Ever wonder why you didn't see the danger coming?This week, Dr. Leslie Dobson joins Dr. Kerry to unpack the psychological mechanisms that drive narcissistic and antisocial behavior—where they overlap, where they differ, and how they show...
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Season 4
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Episode 149
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32:06
Why Don't Narcissists Feel Regret? And 4 Other Questions You Need Answered, Featuring Dr. Les Carter
Dr. Les Carter has spent decades studying narcissists, and in this retrospective, he reveals what most people miss until it's too late.Narcissists seem so perfect at first—charming, attentive, interested in everything about you. But some...
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Season 4
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Episode 148
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22:09
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Does the Dark Triad Personality Type Really Exist & Is This Person Dangerous?
“Is the Dark Triad a real disorder—or just a dangerous type?”This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener in Germany who writes after a recent video:“You called ‘dark triad’ a personality disorder, but it isn’t in ...
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Season 4
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Episode 147
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7:59
When You Feel Less & Less Safe: How Coercive Control Steals Your Freedom & Choice
Ever feel like you’re slowly running out of air in a “nice” relationship?This week, Eleni Sagredos joins Dr. Kerry to unpack how coercive control hides behind charm and “preferences,” and why it’s so hard to spot until your autonomy has ...
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Season 4
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Episode 146
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31:26
How Do I Help My Adult Son Who's in an Abusive Marriage?
“My son’s in a toxic marriage—how do we help without making it worse?”This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener in Raleigh, North Carolina:“My adult son is in a toxic marriage with a likely narcissist. He’s miserable, sa...
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Season 4
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Episode 145
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8:41
How Abusive Relationships Shatter Your Identity & Cost You Your Voice
Ever feel like you can’t find “you” anymore? That you’re second-guessing everything, going numb, or swallowing your words just to keep the peace?This week, psychologist Dr. Shahrzad Jalali joins Dr. Kerry to unpack how long-term emotiona...
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Season 4
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Episode 144
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31:27
My Abusive Husband Claims He’s Trauma-Bonded to Me!
“My abuser claims he’s ‘trauma bonded’ to me…Can that be true?This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener on YouTube who wants to know how common it is for an abusive partner to be trauma bonded. Hers claims to be. She’s w...
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Season 4
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Episode 143
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6:42
Has Your Adult Child Gone No Contact? Here's How to Rebuild That Damaged Relationship
Has your adult child gone no contact? Cut off all communication with you? Are you struggling to figure out how to repair things with them?There’s an alarming trend of adult children walking away from family connections called parental es...
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Season 4
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Episode 142
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28:23
Can a Psychopath ‘Choose’ to Be a Good Person?
“Can narcissists or psychopaths ever live moral lives?”This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener who asks: “Do you think there are some narcissists or psychopaths who genuinely try to live moral lives—perhaps guided by religion...
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Season 4
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Episode 141
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7:11
Why You Keep Picking Narcissists and What to Do About It, Featuring Jessica Baum
Ever wonder why you keep attracting the same kind of person—the ones who feel magnetic at first but end up draining you emotionally?This week, therapist and author Jessica Baum, creator of Anxiously Attached and SAFE: An Att...
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Season 4
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Episode 140
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34:25
Why I Stopped Being the Perfect Wife and Daughter-in-Law
“How can someone seem loving for years—then suddenly turn cruel?”This week’s Fan Mail revisits a letter that struck a nerve with listeners. A woman wrote about her daughter-in-law, who had seemed like a wonderful addition to the family f...
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Season 4
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Episode 139
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10:50
Can You Spot the 5 Types of People Who Could Ruin Your Life? Here's Bill Eddy's List
Ever feel blindsided by someone who seemed charming, helpful, or even caring—only to realize later they were quietly dismantling your peace?This week, conflict expert Bill Eddy, author of The Five Types of People That Ruin Your Life<...
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Season 4
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Episode 138
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34:04
My Ex is Blaming Me For His Broken Relationships With Our Kids
“Why does my ex always blame me when the kids want nothing to do with him?”This week’s Fan Mail comes from a listener in Rochester, New York, who writes about the heartbreak of watching her children pull away from their abusive fa...
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Season 4
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Episode 137
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7:42
Why Narcissists Use Secrets to Avoid Intimacy
Ever feel like your relationship was the most intoxicating connection of your life—only to discover shocking lies and betrayal later?This week, intimacy expert Gary Katz reveals how narcissists protect themselves by keeping secrets, b...
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Season 4
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Episode 136
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41:16
My Husband Claims His Facebook Account Has Been Hacked!…
What do you do when the evidence points to betrayal, but your partner insists you’re crazy?This week’s Fan Mail comes from a listener in Atlanta, Georgia, who describes the heartbreak of suspecting her husband of nearly 50 years is livin...
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9:18
Why It’s So Hard to See Predators Coming: The Story Behind Netflix's Bad Vegan
Predators are often hiding in plain sight—and even the smartest, most capable people can miss the red flags. In this episode, Dr. Kerry McAvoy talks with Sarma Melngailis, the former restaurateur whose story was told in Netflix’s Bad Vegan<...
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Season 4
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Episode 134
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45:41
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What to Do When You Lose Custody in Court: Answering Your Fan Mail
This week’s Fan Mail brings us two powerful questions: • From Syracuse, New York: “The family referee took my custody and handed it over to the father who was absent for years. My children have been separated from their siblings...
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Season 4
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Episode 133
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8:06
Podcast Trailer: Welcome to Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse
Join Dr. Kerry McAvoy on Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse for real talk about toxic relationships and recovery. Mondays feature expert interviews, Thursdays bring our new Fan Mail Q&A. Get clarity, validation, and tools to hea...
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Season 4
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0:46
When Men Say They’ve Been Abused: A Conversation with Josh from The Derelict Podcast
Disclaimer: This interview features perspectives from a male divorce coach navigating toxic dynamics. While some views expressed differ from those of trauma-informed psychology, I found it valuable to explore these tensions in real tim...
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Season 4
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Episode 132
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41:11
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When Your Therapist is the Narcissist! + Answering Your Fan Mail
What happens when a narcissistic therapist uses their professional training against you?This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a listener in Seattle who writes: “I dated a narcissist who was also a licensed clinical social worker. Can ...
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Season 4
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Episode 131
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8:29
