Episodes

As a social worker, “Emma” was trained in psychology, mental health and personality disorders. Still, she had blind spots when it came to her personal life. Even though she had misgivings about her new girlfriend, “Taylor,” she ignored her moral compass. In the end, the relationship cost Emma her job, her home, almost all her possessions, and her very sense of self. Female sociopaths, she learned, are masters of seduction. To learn how to recognize and recover from everyday sociopaths, visit Lov...

Narcissists have a reputation for being entitled, attention-seeking blowhards, and most of them are. A subset of narcissists, however, believe they are just as entitled to whatever they want but display it differently. In this episode, Dr. Marni Feuerman explains “covert narcissists” — people who use more subtle strategies as they manipulate others. She discusses how this disordered behavior affects their romantic partners and what you should do if you suspect you have a narcissist in your life,...

“Katherine” thought she was in a relationship with “Jay,” but now she describes it as a “situationship.” Or a “manipulationship.” Jay was a personal trainer at her gym. He eased her into a sexual liaison, which he insisted must be kept secret or he’d lose his job. It went on for two years. Then when Katherine learned the real reason why he wanted to keep secrets, she was devastated. To learn how to recognize and recover from everyday sociopaths, visit Lovefraud.com. You’ll find articles, books, ...

Growing up with a self-centered, indifferent or neglectful mother is more than psychologically damaging. Kate Munden, an integrative therapist from the UK, explains that this treatment is actually narcissistic abuse, and it affects a child’s personality development and nervous system. But, Kate says, it is possible to slowly, gently, unwind the damage as an adult and move forward to a full and happy life. She offers strategies on how to do it. Listen to the podcast Kate Munden refers to in this ...

Mom was always cold, indifferent and critical. At a fairly young age, “Charlotte,” her daughter, figured out that the woman was not a good mother. But after two family tragedies, Charlotte saw that her mother wasn’t just mean, she was evil. And then she realized the effect of her mother’s disorder on her own life. To learn how to recognize and recover from everyday sociopaths, visit Lovefraud.com. You’ll find articles, books, and webinars. You can also make an appointment with Donna Andersen, fo...

Many people who endure narcissistic abuse end up trauma bonded to their abuser. Psychologist Carla Shohet explains that this is a psychological and physiological bond — literally an addiction. Recovery requires more than talk therapy, she says. Traumatic memories and mistaken beliefs become trapped in the body, and they need to be gently removed from the body. Carla describes several methods that she uses to do it. Listen to the podcast Carla Shohet refers to in this episode: The trauma bond is ...

“Sarah” had a history of abusive relationships. “Tim” seemed so different —he was a handsome, high-ranking military officer who was soft spoken, attentive and caring. But slowly he became controlling and violent. Sarah was so trauma bonded that even though she knew Tim was dangerous, she couldn’t leave. “I couldn’t live with him and I couldn’t live without him,” she said.

What’s it really like to be involved with a sociopath, narcissist or psychopath? I'm Donna Andersen, author of Lovefraud.com, and this podcast answers that question. In these riveting podcasts, people who were unknowingly targeted by con artists of love describe how they were seduced, deceived and ultimately betrayed. They’re sharing their stories so you can learn the warning signs of pathological manipulation that they missed, and avoid an encounter with an emotional predator. If you’ve already...