Shows / The Covert Narcissism Podcast
The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert narcissistic abuse crushes one’s soul. This podcast is devoted to understanding covert narcissistic abuse, its effect on the victims, and how to heal.
Episodes
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
He Had My Money and My Passwords | Covert Narcissism with Liz Tenuto, Part 1
When we think of financial abuse, we usually picture the partner who earns the money and controls every dollar. Liz Tenuto’s story was the opposite. She was…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
What Is a Narcissist? Part 2: The Lack of Vulnerability That Destroys Relationships
What is a narcissist, and why does covert narcissism make real closeness feel impossible, no matter how hard you try? This is part two of a two-part series on…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
When It’s Hard to Explain What You’re Living | Covert Narcissism with Eleanor Marks
How do you explain emotional abuse to the people around you when you can barely explain it to yourself? In this episode, the roles are reversed. High-conflict…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
What Is a Narcissist? Part 1: The Lack of Empathy That Destroys Relationships
What is a narcissist, really, and how does covert narcissism quietly destroy the closest relationships in your life? The word “narcissist” is everywhere right…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Protecting Yourself From a Narcissist in Court with Rebecca Zung, Part Two
Every text, email, and social media post you write could end up in front of a judge. In part two of this conversation, Renee and attorney Rebecca Zung get…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Counterfeit Kindness: Why Even Their “Good” Behavior Is Manipulation
In covert narcissism, even the “good” behavior is part of the manipulation. You thought you married Cliff Huxtable, only to find out you married Bill Cosby. If…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
What Narcissists Really Want in a Divorce with Rebecca Zung, Part One
What does a narcissist really want in a divorce? It usually isn't money, love, or logic. It's image. In this episode, Renee welcomes back attorney Rebecca…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism: Who's Afraid to Disagree in Your Relationship?
Covert narcissism often comes down to one simple question: who in your relationship is afraid to disagree? Renee walks through five everyday scenes: a…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism and AI: Documentation, Court, and Privacy, Part 2 | Anne Wintemute
What happens when an AI questions the story of someone who has spent years not being believed? In part two of this conversation, Renee and Anne Wintemute…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism and Parenting: Why Does the Parent Argue Like a Sibling
Covert narcissism doesn't only show up between adults. It can shape how a parent relates to their own child. In this episode, Renee unpacks what happens when a…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism and AI: Why Context Changes Everything, Part 1 | Anne Wintemute
Covert narcissism survivors are turning to AI for support, but what happens when it gets your story wrong? In this episode, Renee welcomes back Anne Wintemute…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism's Fake Apology: Gifts, Guilt, and the Reset Button
Covert narcissism rarely says sorry out loud. Instead, it hands you a gift, plans a nice dinner, or turns on a sudden burst of affection — and calls it even…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism Recovery: Healing From the Echo Complex, Part 2, with Amy Lewis Bear
Covert narcissism recovery isn't just about understanding what happened to you — it's about finding your way back to yourself. In part two of this…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism and Circular Conversations: Why You Always End Up Fighting Something You Never Said
Covert narcissism doesn't always look like yelling or control — sometimes it's a completely ordinary conversation that somehow ends with you defending yourself…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism and the Echo Complex: Losing Yourself in a Relationship, Part 1, with Amy Lewis Bear
Covert narcissism doesn't always look like screaming matches or dramatic blowups — sometimes it looks like a slow, quiet erosion of who you are. In this…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
How to Spot Passive-Aggressive Behavior and What to Actually Do About It
Last week, we asked whether passive-aggressive behavior is always narcissistic. The answer was no — but that still left a big question: how do you actually…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Guilt-Free Living: Reclaiming Joy After a Covert Narcissist
Did they make you feel guilty for taking time for yourself? In this episode of the Covert Narcissism Podcast, Renee Swanson reads through real responses from…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Passive-Aggressive Isn't Always Narcissistic — But It's Never Harmless
Ever asked someone "are you okay?" and gotten a four-syllable "I'm fine" that clearly meant the opposite? That's passive-aggressive behavior — and it's one of…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism The Types Keep Shifting (Same Episode, New Eyes)
What if the episode you already listened to still has more to teach you the second time around? In this throwback episode of the Covert Narcissism Podcast…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism and Fight or Flight: 8 Tools for Lowering Your Baseline (Part 2)
Covert narcissism doesn't just create crisis moments — it leaves your nervous system stuck in a chronic state of hypervigilance long after the argument ends…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Narcissist or Not? Decoding Red Flags in Dating Apps & Texts (with Dr. Jenny Young)
Ever ignored a gut feeling on a date because you wanted to "give him a chance"? In this episode, I'm sharing a conversation from Breaking Free from…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism and Fight or Flight: 8 Tools to Break the Spiral (Part 1)
If you've ever felt your chest tighten before your phone even finishes ringing, or braced for a reaction before you've said a single word — you already know…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Parental Alienation & Covert Narcissism: Protecting the Relationship (Part 2)
In Part 2 of this CNG Community Chat, Renee Swanson continues the conversation with three parents navigating parental alienation and covert narcissistic abuse…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
This Isn't My Story Anymore. It's Ours: A Book for Covert Narcissistic Abuse Survivors
This isn't my story anymore. It's ours. In this solo episode, I'm finally announcing something I've been sitting on for a long time: my book, This Is Not Okay…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Parental Alienation & Covert Narcissism When Your Child Turns Against You (Part 1)
In this CNG Community Chat, host Renee Swanson sits down with three parents who are living through one of the most painful experiences a parent can face…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism: Did I Make Him a Narcissist by Reading Too Much?
Have you ever discovered narcissism in your relationship, started reading everything you could find, and then panicked — wondering if you were the one who…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Narcissistic Abuse & Predatory Behavior: You've Been Made to Think It's Your Fault
Narcissistic abuse and predatory behavior often hide in plain sight — and this episode pulls back the curtain on exactly how. In this special crossover…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Narcissistic Entitlement Explained: The Role They Expected You to Play
Narcissistic entitlement rarely looks like arrogance from the outside. Often it looks like two people with "different expectations" — normal disagreements…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
When Your Children Start to See Covert Narcissism, Part 2
Part two of this CNG Community Chat picks up where we left off, as four moms go deeper into what it's like to parent through covert narcissistic abuse. They…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism in Disney: Beast vs. Tangled
Covert narcissism doesn't always look like rage — sometimes it looks like a warm smile and a locked tower door. In this episode, we break down two Disney…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
When Your Children Start to See Covert Narcissism, Part 1
In this two-part CNG Community Chat, four moms sit down to talk about one of the hardest parts of covert narcissistic abuse recovery: watching your children…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism & Kids: Helping Them Trust Their Nervous System
When one parent shows up as the "nice, generous" one — buying gifts instead of ever offering real repair, gaslighting instead of listening — kids learn to…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism Recovery: Going No Contact and Finding Yourself Again
In part two of this community chat, the conversation goes even deeper. We pick back up right where we left off — with Denise sharing what it actually took to…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
The Covert Narcissist's Mask: What's Really Underneath
If you've ever felt like something was missing in a relationship with a covert narcissist — a flatness, a lack of depth, a sense that you're never quite…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism Recovery: Do I Stay or Do I Go? A Community Chat
Some of the hardest questions in a narcissistic relationship don't have easy answers — and "do I stay, or do I go" is one of them. In this episode, I'm joined…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissist Relationships: Love Bombing, Smear Campaigns, and Surviving the Aftermath
When you finally speak your truth to a covert narcissist, you expect relief. What you don't expect is what comes next. In this episode — the follow-up to…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
How to Set Boundaries With a Toxic Aging Parent (Without the Guilt)
Do you owe your toxic aging parent everything... or nothing? Clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Stinson, author of The Obligation Myth: Rethinking What You Owe…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissist Relationships: When You Can't Live the Lie Anymore
There comes a point in a covert narcissistic relationship when you can no longer live the lie. Not a dramatic breaking point necessarily — sometimes it's a…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Abuse, Restricted Autonomy, and the AI Tool Aimee Says
Have you ever struggled to explain what's happening in your relationship — where nothing looks "bad enough" to point to, but something feels wrong every single…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Overthinking in a Covert Narcissistic Relationship: Why Your Mind Never Stops
Overthinking in a covert narcissistic relationship isn't a character flaw — it's what your brain does when it has learned, through real experience, that it…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Setting Boundaries After Narcissistic Abuse: What It Really Feels Like
Setting boundaries in a narcissistic relationship isn't just hard — it can feel impossible. In this Community Chat, Renee is joined by 2 ladies from the CNG…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism and High Control Religion: When Church and Marriage Follow the Same Rules
Covert narcissism and high control religion follow the same rulebook — and if you grew up in one before entering the other, this episode will explain why it…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism and Chronic Illness: Setting Boundaries When Someone's Pain Is Real
When someone you love is in real, chronic pain — how do you set a boundary without feeling like a monster? This episode tackles one of the most complex and…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissism: Why Your Fight/Flight Response Turned into Fawning
Covert narcissistic abuse doesn't just hurt you — it rewires you. In this episode, Renee breaks down why your fight/flight response gradually turned into…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Narcissistic Abuse Through the Lens of Taylor Swift's Dear John
Have you ever felt like you were in a relationship that slowly burned you out — and you couldn't quite explain why? In this episode of the Covert Narcissism…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Covert Narcissist’s Emotional Dysregulation: How It Affects Your Marriage and Your Kids
If you’re in a relationship with a covert narcissist, you already know something feels deeply wrong — but you may not have the words for it yet. One of the…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
I Thought I Was Losing Him: Hope for Parents Raising Kids Through Narcissistic Abuse"
Today my older son moved out. He is 26 years old. And as I watched him go, the last 26 years played through my mind — the good, the bad, and everything in…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Stop Shrinking Yourself: Real Women on Losing Their Identity to Covert Narcissistic Abuse and Getting It Back
Have you ever looked in the mirror and not recognized the person staring back at you? If you've been in a relationship with a covert narcissist, chances are…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Top 10 Signs You're With a Covert Narcissist | Narcissistic Abuse & Relationship Patterns
Here are the fully SEO-optimized versions: TITLE: Top 10 Signs You're With a Covert Narcissist | Narcissistic Abuse & Relationship Patterns PODCAST…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
The Cult of Two: How Covert Narcissists Use Mind Control in Relationships with Rachel Bernstein LMFT
What if the most controlling relationship you've ever heard of isn't happening in a compound somewhere, but behind closed doors in an ordinary home? In this…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
What If They Aren't a Covert Narcissist — Now What
One of the most paralyzing questions I hear from people in these relationships is not "how do I leave?" It is this: What if I'm wrong? What if they aren't…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Why You Can’t Move On After Covert Narcissistic Abuse | Betrayal Trauma Explained with Dr. Debi Silber
Why is it so hard to move on after covert narcissistic abuse? Why can betrayal trauma continue affecting you years—or even decades—later? In this powerful…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Why You Can't Stop Thinking About Your Narcissist: What Your Rumination Is Really Chasing
If you've ever lain awake at 2am replaying conversations with your narcissistic partner or ex — rehearsing the perfect response, asking yourself why you can't…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Recognizing Covert Narcissistic Abuse After 17 Years of Marriage: Community Chat
Have you ever felt like something was wrong in your relationship but couldn't find the words to describe it? In this episode of the Covert Narcissism Podcast…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
They Never Cheated, But You Still Feel Worthless: The Self-Righteous Narcissist Explained
Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who never cheated, never raged, never drank — someone everyone around you thought was wonderful — and yet you…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
The Rewriting of Reality: How Covert Narcissists Distort the Truth and Make You Doubt Yourself
In this episode, we explore one of the most confusing and disorienting dynamics of covert narcissistic abuse: the rewriting of reality. This isn’t obvious…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Your Body Knew Before You Did: Learning to Trust Yourself After Covert Narcissistic Abuse
If you’ve ever looked back on a relationship and thought, “Why didn’t I see it sooner?”—you’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not wrong. In this…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
The Moment Something Finally Clicked: Seeing Covert Narcissistic Abuse Clearly
There is often a moment in covert narcissistic relationships when something finally shifts. The confusion begins to clear, the patterns start to make sense…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Healthy Boundaries After Trauma: Why You Lost Yourself in Covert Narcissistic Dynamics (Barb Nangle Part 2)
Episode Notes This episode is part two of a special bonus series I’m sharing from another podcast that I think many of you will deeply connect with. The show…
- The Covert Narcissism Podcast
Cognitive Dissonance and Covert Narcissistic Abuse: Why You Couldn't See It Sooner
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why didn’t I see it sooner?” after being in a covert narcissistic relationship, you are not alone. The truth is, you didn’t…