Episodes

It only took six weeks for Caroline's partner to begin his devaluation. As the years went on, the things Caroline's partner claimed to love about her, were the very things he started to use against her. From Caroline's appearance to her laugh to her jobs, Caroline's partner picked fights about everything and then blamed her for getting upset. However, this all came to a head just weeks before Caroline's wedding, when she uncovered a horrifying secret life. It's a story of gaslighting, perfectio...

Brandon talks with Andrea Dunlop ( Author & Podcast Host) about her podcast 'Nobody Should Believe Me' and her personal experience with Munchausen by Proxy. We discuss the different types of factitious disorder, the comorbidity of narcissism, validating survivors of abuse, kernels of truth, lies, blame, gaslighting, family dynamics, cognitive dissonance, mourning the living, and much more. ***TRIGGER WARNING - This episode discusses graphic descriptions of child abuse, including the death of a ...

Tessa grew up in a state of fear. She became a voiceless child that walked on eggshells to avoid her mother's abuse. To Tessa, this was normal. She didn't know what abuse was. To her, this is how families worked. It’s a story of generational trauma, fear, surviving, being good enough, gaslighting, silent treatment, neglect, racism, enemies, control, trust, physical abuse, demands, rage, parental alienation, and healing. **** TRIGGER WARNING - This episode discusses the graphic detail of child ...

Brandon talks with Emily (survivor story guest from January 11th, 2021) about stalking fears, trauma, children mimicking narcissistic traits, daydream nightmares, doing the work, and the parts of her story that were left on the cutting room floor. To listen to Emily's original episode, click here. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please click here or send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@gmail.com Thank you to our sponsor BETTERHELP. If you need online counseling fro...

Lucy lived in a religious bubble and met her future husband when she was 13. She learned that anything could be worked out with enough prayer, that people could change if you gave them enough time, and that her body was for her husband. It was a recipe for 22 years of emotional abuse until she finally had enough. It's a story of religious beliefs, neglect, fighting dirty, hoovering, and healing. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please click here or send us an email at n...

Brandon discusses the psychology of slot machines from a narcissistic abuse perspective. He breaks down how the psychology of slot machines uses love bombing, future faking, dangling carrots, cognitive dissonance, intermittent reinforcement, push-pull dyn

All Ronda ever wanted was to feel unconditional love. But unfortunately for Ronda, unconditional love was not being distributed in their dysfunctional household ruled by the abusive, Mr. Right. It’s a story of invalidation, intimidation, identity, self worth, lgbtq+, rage, moving goal posts, control, voicelessness, nitpicking, physical abuse, and trust. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please click here or send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@gmail.com Thank you to ...

Brandon talks with Belle (Returning Survivor Guest) about non-linear healing, being told to get over it, intermittent reinforcement, the addiction lens, trauma, changing responses, creative outlets, and reclaiming the things that made you happy. Belle's survivor story episode is from 8/31/2020 or can be found here. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please click here or send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@gmail.com Thank you to our sponsor BETTERHELP. If you need onl...

Annie fell head over heels in love with a 'regular' guy. But this man was anything but regular. Very quickly, Annie became subservient to his needs, as her ex-partner masterfully used competition, his hearing impairment, and triangulation as his main tactics to manipulate her. It’s a story of weaponizing disabilities, being chosen, guilt, obligation, sowing the seeds of doubt, minimization, justification, shame, expectations, blame shifting, gaslighting, control, sexual abuse, trauma, dehumaniz...

Brandon talks with Alisa Stamps (LCSW) & Kasey Jarvis (LMFT) about authenticity, generational trauma, & healing from narcissist abuse. Plus they discuss, therapy modalities, helping kids be authentic, perfectionism, awareness, challenging core fears, and much more. Alisa Stamps - Website - Instagram Kasey Jarvis - Website - Instagram Podcast - Am I The Crazy One? If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please click here or send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@gmail.com Tha...

Buttercup's husband gave her the one thing she always wanted, to feel seen and understood. And once he had Buttercup hooked on his LOVE, her husband began a vicious cycle of infidelity and psychological abuse. It’s a story of codependency, empty apologies, entitlement, gaslighting, physical abuse, hypocrisy, blaming, nitpicking, projection, control, possession, and much more. *** TRIGGER WARNING - This episode has a a graphic description of physical abuse and sexual coercion. *** If you want ...

Brandon discusses the 6 Stages and 4 Styles of Emotional Blackmail from the book 'Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You' by Susan Forward and Donna Frazier. To purchase a copy of 'Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You' by Susan Forward and Donna Frazier, please click here. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please click here or send us an email at na...

Harley's mom always knew what was best for her. If Harley ever disagreed with her, no matter how respectfully or meekly, her mom would always claim it as a mistreatment of her. For 20+ years, Harley lived in a world of gaslighting, but she didn't even know that gaslighting existed. However, with some help from her godfather, Pink, a stranger named Grace, and the existence of Kate McKinnon, Harley eventually saw through her mother's facade and was finally able to break away. It's a story of enme...

Brandon talks with Tracy Malone (Author & International Educator) about processing the emotions behind the idealization, devaluation, and discard phases of abuse.

After years of battling alcohol addiction, Dakota was finally sober. She was living in a women's home, going to meetings, and taking long bus rides to see her beautiful child. Then one day, the abuser who pretended to be her hero, showed up to her meeting, swept her off her feet, and almost took her life. It's a story of guilt, reverse psychology, minimization, invalidation, isolation, addiction, blame shifting, ptsd, shame, self esteem, sowing the seeds of doubt, coercive control, gaslighting,...

Rhea was raised and betrayed by her narcissistic father. It’s a story of dark family secrets, conditional affection, witnessing abuse, perfectionism, infidelity, and survival mode. Plus they discuss, people pleasing, anxiety, vanity, neglect, child sexual abuse, intimidation, internalized rage, physical abuse, divorce, infidelity, panic attacks, minimization, and much more. *** TRIGGER WARNING - Graphic descriptions of physical and child sexual abuse are discussed in this episode. *** If you ...

Brandon discusses Lundy Bancroft's 10 types of abusers & the role of narcissistic personality disorder. Plus they discuss, minimization, gaslighting, physical abuse, control, power, triangulation, threats, intimidation, guilt, invalidation, kernels of truth, and much more. *** TRIGGER WARNING - We discuss physical abuse and suicide in this episode. *** Lundy Bancroft's book 'Why Does He Do That?' can be purchased by clicking here. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please...

Brandon discusses the top 5 signs of isolation, how isolation is used to abuse you, common phrases used to isolate you, creating dependency, manipulation tactics, isolation as a form of punishment, identity erosion, and the difficulty in leaving. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please click here or send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@gmail.com Thank you to our sponsor BETTERHELP. If you need online counseling from anywhere in the world, please do go to https://www...

Mia met her husband as a teenager. Their relationship was a dream come true. But after the birth of their first child, everything about her husband changed. Mia was relegated to secondary supply and became the scapegoat of the family. Children as 'proxies' began to run rampant behind the scenes, as Mia's abusive husband was sowing the seeds of doubt amongst everyone. And as time went on, the psychological abuse only intensified until Mia's husband lost complete control. It's a story of physical...

Brandon talks with a recovering love addict named Eunice about her love addiction, fantasies, toxic shame, codependency, narcissists, and unhealthy relationships.

Lennon met her future husband at a rooftop bar. He was intelligent, driven, strong, and seemingly steady. However, as soon as their relationship became romantic, controlling behavior emerged. And once they were married, the coercive control ramped up, leaving Lennon and her kids in a financially abusive prison. It's a story of sexual coercion, people pleasing, trust building, guilt trips, nitpicking, put downs, blaming, threats, intimidation, what love isn’t, gaslighting, self gaslighting, esca...

On this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse Q&A, Brandon discusses validation, the different types of verbal/non-verbal invalidation used by narcissistic abusers, and the different types of invalidating families.

Dasha's family was controlled by her emotionally invalidating narcissistic dad. It was the cult of her father. And unfortunately for Dasha, she cracked under the pressure of mixed messages, expectations, and keeping herself small. However, a funny thing happened to Dasha while she battled depression, a light burst through those cracks. And Dasha finally began to take the necessary steps to live a life free from the family and her dad's controlling thumb. Brandon talks to Dasha about her narciss...

Brandon talks with Michael Lander (MSW & Psychotherapist) about his use of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy with families of abuse, 3rd party objectivity, collaborative problem solving with kids, counter parenting, knowing a child's process, manipulation, sharing language, generational trauma, the broken system, and much more. Michael Lander's website can be found by clicking here. To buy the book The Explosive Child, click here. If you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please cl...