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 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.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Why Narcissists Ruin Your Sleep: Don't Miss This Nasty Bedtime Control Tactic
What if the reason you feel like you're always “nagging” has nothing to do with you being difficult — and everything to do with deliberate provocation?
In this epis
Sep 14 27 min
I Treated Narcissists for Years and Never Saw a Collapse — Here's What Really Happens
Why did the narcissist’s collapse look so real — curled on the floor, shaking, sweating, begging you not to leave — yet nothing changed after?
What looks like a breakdow
Sep 10 27 min
He Fooled Every Therapist in the Room — What No One Warns You (feat. Chelsey Brooke Cole)
What if the trait everyone praises you for is the exact one the narcissist is scanning for?
That isn’t naivety. That isn’t missing the red flags. Agreeableness — assumin
Sep 7 32 min
The Family Scapegoat: Why You Were Chosen, and Why It Was Never About You
Why does one person in the family end up carrying everything — the blame, the mood, the thing nobody will say out loud? That wasn't a flaw in you. That was a role, a
Sep 3 17 min
How Narcissists Pick Their Victims in Under an Hour
What if it only takes him an hour to know exactly how to control you?
That wasn't chemistry. That wasn't "instant connection." A predator ran a background chec
Aug 31 35 min
Rumination After Narcissistic Abuse: Why Your Mind Won't Stop, and How to Break the Loop
Why do you keep replaying a relationship that's already over — running the same five minutes on a loop, searching for the one detail that will finally make sense of
Aug 27 24 min
The Narcissist Relationship Cycle: Why They Get Bored and Repeat It
What if the reason they keep coming back to you has nothing to do with love — and everything to do with boredom?
In this episode, Dr. Kerry and Lynn Strathdee break dow
Aug 24 26 min
The Narcissist’s Hit-And-Run Tactic: Why They Leave You Feeling Crazy
They said they'd "never talk to you again" — like it was a boundary. Like it was healthy. But the silence never actually stayed silent. Behind your back, a different
Aug 20 12 min
Divorce Attorney Diana Romanov: Why Being Nice to a Narcissist Can Leave You Homeless
The divorce papers are signed. The marriage is over. But for survivors of narcissistic abuse, the legal system is often where the abuse escalates — not ends.
In this c
Aug 17 29 min
Feed Swap: Beneath the Apology — Shame, Image & the Illusion of Empathy with Renee Swanson & Dr. Mazella
Why does their apology leave you feeling like the one who did something wrong? \
Continuing this week's feed swap, I'm sharing a conversation from Renee Swanso
Aug 14 31 min
The Financial Abuse Tactic Narcissists Use When They 'Have No Money
They said they were managing the finances — because you weren't good with money.
That every purchase had to go through them. But somehow, there was always money for
Aug 13 15 min
How Narcissists Use Love Bombing to Build a Financial Trap
He checked the grocery receipt. And the look on his face said everything: he expected to catch you at something.
You weren't a partner. You were a suspected thief.
Aug 10 28 min
Narcissistic Parents Don't Love Their Children — They Use Them
They said they were managing the finances — because you weren't good with money. That every purchase had to go through them.
But somehow, there was always money fo
Aug 6 13 min
When Your Narcissistic Ex Weaponizes Your Children in Their Smear Campaign
Your child comes home from a visit with the other parent guarded. Repeating things they couldn't have come up with on their own. Now they’re looking at you different
Aug 3 33 min
Feed Swap: Covert Narcissist Relationships — When You Can't Live the Lie Anymore with Renee Swanson
If you can name the patterns and see the behaviors, have you wondered why do you still feel so stuck?
This week I'm sharing an episode from Renee Swanson of the Cov
Jul 31 22 min
When Narcissists Weaponize Food: What Survivors Need to Hear
Food shouldn't feel like a threat — but for narcissistic abuse survivors, it often does.
In this viewer stories episode, survivors share exactly how the narcissist
Jul 30 17 min
The Real Reason Narcissists Make Food About Control
Food is the most primal human need — and narcissists know it. The demands that ruin a vacation. The meal that is never made right. The praise given once, then withheld fo
Jul 27 30 min
Harmless Joke? No, It Was Sadism & Why Your Body Spotted the Truth First
That flash of something is wrong you couldn't quite explain? Your body caught it before your mind could argue you down.
In this Viewers' Stories episode, Dr. K
Jul 23 18 min
How Dangerous Predators Hide Sadism in Plain Sight - Joe Navarro, Former FBI Agent
The most dangerous narcissists don’t go ballistic: they peck you to death.
After spending decades studying dangerous personalities, former FBI agent Joe Navarro has lear
Jul 20 29 min
Your Birthday Was Rigged to Fail: How Narcissists Sabotage Special Days
It's your special day. Your birthday. Maybe the narcissist participated in the build-out or maybe they pretended not to notice. But you knew. And you got your hopes
Jul 16 10 min
Chart trend
Position in the Mental Health chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#75#149JunJulAugSep
#49
all-time peak
1
day in the top 50 since Nov 2024
Chart positions
Where Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 15, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
I wish I had this resource when I was 19 yo. It would have saved me years and years of pain in abusive relationships. If I can say anything, listen, then listen again. Get your community organized (no matter how small) and leave him. Do no contact, no matter what. You must trust this more than anything else - never contact him again. Your friends and family and community should act as your wall. I think as women we are gifted a faint, small internal voice within ourselves, saying it’s not safe, go. Listen to her. Please, listen and go. What is unknown and not lit is scary, but you are brave. Big hugs to the hosts. Bravo on giving emotions and the abused words and stories and a space to exist 🌻
Ohla00 · Nov 2024
First time listening today. I’ve listened to hours and hours of Narcissistic abuse podcasts.
The one I listened to today episode #63 gave specific examples like a pattern of the N continually critiquing how one does things like the laundry, shifting conversations with
Red Herrings; never able to settle an issue.
The topic of how one speaks to you-I’d like to hear more about this b/c I myself am working on to changing my tone of voice & being more respectful-not demeaning others’ viewpoints.
If that was the model we grew up hearing as children, we may unknowingly be sarcastic.
The more examples the better!
Dr Henry Cloud, author of “Boundaries” calls one key to healthy relationships is
“Mutually Agreed Upon Exceptions” which are often impossible with a Covert or Overt Narcissist.
Dr Clark Fan · May 2024
I’m going through a break up w a woman that drained me of everything. My boundaries, my pride, my money. I became a person who I didn’t know and she made me think itge relationship problems were all me. Stuff I never heard from other partners. I was abusive. I was a narcissist. I had borderline personality disorder. I’ve never heard these things but her family members told me she did but I still thought I was the problem. This podcast is so good I feel they know her personally. lol. It was invaluable to my healing and leaving.
Lorenzofoto · Apr 2024
So informative. I enjoy the interviews and the dual hosts. Like the conversational format and the sharing of studies as well as personal experiences. I would enjoy hearing more about sibling relationships and family narcissism/emotional abuse/financial abuse/ inheritance issues. Thank goodness my life partner is not a toxic person. In my late 50s after my generous and loving father died, my family dynamic totally changed. Suddenly my little brother became a tyrant and his wife and my mother his enablers. At 58, desperate, and wondering “what is wrong with me, why can’t I get along with my family?” , I finally googled the question and thankfully found sites and experts on narcissistic abuse - both covert and overt. Wow. All the signs, the red flags, were there. Never too old to learn, though not a lesson I am thrilled about. I have gone no contact ish and am working to be healthy , still — coming from a culture that honors family , it is hard to speak about this with others or to come to terms with it myself. I keep wondering when my little brother decided he hated me. I just remember babysitting him and protecting him. To this day, despite his being horrible, I worry about him. He is not dead, but lost to me.
cmercedesjodrie · Feb 2024
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Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
