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
265 episodes
Dreading Their Next Message? How to Stop the Toxicity With a Narcissistic Co-Parent
Are you bracing for impact when your phone buzzes?Does every conversation turn into a nasty fight?This week, Sol Kennedy joins Dr. Kerry to reveal why co-parenting is never get better when dealing with a narcissistic or an emotion...
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5 Years of Stalking Hell After an Interaction With a Neighbor
What happens when a simple, healthy boundary triggers five years of stalking, dismantling your life? A viewer declined an odd social interaction with a neighbor that then sparked a stalking campaign that has followed her and her 15-...
Confessions of a Womanizer: "How I Became a Narcissist's Perfect Victim"
What happens when the man who spent years love bombing and manipulating women becomes the victim of the very same tactics?This week, Wade Belair joins Dr. Kerry for a raw, unflinching conversation about the shocking overlap between clos...
The Dark Truth About Growing Up Without a Mother’s Love
A listener from Australia writes in: "l have been jealous of women who are loved unconditionally because being raised by a mother who cannot or does not love you, fully and completely without condition, entangles every aspect of you until many ...
Why We Fail to See the Warning Signs When Women Become Dangerous (feat. Anna Motz)
Why are we more afraid of a violent woman than a violent man, even though men commit the vast majority of violent crimes? This week, forensic and clinical psychologist Anna Motz joins Dr. Kerry to pull back the curtain on one of soc...
When You Finally Leave—Why a Narcissist Becomes a "Monster”
If you're experiencing betrayal trauma after discovering your spouse's secret life, how do you finally leave a long-term narcissistic partner without triggering their rage? A listener from the US writes in, "We've been in and out of...
Keep Finding Yourself in the Same Toxic Relationships? How to Break the Pattern
Have you ever looked back at your relationships and realized they all feel disturbingly familiar? That's not a coincidence — it's your relationship blueprint at work. This week, therapist, bestselling author of Why ...
Is Your Partner Hiding Money? How Narcissists Use Finances to Control You
Why does a partner hide money, and is it always a sign of financial abuse? A viewer from the US writes in, "He is very good at hiding money using apps and credit cards. How do I find out what he's hiding?" In this episod...
Why Covert Narcissists Always Make You Feel Guilty (Even When You've Done Nothing Wrong)
Covert narcissism (NPD) is the hardest form of narcissistic abuse to identify — and the most damaging. Have you ever walked away from a conversation feeling like you did something wrong — even though you can't quite explai...
Why Narcissists Always Make Their Victims Look Unhinged
Why does the person who calls out a narcissist end up looking like the unhinged one? A Facebook follower writes in, "Why does the person recognizing and confronting the narcissistic behavior often appear unhinged to everyone else?" ...
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The #1 Mistake People Make When Divorcing a Narcissist
Are you walking into your divorce expecting the court to finally see the truth about your narcissistic ex? This week, divorce attorney Hannah Bell Hembree joins Dr. Kerry to pull back the curtain on what really happens in the courtr...
How to Help a Friend Who Can't Walk Away from a Narcissistic Relationship
My best friend divorced her narcissistic ex two months ago — but she keeps talking to him, then ignoring him, then reaching out again. She says she wants to move on, but she can't seem to break the cycle. In this episode, Dr. Kerry ...
The Scary Reason Why Gaslighting Actually Works (And You’re a Part of the Problem)
Have you ever tried to walk away from a toxic person, only to find yourself right back in the middle of their reality?This week, Dr. Robin Stern (author of The Gaslight Effect) joins Dr. Kerry for a conversation that will change how you ...
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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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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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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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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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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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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...
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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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...
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...
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...
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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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...
