Ginny Priem wrote this description of the episode:

Get a pen and paper! You're going to want to take notes on this one. Licensed Psychologist, Tanya Holthus, is sharing her wealth of knowledge and practical tips with us in this episode. She breaks down how being a child of a narcissist impacts you beginning from your formative years and how the emotional abuse endured can carry on in different ways in adulthood. Tanya talks about the spectrum of narcissism; from narcissistic behaviors & tendencies to narcissistic personality disorder (NPD.) She covers some of the key phrases we're hearing lately, like covert & overt narcissist and how those present. We hear about attachment styles, trauma, narcissistic fragility, the golden child syndrome, the temper tantrums, and what's actually going on in the brain when this happens. Tanya enlightens us to some of the behaviors of the narcissist, but also the impact it has on the victims. She talks about how difficult it can be to have to co-parent with a narcissist…and even gives several helpful tips and recommendations for those that are co-parenting with a narcissist…There is so much useful and validating information in this episode!

Click on the link below to listen to this podcast episode:

Ginny Priem wrote this description of the episode:

This episode was requested by a listener and in it, Tanya shares with us the details of love bombing, why it is so effective, how narcissists use it and provides some really great examples of what love bombing is and what it isn't.

She also provides significant context around how this can happen not just in romantic relationships, but also in familial relationships, with colleagues and with friends.

She also breaks down DARVO for us. This is a manipulative tactic that narcissists use and falls under the umbrella of gaslighting. It's an acronym that stands for Deny, Attack, Reverse, Victim & Offender. It can leave the victim feeling confused and make them question reality.

Tanya also gets into some of the science of the wiring of the brain and why narcissists may throw what's referred to as "adult temper tantrums" and how/why they may even believe their own lies or deny behavior and actions they did indeed engage in or perform.

Click on the link below to listen to this podcast episode:

Ginny Priem wrote this description of the episode:

Our resident psychologist, Dr. Tanya Holthus, is back to talk to us about how to not raise a narcissist. First, she builds the framework of how a narcissist is made. She unpacks the nine criteria for narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) in the DSM-5-TR. Dr. Holthus describes what must be present and prevalent in order to make an NPD diagnosis and from her clinical practice and experience, what she's seen in terms of how NPD starts.

This episode reveals not only characteristics of narcissism, but helping children to develop healthy emotions and how to cultivate this in children. (And some tips on what not to do!)