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
252 episodes
Do Narcissists Enjoy Hurting You? Here's Dr. Kerry's Hard Truth
Why does someone who divorces a narcissist keep going back to them? A listener writes in, “My best friend divorced her narcissistic ex two months ago — but she keeps talking to him, then ignoring him, then reaching out again. She sa...
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Season 4
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Episode 255
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8:27
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How to Tell You've Met a Narcissist: Coach Dan Ratner's Best Sniff Test
Have you ever felt completely drained after spending time with certain people in your life? This week, Coach Dan Ratner joins Dr. Kerry to explore the hidden world of emotional vampires: the 12 types of energy-draining people we all...
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Season 4
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Episode 254
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33:37
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My Brother Is Stealing My Mother's Final Years & She Refuses to Stop Him
Take the Toxic or Troubled? Quiz and get specialized help for your specific situation. https://kerrymcavoyphd.fillout.com/toxic-troubled-surveyMy 62-year-old narcissistic brother moved in with my 86-year-old mother "temporarily"...
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Season 4
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Episode 253
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12:27
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Want to Spot Red Flags the First Time You Meet? How Abusers Reveal Themselves Through Their Words, Featuring Dr. Jennie Young
Ever ignored a gut feeling on a date because you wanted to "give him a chance"? This week, Dr. Jennie Young — PhD linguist and creator of the viral Burned Haystack Dating Method — reveals how the words men use in dating profiles an...
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Season 4
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Episode 252
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33:32
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What to Do When You Can't Leave: How to Protect Yourself from a Coercive Partner
My husband forces sex on me, erupts in rage, and his wealthy family would never believe me — and I don't think I can leave. In this episode, Dr. Kerry explains why you can't make an unsafe person safe through effort alone — and why ...
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Season 4
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Episode 251
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17:43
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Why Am I Not Getting Better? The Hidden CPTSD Symptoms That Can Stall Your Healing
You've done the work. Read the books. Tried the strategies. So why aren't you healing? This week, survivor and educator Ellen Tift reveals the hidden CPTSD symptoms quietly keeping you stuck—and why naming them might be the most pow...
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Season 4
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Episode 250
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31:15
Watch Out for These 7 Empathy Weaponization Tactics That Will Trap You
Have you heard, ‘If you truly understood me, you'd give me what I want?” This week's Fan Mail comes from a listener in Sweden who asks Dr. Kerry to explain how empathy gets weaponized. In this episode, Dr. Kerry breaks d...
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Season 4
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Episode 249
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12:10
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Why Did They Pick You? The Trait in ‘Good’ People Narcissists Love to Exploit
Why do narcissists target good, empathetic people in relationships?This week, forensic psychologist Dr. Peter Favaro reveals why being a good person might actually make you MORE vulnerable to narcissists—and how that one irrational belie...
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Season 4
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Episode 248
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31:14
Why Narcissists Follow You When You Move Away—And How to Create Distance That Actually Works
My narcissistic brother is relocating to town after I moved away to escape him—why is he doing this? In this episode, Dr. Kerry explains why narcissists will often close the gap when there’s physical distance. How do you gain psycho...
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Season 4
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Episode 247
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7:39
Struggling with Post-Separation Abuse? Get Real Help from a Surprising Direction
Are you struggling with post-separation abuse and drowning in documentation? This week, Anne Wintemute introduces AimeeSays—an AI tool that helps abuse survivors make sense of chaos, document their experience, and present thei...
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Season 4
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Episode 246
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35:05
Feeling the Urge to Snoop on Your Partner? Here's What It's Really Telling You
"I found proof he was cheating—but was snooping really what I needed to finally leave?” This week's Fan Mail comes from a listener in Dublin, CA, who, after reading Dr. Kerry's book "Love You More," recognized her own relationship m...
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Season 4
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Episode 245
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7:27
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How Narcissists Trap You: A New Movie Shows Gaslighting & Coercive Control
Ever wonder why narcissists feel impossible to leave—even when you know something's wrong? This week, filmmakers Ali & Stefanie Schmahl reveal how their docu-fiction hybrid "I Love You My Narcissist" portrays what no othe...
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Season 4
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Episode 244
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31:52
When Your Abuser Won't Leave and Won't Change: Here's Your Options
"My abusive partner refuses to leave or get help—and I'm trapped in a 'silent divorce.' What are my actual options?" This week's Fan Mail question comes from a YouTube listener navigating an impossible situation: a long marriage, ad...
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Season 4
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Episode 243
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9:04
Why You’re Struggling to Feel Empathy for Yourself — Tammy Triolo
Lost empathy for yourself? You've already lost the fight. This week, Tammy Triolo reveals the shocking connection between self-empathy loss and narcissistic abuse. PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE SEGMENT <...
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Season 4
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Episode 242
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35:46
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Gaslit by Your Doctor? Why Healthcare Attracts Narcissists and How to Protect Yourself
“My doctor keeps telling me it's all in my head—but I know something's wrong. Why won't they listen?" This week's Fan Mail question comes from a podcast listener who writes: "Dear Kerry, could you do a podcast on the topic of narcis...
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Season 4
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Episode 241
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10:04
You’ve Been Made to Think It’s Your Fault: The Truth About Predatory Behavior
Ever wonder why you didn't see it coming? This week, Don Hennessy joins Dr. Kerry to expose the hidden playbook male predators use to infiltrate your mind—without you knowing it happened. We unpack the shocking truth about what pred...
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Season 4
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Episode 240
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34:00
Does Narcissism Come and Go? Why Narcissists Seem Better & Then Suddenly Aren't
Does Narcissism Come and Go? What "Good Periods" With a Narcissist Really Mean This week's Fan Mail question comes from a listener in Dubai who writes: "Can narcissism in a person wax and wane? There's been years when my husb...
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Season 4
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Episode 233
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8:38
Coercive Control: How It Steals Your Freedom (Before You Even Realize It) — Dr. Christine Cocchiola
Slowly losing control in your relationship—but can't quite put your finger on what's happening?This week, Dr. Christine Cocchiola breaks down coercive control as the invisible foundation beneath all abuse. PODCAST EXTRA EX...
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Season 4
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Episode 232
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35:55
Narcissist vs. Narcissist: What Happens When These Two Toxic Personalities Match-Up
"My coworker is a narcissist—and so is our boss. What happens when two narcissists have to work together?" This week's Fan Mail question comes from a YouTube listener who writes: "Thank you for all your content! Very helpful. I am c...
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Season 4
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Episode 231
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9:46
Gone No Contact? Why Some Parents Have to Push Away Their Kids
Why do loving parents sometimes push away the very children they'd do anything for? This week, Catherine Hickem joins Dr. Kerry to unpack one of the most painful dynamics in modern families—parental estrangement. We explore how unsp...
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Season 4
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Episode 230
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31:15
Is It Really Estrangement… Or Is Your Toxic Ex Playing Parental Alienation Games?
A listener pushes back and asks, "How do we know the parent claiming alienation isn't actually the abuser manipulating the narrative?"When a child rejects contact with a parent after separation, is it parental alienation or justified es...
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Season 4
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Episode 229
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10:55
Devastated After Betrayal? Here's Why: The Hidden Abuse That No One Talks About
Ever wonder why betrayal feels so devastating—like more than just cheating? This week, Hope Ray joins Dr. Kerry to introduce the concept of betrayal violence: the intersection of infidelity and abuse that most people don't re...
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Season 4
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Episode 228
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32:31
Can Someone Be Both Covert AND Overt? Understanding Narcissistic Types & What Actually Matters
"My partner has traits of both covert and overt narcissism—is that possible?" This week's Fan Mail question comes from a podcast listener who writes: "Can a person be both a covert and an overt narcissist? I'm hearing the descriptio...
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Season 4
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Episode 227
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9:28
You Can Love Them and Still Be Exploited: Sexual Coercion with Cult Expert Pamela Takefman
Ever wondered how someone can exploit you sexually while you still love them?This week, Pamela Takefman joins Dr. Kerry to explain how sexual coercion works—and why it doesn’t always require kidnapping or obvious physical force to be rea...
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Season 4
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Episode 226
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30:28
Narcissistic In-Laws: Why They Deny the Truth (and What to Do)
Ever wonder why your in-laws rallied around your abusive partner instead of protecting you? This episode explores one of the most painful dynamics in narcissistic abuse: when families choose to protect the abuser and paint YOU as th...
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Season 4
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Episode 225
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28:17
