Episode 2 - Is the alienating parent a narcissist?

Many Parental Alienation experts say that parents who alienate a child or children from their other parent often have a personality disorder, such as narcissistic personality disorder or NPD. In this episode, Jacqueline introduces us to Charlotte, a mother who was raised by a narcissistic parent and then found herself in a relationship with a narcissistic partner who tried to alienate her from their children.  

 Jacqueline and Charlotte discuss the classic behaviors of narcissists, the red flags that often get ignored in the early stages of a relationship with a narcissist, how narcissists typically seek out empathic and emotionally strong partners, and how narcissists will always behave unreasonably with their partners to maintain control in the relationship. The constant disequilibrium and drama means the narcissist’s target cannot take care of their own needs but is always working to appease the narcissist and lower the drama. 

As Charlotte explains, being partners with a narcissist is like a firefighter being married to an arsonist – while you’re putting out the sofa, they are setting fire to the drapes. And they will constantly create problems that are unsolvable to wear you down completely to the point where you cannot even take care of yourself. Charlotte reminds us that we must pay attention to how others make us feel, and if they make us feel badly about ourselves, that is someone to avoid.