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How smart, capable women end up living in their heads with an imaginary prince while staying in very real pain Brenda Stephens, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Nov 19, 2025 If you are an emotionally intelligent, self supporting woman who has survived narcissistic abuse, you might recognize this pattern: You run your life. You show up for your kids, your clients, your job. People rely on you because you are steady, insightful, and kind. And in the background, there is

Gentle prompts to cut through trauma bonding, spot the patterns, and choose yourself with clarity. Trauma bonding can feel like a magic trick you did not sign up for. Your brain grabs onto crumbs and calls it a meal. Your body mistakes adrenaline for love. Hope feels like proof. None of this means you are weak. It means your nervous system did its job under stress. This post is your reset button. Use it to reality test the relationship, not to shame yourself. The goal is clar

I was chatting with a friend who, like me, has been in a relationship with a narcissistic partner. We were laughing about how our kids like to comment on our choices in partners and how maybe they could help us “vet” people next time. It was the kind of moment that comes from shared experience and mutual healing. But the energy shifted when one of the adult children overheard part of what we said and reacted much more strongly than expected. The tension in the room was instan

By Brenda Stephens, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Navigating life as a co-parent with a narcissistic partner can be...

By Brenda Stephens, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor When you’ve lived through narcissistic abuse, the word love often feels...

By Brenda Stephens, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Many survivors of narcissistic abuse ask me a version of the same question:...

By Brenda Stephens, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor If you grew up in a home with narcissistic dynamics, you may remember the...

By Brenda Stephens, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Taken from our conversation on the podcast: Two Queens and a Joker: My...

By Brenda Stephens, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor When survivors of narcissistic abuse ask, “Did they ever really care about...

If you’ve ever identified as an empath, chances are you’ve been told some version of this: “Empaths attract narcissists.” And while...

Love bombing is fueled by idealization, not acceptance.

Narcissistic abuse is a deeply damaging experience that can leave lasting emotional scars. However, amidst the pain and confusion, there...

Narcissistic abuse is a deeply damaging experience that can leave lasting emotional scars on its victims. However, there is hope for...

Narcissistic abuse is a complex and often misunderstood form of emotional manipulation that can have long-lasting effects on its victims....