Narcissistic parenting isn’t about a diagnosis. Let me repeat. It isn’t about a diagnosis, it is instead about the traits that are so frequently discussed in popular culture recently and frequently taken out of context. That said, these traits leave a very strong impression because they are not just about having a difficult parent; it’s about growing up in an environment where love is given only under certain conditions and your sense of self is shaped around someone else’s expectations. This kind of upbringing can leave deep, lasting wounds, but understanding the dynamics is the first step separating yourself from it and creating a path toward healing.

Narcissism has been a hot topic recently. Narcissistic abuse is a form of emotional and psychological manipulation that aims to execute control over one person in effort to reduce insecurity in another. It can range from obvious to subtle and insidious but it uniformly leaves invisible scars that can take years to identify and heal. In this post, we’ll explore the tactics commonly used in narcissistic abuse, the mental health impacts survivors may experience, and how treatment can help facilitate healing and recovery.