Podcasts about coercive control

Recent reporting in the Washington Post found that Tulsi Gabbard has been taking policy guidance from her guru. We revisit our episode from May 2023, where we lay out Gabbard's lifelong involvement in this cult: What does it mean for a prominent American politician to come into power as the sleeper cell of an eccentric Hindu-American cult? Does she act independently, or has her God-man got her on speed-dial? Can she bridge the divide between left and right with the radiant glow of Krishna consciousness? Joining us today to help answer these questions is Nitai Joseph. He shares some heritage with Gabbard, because he also grew up in a Hare Krishna sect. He holds an MSc. in the Psychology of Coercive Control and has worked across a range of issues connected to ideology and manipulation, including cultic awareness, child sexual abuse prevention, adverse meditation experiences, and organizational ethics and accountability.  Show Notes Tulsi Gabbard, her guru and the mysterious messages that helped shape her political career Gopala Govinda Rama Chant by Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa Chris Butler QAnon Anonymous Episode 211: Tulsi Gabbard P1 (The Cult) feat Mike Prysner QAnon Anonymous Episode 212: Tulsi Gabbard P2 (The Fascist Turn) feat Mike Prysner  Tulsi Gabbard Had a Very Strange Childhood What Does Tulsi Gabbard Believe? | The New Yorker Chris Butler Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa: on “freedom” An Insiders Perspective on Tulsi Gabbard and her Guru | by Lalita | Medium  Tulsi Gabbard 2016 Janmashtami Message  ISKCON Abuse Timeline Definition of Betrayal Trauma Theory Archived ex-Hare Krishna message board Nitai can be reached via LinkedIn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon debriefs Terry's story and examines how relentless pursuit, emotional caretaking, isolation, threats, stalking, and physical violence kept her trapped in the relationship. The episode explores how Terry's abuser treated her boundaries like obstacles, made her feel responsible for saving him, and created consequences that gradually separated her from friends and family. Brandon also breaks down why restraining orders did not immediately make Terry safer, how leaving became an ongoing process, and how fear, obligation, guilt, and shame each kept her in the relationship longer. *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode discusses physical abuse. *** If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Terry shares the story of a relationship marked by physical violence, threats, isolation, stalking, and an intense trauma bond. What began with relentless pursuit and attention slowly became constant monitoring, public humiliation, financial sabotage, and escalating abuse. Even after Terry tried to leave, her abuser continued to threaten her children, violate restraining orders, follow her, destroy property, and appear wherever she went. Terry describes why returning felt safer than resisting, how the cycle of fear and affection kept pulling her back, and what finally helped her reclaim her power from 2,500 miles away. It's a story of isolation, feeling stuck, threats, stalking, trauma bonds, triangulation, physical abuse, addiction, infidelity, putdowns, humiliation, financial abuse, intimidation, minimization, denial, gaslighting, protection orders, love bombing, and exerting your power. *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode discusses physical abuse. *** If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon discusses why leaving an abusive relationship can be so difficult and why survivors should never be shamed for staying. He explores the emotional attachment created through cycles of abuse, along with the fear, financial dependence, isolation, custody concerns, health needs, immigration issues, cultural pressure, and lack of institutional support that can make leaving feel dangerous or impossible. This episode also examines how hope, self-blame, shared dreams, and the belief that an abusive partner may change can keep someone emotionally tied to the relationship. It is an anti-shame conversation about the complicated realities survivors face and why the question should never be, “Why didn't they just leave?” If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon Chadwick debriefs Felix's survivor story and examines how a whirlwind beginning can make a relationship feel destined long before trust has been earned. The episode explores how fate, long distance, and outside validation helped carry the relationship forward, even as controlling patterns began to emerge. Brandon also discusses connection becoming surveillance, double standards around communication, apologies creating renewed hope, and the disorienting Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde experience of being treated one way in public and another way in private. If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Felix shares the story of a long-distance relationship that began like a once-in-a-lifetime romance and slowly became controlling, destabilizing, and physically abusive. What initially felt like fate was reinforced through intense declarations of love, marriage plans, international travel, matching rituals, and promises of a shared future. Over time, Felix found himself managing his partner's emotions, proving his commitment, sacrificing parts of his own life, and trying to solve problems that kept changing shape. Felix discusses love bombing, future faking, digital monitoring, emotional double standards, HIV-related shame, blame shifting, physical violence, strangulation, and the way apparent accountability pulled him back into the relationship. He also reflects on how the mythology of their love story kept replacing real repair, and how his body recognized the danger before he was fully ready to accept it. It's a story of long-distance relationships, control destabilization, physical abuse, fate, love bombing, future faking, digital monitoring, double standards, HIV-related shame, blame shifting, strangulation, LGBTQ domestic violence, lies, gaslighting, humiliation, withdrawal, whataboutism, false equivalence, verbal abuse, and abuse cycles. *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode graphically discusses adult physical abuse (IPV), and strangulation. *** If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon discusses the abuse patterns in Cara's survivor story, including love bombing after years of emotional starvation, rage as an atmosphere, isolation, and suicide threats used to force her into a caretaker role. Brandon also explores the double life Cara felt pressured to maintain, how fear, obligation, guilt, and shame kept her connected to the relationship, and the small repeated disappointment that finally helped her see the larger pattern clearly. The episode ends with a reminder that survivors deserve compassion for what they had to do while living in survival mode. *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode discusses physical abuse, suicide threats, and suicidal ideation. *** If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Cara shares her story of surviving a four-year relationship with a rage-filled physical abuser. After leaving a long emotionally abusive marriage, Cara was pulled into a relationship that began with love bombing, constant praise, and the feeling of finally being seen. But over time, the relationship became a cycle of fear, isolation, trauma bonding, suicide threats, physical intimidation, and emotional caretaking. Cara discusses the confusion of recognizing physical abuse when the harm was escalating in increments, how her abuser's rage and threats kept her trapped in a caretaker role, and how embarrassment pushed her into living a double life. She also shares how the cycle of abuse became familiar, how hopelessness took over, and how telling the truth to trusted friends became the first step toward leaving. It's a story of abuse cycles, physical abuse, suicide threats, trauma bonds, intergenerational trauma, isolation, embarrassment, shame, rages, smearing, destabilization, suicidal ideation, future faking, hopelessness, depression, loyalty, double lives, being kind to yourself, hoovering, loneliness, forgiving yourself, plausible deniability, fawning, caretaking, fear, stalking, and guilt. *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode discusses physical abuse, suicide threats, and suicidal ideation. *** If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon breaks down Dove's story and the patterns of abuse that appeared beneath the surface of the relationship. The debrief explores how boundary crossing can be reframed as “openness,” how jealousy and accusations can become a system of control, and how an abuser's imagined stories can force a survivor to keep defending against a reality they did not create. Brandon also discusses the escalation in Dove's story, including rage episodes, privacy violations, sexual coercion, physical violence, strangulation, and the way the abuser shifted responsibility for his own behavior onto Dove. This episode is about boundaries, coercive control, reality domination, blame-shifting, and protecting your peace after someone has made your needs feel like a crime. *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode graphically discusses adult physical abuse (IPV), strangulation, suicide threats, adult sexual coercion. *** If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon talks with Darlene Thomas, Executive Director of Greenhouse17, a domestic violence shelter and advocacy program in Kentucky built on a 40-acre farm. Darlene shares how Greenhouse17 reimagined shelter by moving away from shame, secrecy, rigid rules, and one-size-fits-all support. Together, they discuss survivor shame, community belonging, financial abuse, economic repair, and why safety is only one part of rebuilding after abuse. Darlene explains how abusers can trap survivors through ruined credit, stolen identities, unpaid debts, lost income, and financial dependence, and how Greenhouse17 helps survivors begin repairing those pieces through education, support, stipends, and survivor-centered care. This conversation is also about worth. It is about what can happen when survivors are treated as people with value, not problems to manage. Through farming, flowers, handmade products, community connection, and grace, Greenhouse17 offers a model of shelter where survivors are supported, trusted, invested in, and given room to grow. Click here to learn more about Greenhouse17.org To download the financial handbook mentioned in this episode -> CLICK HERE CLICK HERE if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For 18 months, Jas Rawlinson went undercover to investigate illegal massage parlours across Brisbane. What she discovered was venues hiding exploitation, debt bondage and human trafficking in plain sight. In part two of her chat with Gary on I Catch Killers, Jas shares the personal stories of women she met inside these venues, her chilling encounters with men on underground forums, and her frustrating attempts to get police and media to take action. Subscribe to our new Youtube channel. Follow I Catch Killers:Instagram: @icatchkillersTiktok: @icatchkillerspodcastFacebook: @icatchkillersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Dove shares her story of a relationship that began as a familiar friendship and slowly turned into coercive control, jealousy, sexual coercion, privacy violations, isolation, physical violence, and strangulation. What first felt like safety became a relationship where Dove was expected to manage his moods, answer immediately, give up privacy, accept accusations, and carry the blame for his behavior. Dove discusses the slow escalation of walking on eggshells, being punished for asking for space, having her needs minimized, being pressured into sexual situations she did not want, and having her private images shared without consent. She also shares how jealousy and interrogation became a way to control her friendships, her phone, her family time, and her reality. It's a story of coercive control, jealousy, sexual coercion, privacy violations, isolation, physical violence, strangulation, walking on eggshells, being punished for asking for space, having her needs minimized, being pressured into sexual situations, narcissistic abuse, domestic abuse, domestic violence, coercive control, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, nonconsensual image sharing, digital abuse, phone monitoring, accusations of cheating, sleep deprivation, intimidation, rage, circular arguments, gaslighting, blame shifting, shame, guilt, suicide threats after breakup, and post separation abuse. *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode graphically discusses adult physical abuse (IPV), strangulation, suicide threats, adult sexual coercion, and porn addiction. *** If you are in search of therapy from professionals dedicated to dealing with TRAUMA - Narcissist Apocalypse recommends REBOUND THERAPY and they can be reached at  hellorebound.com/na Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jas Rawlinson is a fearless journalist, author and advocate. But before she was any of those things, she was a girl trying to survive in a home filled with domestic violence and coercive control. Jas grew up watching her father abuse her mother. She carried that shame into her first relationship, where love bombing turned into sexual abuse. But Jas didn't stay silent. She reclaimed her story and her power. And now, she's on a mission to expose the systems that exploit vulnerable women. In this episode of I Catch Killers, Jas explains the difference between physical and emotional abuse, and why the latter is so often dismissed, why she went undercover to expose Brisbane’s illegal massage parlour industry, and why she refuses to believe all men are the problem. This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault and men's violence against women. If you or anyone you know is impacted by domestic, family or sexual violence, contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 for counselling, information and support services anytime. Subscribe to our new Youtube channel. Follow I Catch Killers:Instagram: @icatchkillersTiktok: @icatchkillerspodcastFacebook: @icatchkillersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Content warning: This episode discusses financial abuse, coercive control, and intimate partner violence. Support services are listed at the end of these notes, including 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. If anything in this episode is distressing, please reach out.  In New South Wales, on 1 July 2024, coercive control became a criminal offence in intimate partner relationships. Queensland followed in May 2025. In 2026, the federal family law reform formally recognised financial abuse for the first time in Australian history. Which means a lot of the behaviours we've spent decades calling "a controlling marriage" or "he's just careful with money" are now, in a pattern — illegal.   In this episode, Mel and Lawsie walk through the six signs of financial coercive control. Some you'll recognise. Some you'll have lived through and never had a word for. All of them are named in the legislation, the BOCSAR research, or both.   The six signs covered  The six signs of financial coercive control: 1. A lack of control over your own income — or a strict, often small, allowance that is tracked   2. Sabotaging your career or education to keep you financially reliant   3. Surveillance of every dollar you spend — big or small   4. Pressuring or tricking you into signing for loans and credit in your name 5. His money pays for him; your money pays for the kids, the groceries, and the essentials 6. Keeping you in the dark about household finances, debt, and investments  Plus: Mel reclaims the term sexually transmitted debt: and explains why it's never been more relevant. Including the three things every Australian woman needs in her own name, no matter her relationship status.   Save this episode, send it to a woman in your life, and we'll see you next week.  For more tips and resources, visit us at melissabrowne.com.au, on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok @MelBrowne.Money or send us an email at hello@melissabrowne.com.au.  Links mentioned in the episode are below https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/what-the-finance/sexually-transmitted-debt/  1800RESPECTNational sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. 24/7, free, confidential. 1800 737 732 1800respect.org.au  National Debt HelplineFree, independent financial counsellors. Specialists in financial abuse. 1800 007 007 ndh.org.au  Centre for Women's Economic SafetyNational charity focused on economic abuse. Runs free Money Clinics — one-on-one sessions with a trauma-informed female financial counsellor. Bookable online from anywhere in Australia. cwes.org.au · financialsafety.org.au  Lifeline24/7 crisis support. 13 11 14 lifeline.org.au  Your bank's DV teamEvery major Australian bank has a specialist domestic and family violence assistance team. Call your bank's main customer service line and ask to be referred — they will help with account separation, hardship arrangements, and credit reporting.  Finally, if you love this episode please make sure you subscribe, share it with a friend and leave us a review. 

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Lana shares her story of growing up as a fixer, surviving childhood abuse, and later entering a relationship with a jealous and physically abusive partner who used love bombing, blame-shifting, addiction, sexual coercion, and violence to keep control. What began as intensity and romance quickly turned into accusations, isolation, fear, and repeated physical abuse. Lana explains how the abuser's jealousy became a weapon, how his addiction was used as something she was supposed to fix, and how the relationship slowly trained her to doubt herself, shrink her needs, and survive by going quiet. It's a story of coercive control, IPV, sexual coercion, victim playing, belittling, shame, fixing, child sexual abuse, sowing the seeds of doubt, fear, isolation, gaslighting, blame shifting, love bombing, trauma bonding, addiction, minimization, crazy making, self blame, bad police officers, intimidation, rage, depression, low self-esteem, disappearing acts, and jealousy. *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode graphically discusses child hood sexual abuse, adult physical abuse (IPV), and adult sexual coercion/abuse/assault. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Christine Cocchiola is a social worker, professor, researcher, and internationally recognized advocate on coercive control and abuse. But even Christine didn't realize she was being stalked. Her ex always seemed to know where she was, who she was with, and even details about her finances. Whenever she questioned it, she was told she was imagining things. After leaving the relationship, Christine discovered her phone had been hacked, her car had been tracked, and she had been monitored for years. Today, Christine shares how stalking and surveillance were hidden behind years of gaslighting—and how she finally uncovered the truth. Share Your Story on the Show: strictlystalkingpod@gmail.com Our Sponsors Delete Me Today get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to JoinDeleteMe.com/STALKING and use promo code STALKING at checkout.  Shopify shopify.com/strictlystalking for a one-dollar-per-month trial period! Boll and Branch Get twenty percent off your first order, plus free shipping during the Memorial Day sale at bollandbranch.com/strictly with code STRICTLY. Exclusions apply. Solace You can start a free session in under a minute at solaceconcierge.ai/strictlystalking.  REMI shopremi.com/strictly to get 50% off your new night guard with code STRICTLY Shopify shopify.com/strictlystalking for a one-dollar-per-month trial period! Whatnot Download the Whatnot app today and get free shipping on your first order. Just search W-H-A-T-N-O-T— Whatnot — in the app store and start scoring amazing deals. Progressive Insurance Press play on comparing auto rates. Get your auto quote at Progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive. Guest Links: Dr. Christine Cocchiola W: coercivecontrolconsulting.com  IG: dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol FB: dr.cocchiola.coercivecontrol | drchristinecocchiola TEDxTalks Video:  It's All Coercive Control For Protective Parents, get your free guide: Key Questions for Hiring Therapists or Court Professionals For Protective Parents and Clinicians, Attorneys, Advocates or other Divorce Professionals, get your free map: Clinical Implications and Interventions Related Podcasts The Last Trip - Podcast - hosted by Jaimie Beebe Listen & Subscribe Here: The Last Trip lovelustfear | with Jake Deptula Listen & Subscribe Here: lovelustfear Instagram @strictlystalkingpod @feathergirl77 @jaked3000

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon discusses how victim-playing abusers use guilt, empathy, and blame-shifting to make survivors feel responsible for the abuse they are experiencing. The episode looks at how an abuser may present themselves as wounded, abandoned, misunderstood, or mistreated in order to gain sympathy early in the relationship. But as the relationship continues, that same victim story can become a way to control the survivor, avoid accountability, win arguments, and make the survivor feel guilty for having boundaries. Brandon breaks down how this pattern can show up through jealousy, isolation, silent treatment, guilt trips, defensive abuse, smear campaigns, DARVO, and post-separation abuse. At the center of it all is a painful reversal: the person causing harm keeps finding ways to make themselves the victim of the person they are harming. *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode mentions suicide threats and self harm. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Colombia's 1994 World Cup squad carried into every match not only the weight of national expectation but the invisible psychological burden of operating inside a cartel-controlled threat environment where performance had life-or-death consequences they could not openly acknowledge or escape. This episode examines the forensic psychology of chronic coercive threat, how Pablo Escobar and rival narco organizations used the World Cup's global stage to amplify their soft power while players navigated terror, compliance, and the psychological splitting required to compete at the highest level under those conditions. The assassination of Andrés Escobar following Colombia's World Cup elimination is analyzed as a clinical case study in how criminal systems manufacture silence through ambient fear and what it costs individuals who become symbolic casualties inside an institution they never fully controlled.

Grief and healing can take us down paths we never imagined. In this conversation, we explore healing through storytelling, child safety advocacy, mental health awareness, and how one mother transformed unimaginable loss into a mission to protect other families.I sit down with Hope Hooton, author of There's Still Hope: A Journey of Adversity, Tragedy, and Unshakeable Faith, founder of Voices Against Filicide, and advocate for the Alec and Lydia Act. Hope shares the lives and legacies of her children, Alec and Lydia, and the devastating day that changed her life forever. She opens up about navigating grief, leaning on faith, and turning heartbreak into action.Together, we discuss coercive control, domestic violence, warning signs that are often overlooked, and why filicide remains a silent crisis affecting families across the country. Hope explains how she is working with legislators to create meaningful change through the Alec and Lydia Act and why child safety must always come first.This is a conversation about grief, resilience, advocacy, and finding purpose in the midst of unimaginable loss.In this episode:• Honoring the lives of Alec and Lydia• Understanding filicide and coercive control• Warning signs families should know• The importance of child safety reform• Turning grief into advocacy and action• Faith, healing, and resilience after lossConnect with Hope Hooton:Website: https://voicesagainstfilicide.odoo.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hope_in_the_pain/

What if the most dangerous spiritual abuse doesn't look abusive at all?What if it looks like loyalty, obedience, and being ‘on fire for God'?How theology, prophecy, and deliverance get distorted.Support this show!! : https://www.bibspeak.com/#donateGrab your free gift: the top 10 most misunderstood Biblical verses: https://info.bibspeak.com/10-verses-clarifiedJoin the newsletter (I only send 2 emails a week): https://www.bibspeak.com/#newsletterShop Dwell L'abel 15% off using the discount code BIBSPEAK15 https://go.dwell-label.com/bibspeakDownload Logos Bible Software for your own personal study: http://logos.com/biblicallyspeakingSign up for Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaig…Use Manychat to automate a quick DM! It's great for sending links fast.https://manychat.partnerlinks.io/nd14879vojabStan.Store—way better than Linktree! It lets me share links, grow my email list, and host all my podcast stuff in one place.https://join.stan.store/biblicallyspeakingSupport this show!! : https://www.bibspeak.com/#donate Dr. Anna Kitko originally a British-trained Cambridge graduate, Anna's clinical work focuses in the realm of Cults and New Religions by weaving together an eclectic background in Theology, World Religion, Christian Apologetics, and modern Psychology for a therapeutic experience that is spiritually focused and mindful of the boundaries of Holy Scripture. She carries two undergraduate degrees from the University of Florida in Philosophy and Religion as well as a Master of Biblical Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary. On top of this, Anna is a current Research Associate with the University of Salford, Manchester UK, carrying a Master of Science in the Psychology of Coercive Control and having authored the first psychometric in the world measuring spiritual abuse in demonic deliverance settings. Respectively, she is a member and regular lecturer for the International Cultic Studies Association and the Director of Theological Integrity for Ratio Christi: Campus Apologetics Alliance; an international Christian Apologetics network. Locally, Anna is Theological Director of Integrated Wellness Tennessee, a non-profit mission providing clinical mental health care to those in the community who otherwise could not afford care financially. Her expertise focuses on cases of spiritual abuse, cultic and coercive control, brainwashing, domestic violence, human trafficking, terrorism, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Dissociation, and spiritual pathologies such as Prelest. She is an unabashed Christian and the center of her therapeutic interventions is housed in an office modeled after a 12 th century monastic cloister. Anna possesses a knowledge of a vast array of historic therapeutic interventions from Mesopotamian exorcism protocols, to meridian work, and all the way to modern interventions such as Cognitive Processing Therapy and EMDR. She also is well versed in the healing of popular and fraudulent mental health interventions such as SOZO and Apostolic Demonic Deliverance. email: annakitko@ratiochristi.orgYouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@annakitkoRecommended reading inspired by this episode:

In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon breaks down the patterns in Tommy's story, including family scapegoating, public humiliation, body shaming, circular conversations, and the loss of safety inside the home. Tommy grew up with a father who needed control over the family image, the household rules, and the people around him. As Tommy got older, he became the target of criticism, shame, intimidation, and impossible expectations. In this debrief, Brandon explores how humiliation can be used as a control tactic, how a child can learn to disappear in order to survive, the fear of asking for help, and how reality control can make someone doubt their own reactions. Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A single allegation can now reroute a custody case before a judge ever weighs “best interest of the child.” We're sounding the alarm on coercive control laws and the way they're being used in separation and divorce, starting with Colorado's new HB 26-1309, the Abuse in Cases of Separation Act, taking effect August 12. Domestic violence is real and evil, but these statutes expand “abuse” into non-physical categories so broad that routine conflict, financial boundaries, and modern co-parenting logistics can be reframed as coercion.We walk through the exact mechanics that make this so dangerous in family court: the preponderance of evidence standard, the threshold domestic violence hearing, and the custody presumption that can label a parent “unfit” on a 51% finding. We also break down the three buckets that show up in real filings: coercive control language like “regulating everyday behavior,” economic abuse claims built from budgeting or cutting off access to joint credit, and technological abuse claims built from location sharing apps or digital account access. If you've ever thought “let's keep this civil,” we explain why that mindset can be exploited the moment you stop being compliant.Then we get tactical. We lay out a practical defense protocol designed to withstand subjective allegations: a complete communication lockdown using court-approved parenting apps, a forensic paper trail that proves consistency and good faith, and a law enforcement script that protects you when a call becomes part of the litigation playbook. If you're a dad navigating separation, divorce, or a high-conflict co-parent, this is the kind of preparation that can protect your parenting time and your future. Being unprepared is how great fathers become weekend visitors. Most ground is lost quietly through "drift" and decisions made under pressure. Stop the drift today at TheDivorcedDadvocate.com.Access your tactical tools:Risk Assessment: Identify your "quiet loss" exposure in 10 minutes.Protection Session: Book a private triage to ensure mistakes don't become permanent.Your kids are counting on you. Support the show

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon talks with Tommy, a survivor of childhood abuse who grew up as the scapegoat child of a malicious controlling father. From public humiliation and body shaming to gaslighting, circular logic, physical abuse, and impossible expectations, Tommy spent his childhood walking on eggshells while desperately trying to avoid becoming his father's next target. As the abuse intensified, Tommy learned to stay invisible, seek refuge at friends' homes, and eventually turn to alcohol to numb the anxiety, fear, and emotional pain that followed him into adulthood. Years later, after struggling with addiction, relapse, and grief, Tommy began confronting the root causes of his suffering and rebuilding his life through recovery. It's a story of scapegoating, humiliation, addiction, recovery, family dysfunction, grief, going no contact, narcissistic father, narcissistic abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, physical abuse, gaslighting, circular logic, triangulation, body shaming, complex ptsd, walking on eggshells, impossible expectations, coercive control, emotional neglect, death, blame shifting, darvo, infidelity, minimization, denial, and anxiety. *** CONTENT WARNING - We discuss physical abuse in this episode. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon Chadwick debriefs Porsha's story and explores how emotional neglect can be mistaken for independence, especially when a child learns to disappear instead of asking for care. Brandon discusses the lost child role, parentification, covert incest, sexualized boundary violations, enabling, alcoholism as an excuse for abuse, and the painful family message of “you know how he is.” This episode is a reflection on the child who was forgotten, emotionally used, and left to manage the weather of an unsafe home. *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode discusses covert incest (non-touching child sexual abuse) and physical abuse. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The Jimmy Rex Show, Jimmy sits down with Dr. Christine Marie, the psychologist featured in Netflix's hit documentary Trust Me, which became the #1 show on Netflix.Dr. Christine shares the incredible story of how she and her husband infiltrated the group led by self-proclaimed prophet Sam Bateman, gathered evidence against him, and helped expose years of abuse and coercive control inside a fundamentalist religious community.The conversation explores cult psychology, manipulation, religious authority, trauma, coercive control, deconstruction, and why intelligent people can find themselves trapped in destructive belief systems. They also discuss political cults, social influence, human behavior, and the psychology behind belonging and belief.This is a fascinating look inside one of the most shocking cult investigations in recent history.Follow Dr. Christine Marie: IG

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon talks with Porsha about growing up as the lost child in a family shaped by abuse, alcoholism, enmeshment, and covert incest. Porsha shares how she learned to stay quiet, disappear into books and activities, and survive by becoming as low-maintenance as possible. She also discusses the emotional burden of protecting a parent, the confusion of being sexualized and dismissed, and the long-term impact of being forgotten inside her own family. It's a story of the scapegoat, golden child, lost child, addiction, anxiety, CPTSD, neglect, enmeshment, covert incest, physical abuse, emotional abuse, gaslighting, enabling, enmeshment, neglect, people pleasing, self blame, generational trauma, and much more.  *** CONTENT WARNING - This episode discusses covert incest (non-touching child sexual abuse) and physical abuse. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse Q&A, Brandon talks about plausible deniability as a manipulation tactic in abusive relationships. Instead of focusing only on excuses or denial after the fact, this episode looks at how abusers can use suggestion, guilt, shame, concern, victimhood, and the illusion of choice to shape a survivor's behavior without ever making a direct demand. Brandon breaks down how this can show up through isolation, decision-making, body image, emotional responsibility, weaponized forgetfulness, and gaslighting. The episode also explores why this tactic can be so confusing for survivors, because the abuser may never say the controlling part out loud, while still steering the relationship exactly where they want it to go. Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How do you define a spiritual cult or high-control group?What separates deep commitment from coercion?Why is ‘high control' such a critical psychological category?Support this show!! : https://www.bibspeak.com/#donateGrab your free gift: the top 10 most misunderstood Biblical verses: https://info.bibspeak.com/10-verses-clarifiedJoin the newsletter (I only send 2 emails a week): https://www.bibspeak.com/#newsletterShop Dwell L'abel 15% off using the discount code BIBSPEAK15 https://go.dwell-label.com/bibspeakDownload Logos Bible Software for your own personal study: http://logos.com/biblicallyspeakingSign up for Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaig…Use Manychat to automate a quick DM! It's great for sending links fast.https://manychat.partnerlinks.io/nd14879vojabStan.Store—way better than Linktree! It lets me share links, grow my email list, and host all my podcast stuff in one place.https://join.stan.store/biblicallyspeakingSupport this show!! : https://www.bibspeak.com/#donate Dr. Anna Kitko originally a British-trained Cambridge graduate, Anna's clinical work focuses in the realm of Cults and New Religions by weaving together an eclectic background in Theology, World Religion, Christian Apologetics, and modern Psychology for a therapeutic experience that is spiritually focused and mindful of the boundaries of Holy Scripture. She carries two undergraduate degrees from the University of Florida in Philosophy and Religion as well as a Master of Biblical Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary. On top of this, Anna is a current Research Associate with the University of Salford, Manchester UK, carrying a Master of Science in the Psychology of Coercive Control and having authored the first psychometric in the world measuring spiritual abuse in demonic deliverance settings. Respectively, she is a member and regular lecturer for the International Cultic Studies Association and the Director of Theological Integrity for Ratio Christi: Campus Apologetics Alliance; an international Christian Apologetics network. Locally, Anna is Theological Director of Integrated Wellness Tennessee, a non-profit mission providing clinical mental health care to those in the community who otherwise could not afford care financially. Her expertise focuses on cases of spiritual abuse, cultic and coercive control, brainwashing, domestic violence, human trafficking, terrorism, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Dissociation, and spiritual pathologies such as Prelest. She is an unabashed Christian and the center of her therapeutic interventions is housed in an office modeled after a 12 th century monastic cloister. Anna possesses a knowledge of a vast array of historic therapeutic interventions from Mesopotamian exorcism protocols, to meridian work, and all the way to modern interventions such as Cognitive Processing Therapy and EMDR. She also is well versed in the healing of popular and fraudulent mental health interventions such as SOZO and Apostolic Demonic Deliverance. Recommended reading inspired by this episode:

In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon breaks down the key takeaways from Louise's story, including projection, financial dependence, post-separation abuse, and the slow erosion of reality inside a long-term abusive relationship. Louise's story shows how an abuser's conflicts with other people can become a warning sign, how small denials can train someone to question what they know, and how one person's version of reality can begin to dominate the entire relationship. It also looks at how financial abuse can continue long after separation, especially when agreements, employment, legal pressure, and money are used to keep someone unstable. This debrief is about reality being worn down over time, the exhaustion of defending yourself against projection, and the clarity that can come when the relationship finally ends and the pattern becomes impossible to ignore. Louise's Website: https://www.louisewilliamsonwriter.com/ Louise's Substack SEEDS: https://louisewilliamson2.substack.com/ Louise's Instagram: louisewilliamsonwriter Louise's Tik Tok: @louisewilliamsonwrites Louise's Book: My Husband, the Rabbit Hole and Me: When Marriage Became a Cult Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Louise shares the story of a 40-year relationship with a man who always seemed to be in conflict with someone else, until that conflict finally turned toward her. At first, Louise believed she was different. He could argue with colleagues, professionals, institutions, and family members, but with her, he seemed loving, principled, and safe. Over time, Louise's life became smaller around his needs, his career, his battles, his conspiracy thinking, and his version of reality. Louise's story is about subtle control, financial dependence, betrayal, gaslighting, privacy violations, and the shock of realizing that the person who once made you feel chosen can later treat you like the enemy. It is also a story about records, validation, rebuilding, coercive control, emotional abuse, financial abuse, post-separation abuse, divorce abuse, legal abuse, psychological abuse, reality distortion, betrayal trauma, infidelity,  conspiracy theories, financial dependence, projection, blame shifting, DARVO, enemy creation, and learning to stop blaming yourself for what you could not see at the time. Louise's Website: https://www.louisewilliamsonwriter.com/ Louise's Substack SEEDS: https://louisewilliamson2.substack.com/ Louise's Instagram: louisewilliamsonwriter Louise's Tik Tok: @louisewilliamsonwrites Louise's Book: My Husband, the Rabbit Hole and Me: When Marriage Became a Cult Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When we talk about cults, we tend to picture the ones that make headlines: isolated compounds, charismatic leaders, dramatic exits. But what about the church down the street? The one with the worship band and the small groups and the Instagram presence? In this episode, Sam Sellers and Elise Heerde, co-founders of the Religious Trauma Collective, talk about what happens when coercive control operates inside institutions that look, from the outside, like ordinary community. We also touch on evangelical support for Trump in the USA, and how Australia is not immune from those who would like to see a theocracy here.LinksReligious Trauma Collective — official websiteRTC Annual Online Event — running 19-21 June 2026Sam Sellers — Anchored Counselling ServicesElise Heerde — official websiteCredits:Produced by Sarah SteelMusic by Joe GouldYou can support Let's Talk About Sects here. If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you're in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com). Find Sarah's audiobook Do As I Say here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon breaks down the patterns in Blanche's story, including jealousy as coercive control, the role of an abuser's family in reinforcing abuse, and the fear, obligation, guilt, and shame that kept Blanche in the relationship longer. Brandon also discusses how post-separation abuse can escalate after a survivor leaves, and why Blanche's story is a powerful reminder that control often starts small before it takes over someone's life. *** CONTENT WARNING - We discuss graphic descriptions of physical abuse, suicide threats, and death threats in this episode. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Christine Cocchiola is back with a brand-new children's book called Every Moment of Every Day. It's a book for kids who are going back and forth between homes when one of those homes isn't safe. It gives children language for what they're feeling, and it gives protective parents a roadmap for how to support them when they come home. This book does something I haven't seen in any other children's book about divorce: it integrates somatic healing methods to help kids move out of survival mode and back into connection. It also gives children something abusers never do: choice and agency. We also talk about how to co-regulate when your child comes home dysregulated, which is so hard to do, but so incredibly important. And I ask Dr. C for her thoughts on the way narcissists and coercive controllers are often conflated. She explains why they are not the same. This is the kind of conversation that reminds me why we can't stop being fierce advocates for the people we work with every day. As Dr. C says, when kids finally connect the dots and the attachment gets rebuilt, it's the most beautiful thing to watch. And it starts with you. What you'll hear about in this episode: Why Dr. C wrote a children's book specifically for kids in shared custody situations with an abusive parent, and what she was trying to give them (4:59) How the book helps kids identify what they're feeling in their body, not just their emotions (6:43) What makes this book different from other divorce books, which tend to normalize and soften when kids actually need to be seen (9:53) How the book integrates somatic healing methods, and what that looks like in practice (10:42) Why narcissists and coercive controllers are not the same, and why that distinction matters enormously for how you navigate these systems (21:48) What Dr. C has learned from her own experience of parental alienation, and the beautiful reunification stories she's seeing now (34:12) Why telling your kids "Dad loves you and is doing the best he can" may actually be gaslighting them (37:33) Learn more about Dr. Christine Cocchiola: Christine M. Cocchiola, DSW, LCSW, is a recognized expert on coercive control and its impact on adult and child victims. As a college professor of social work, she earned her Doctorate in Clinical Social Work from New York University, where she was mentored by Dr. Evan Stark, a leading authority on coercive control. Dr. Cocchiola presents internationally on the dynamics of coercive control, educating professionals, advocates, and protective parents about children's lived experiences and the most effective intervention strategies for victims of abuse. A social justice advocate since age 19, she developed The Protective Parenting Program, an evidence-based, attachment-focused therapeutic model designed for parents whose children have been harmed by abusive partners. As both a survivor and protective parent, Dr. Cocchiola brings personal insight to her professional work. She is the author of the children's book Every Moment of Every Day and co-author of FRAMED: Women in the Family Court Underworld. Her TEDx talk with over 1.4 M views, "It is ALL Coercive Control," is available on YouTube.  Resources & Links: Registration is now open for the Unbreakable Retreat!Kate Anthony's Complete Parenting Plan Focused Strategy Sessions with Kate The Divorce Survival Guide Resource BundlePhoenix Rising: A Divorce Empowerment CollectiveKate on InstagramKate on FacebookKate's Substack Newsletter: Divorce Coaching Dispatch The Divorce Survival Guide Podcast Episodes are also available YouTube! Seven Step Mindset Reset for Divorce  Dr. Cocchiola's website Dr. C on Instagram Dr. C on Facebook =================== DISCLAIMER:  THE COMMENTARY AND OPINIONS AVAILABLE ON THIS PODCAST ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING LEGAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVICE.  YOU SHOULD CONTACT AN ATTORNEY, COACH, OR THERAPIST IN YOUR STATE TO OBTAIN ADVICE WITH RESPECT TO ANY PARTICULAR ISSUE OR PROBLEM. =================== Episode link: https://kateanthony.com/podcast/episode-370-the-book-every-protective-parent-needs-helping-children-heal-from-coercive-control-with-dr-christine-cocchiola/

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon talks with Blanche about her relationship with a dangerous jealous abuser. What began as jealousy, put-downs, and questions about her past slowly became isolation, physical violence, family-enabled abuse, threats, stalking, and a fight to get free. Blanche shares how her abuser used jealousy as a reason to control what she wore, who she spoke to, where she looked, and how much freedom she had. She also explains how the abuse escalated after she became more isolated, how his family reinforced his version of reality, and how leaving led to smear campaigns, stalking, and protection orders. It's a story of vulnerability, healing abuse, coercive control, intimidation, death threats, stalking, putdowns, family enablers, smear campaigns, suicide threats, stalking, gaslighting, support, isolation, protection orders, embarrassment, shame, and escape plans. *** CONTENT WARNING - We discuss graphic descriptions of physical abuse, suicide threats, and death threats in this episode. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse Q&A, Brandon talks about how abusers use exhaustion as a form of control. From constant monitoring and privacy violations to fear, guilt, gaslighting, circular conversations, lack of help, and sabotage, these tactics can slowly drain a survivor's energy, clarity, and sense of self. This episode looks at why abuse can become harder to name when you are worn down, why leaving can feel impossible when you are running on empty, and how abusers use confusion and depletion to keep the relationship centered around them. Brandon also discusses why rest, reflection, and separating your own feelings from the feelings someone else is trying to create can be an important part of getting clarity back. Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode continues the Heal NPD Seminar Series with Dr. Mark Ettensohn, joined by his associates Deanna Young, Psy.D., and Danté Spencer, M.A. In this session, the group examines a recent empirical study titled Coercive Control and Intimate Partner Violence: Relationship with Personality Disorder Severity and Pathological Narcissism (2025). The discussion responds directly to common claims in online discourse that narcissism inherently causes abuse, and asks a more precise question: What does the data actually show about the relationship between narcissism, personality dysfunction, abuse, and coercive control? The study reviewed draws on informant reports from long-term partners and family members of individuals perceived as highly narcissistic. Importantly, narcissism was rated by loved ones rather than self-reported, addressing a frequent critique of prior research. The findings showed no significant association between overall pathological narcissism and abuse, and only weak associations with coercive control. In contrast, overall personality disorder severity showed stronger and more consistent relationships with both abuse and coercive control, but these associations were still mostly weak. The group explores what this means clinically, emphasizing the distinction between personality style (such as narcissistic features) and personality organization or severity. The discussion clarifies why certain narcissistic subcomponents, such as exploitative behavior, entitlement-related rage, and grandiose fantasy, show limited associations with specific forms of harm, while many other narcissistic features do not. Key themes include: The difference between episodic abuse and chronic coercive control Why collapsing abuse into a single personality label is misleading The role of personality severity and impaired functioning across diagnoses The limits of trait-based and moralized explanations of harm Clinical implications for assessment, treatment, and stigma reduction Throughout, the conversation situates abuse as a highly overdetermined phenomenon influenced by many overlapping factors, rather than the inevitable outcome of narcissism or any single diagnosis. The session concludes by emphasizing the importance of dimensional, developmentally informed models of personality over reductive and stigmatizing narratives. This series is intended for clinicians, trainees, and viewers seeking a nuanced, non-moralizing understanding of narcissism, personality disorder severity, and relational harm. To learn more about our work, visit: www.HealNPD.org Additional Resources: Newsletter: https://healnpd.substack.com Assessment and therapy inquiries: https://healnpd.org/contact Purchase Unmasking Narcissism: A Guide to Understanding the Narcissist in Your Life: https://amzn.to/3nG9FgH   LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://rb.gy/cklpum LISTEN ON GOOGLE PODCASTS: https://rb.gy/fotpca LISTEN ON AMAZON MUSIC: https://rb.gy/g4yzh8 Article Cited and Discussed: Day, N. J. S., Kealy, D., Biberdzic, M., Green, A., Denmeade, G., & Grenyer, B. F. S. (2025). Coercive control and intimate partner violence: Relationship with personality disorder severity and pathological narcissism. Personality and Mental Health, 19, e70038. Full text link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/p...

In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon breaks down Val's story through the lens of trauma bonding, emotional punishment, silent treatment, intermittent reinforcement, and the long process of seeing the cycle clearly.  The episode also explores why leaving may require distance, and why the body often understands danger before the mind has the language for it. Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Journalist and broadcaster Rachel Johnson joins Andrew Gold to discuss the "tripwires" currently silencing British discourse. From her "Master" investigation into Neil Gaiman and the complexities of coercive control (33:00) to why she remains a "Remainer" despite the "4-hour biometric queues" of a post-Brexit world (16:00), Rachel pulls no punches. SUPPORT MY GUEST: - Follow Rachel Johnson on X: https://x.com/RachelSJohnson  - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/racheljohnsonpublic/  - Watch her The Master series on Neil Gaiman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh48rdEgLIg  - Keep up with her on LBC: https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/rachel-johnson/ SPONSORS: Support our sponsor: go to https://boncharge.com  and use code HERETICS to save 15%. Go to https://boncharge.com  and use code HERETICS to save 15%. Go to https://surfshark.com/heretics for 4 extra months of Surfshark  Get an exclusive 15% discount on Saily data plans! Use code andrewgold at checkout. Download Saily app or go to https://saily.com/andrewgold   Check Plaud UK: https://bit.ly/40Gzdh1  | US: https://bit.ly/475MQKe Notepro: https://bit.ly/479tWSR Organise your life: https://akiflow.pro/Heretics  Earn up to 4 per cent on gold, paid in gold: https://www.monetary-metals.com/heretics/  Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at https://mintmobile.com/heretics  We explore the "overcorrection" of the Boris-wave immigration, why the "center ground" is being treated as heresy, and the "puddle-deep" nature of modern political fame. Support the Heretics mission: Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations: Andrew Gold | Heretics. #RachelJohnson #BorisJohnson #UKPolitics #LBC #FreeSpeech #Heretics #AndrewGold #Islamism Join the 30k heretics on my mailing list: https://andrewgoldheretics.com  Check out my new documentary channel: https://youtube.com/@andrewgoldinvestigates  Andrew on X: https://twitter.com/andrewgold_ok   Insta: https://www.instagram.com/andrewgold_ok Heretics YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@andrewgoldheretics Chapters:  00:00  "This country has gone nuts"  05:30 - Should the Burka be banned?  09:00 - The "Boris Wave" of immigration  13:30 - Fined for stopping the boats?  16:00 - Almost divorced in a post-Brexit queue  20:00 - The "Anywhere" people vs. Sovereignty  23:45 - Is Europe becoming a Caliphate?  27:30 - Handling the "Islamophobe" label  33:00 - The "outside bath" & Neil Gaiman  37:15 - "Master" & Coercive Control  43:00 - Why I hate "cancellation"  46:50 - Boris's final morning in Downing Street  48:15 - The Queen's final advice: "Don't be ******"  52:10 - Is Israel an Apartheid state?  55:40 - Getting rid of "Victim Culture"  57:50 - Russell Brand & Noel Gallagher Madness 1:00:00 Rachel Storms Off Set! Is She Really Joking? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Val shares her story of a long marriage shaped by emotional punishment, silent treatments, rage cycles, financial manipulation, and the slow erosion of her sense of safety. What began as a natural friendship slowly became a relationship where Val was punished whenever her needs, feelings, accomplishments, or independence took up space. Her abuser withheld affection, withdrew communication, ruined birthdays and milestones, shifted responsibility onto her, and made his unhappiness the center of the relationship. Over time, Val found herself walking on eggshells, unsure what mood she would come home to, while trying to make sense of patterns that kept changing just enough to keep her confused. After years of emotional exhaustion and physical symptoms from the stress, Val began learning about emotional abuse and coercive control, and finally understood what her body had been trying to tell her. This is a story about silent treatments, trauma bonding, emotional withdrawal, financial control, rage cycles, trusting your gut, emotional punishment, silent treatments, rage cycles, coercive control, withholding affection, undercutting accomplishments, minimization, sabotaging milestones, ruining celebrations, punishing joy, resentment, contempt, walking on eggshells, intermittent reinforcement, blame shifting, entitlement, lack of accountability, victim mentality, unpredictable moods, Jekyll and Hyde abuse, gaslighting, self doubt, confusion, emotional exhaustion, and healing after abuse. Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon breaks down Angelica's story and the patterns of abuse beneath it, including rage, financial control, sexual coercion, physical violence, pregnancy, and the fear that can make leaving feel impossible. Angelica's story shows how coercive control can shrink a survivor's life one pressure point at a time. Her husband controlled money, work, transportation, the home, and the emotional atmosphere of the relationship, while Angelica tried to keep the family together and survive his escalating rage. This debrief looks at how fear, obligation, guilt, and shame worked inside Angelica's story, why financial abuse can become the infrastructure of entrapment, and how outside validation helped name what was happening as abuse. It is also a conversation about survival, leaving while pregnant, rebuilding safety, and trusting the part of yourself that knows something is wrong. Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Angelica tells the story of her controlling physically abusive relationship. Angelica's future husband was her child's martial arts instructor. Angelica saw him as responsible and safe. However, the persona Angelica's husband projected to the outside world was just a facade. Once they got married, Angelica's husband became very controlling, was unfaithful, and became sexually, physically, financially, and emotionally abusive toward her. It's a story of coercive control, rage, security, protection orders, excuses, feeling trapped, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse, and support. *** CONTENT WARNING - We discuss physical abuse and sexual abuse in this episode. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, we discuss how smart devices and smart technology can be used as tools of coercive control, surveillance, harassment, and post-separation abuse. Brandon talks about smart locks, cameras, doorbell systems, thermostats, smart speakers, connected cars, family accounts, AirTags, GPS trackers, and children's devices. He explains how these tools can be used to create fear, doubt, isolation, sleep deprivation, and a sense that the survivor is being watched even when they cannot prove it. The episode also explores tech-enabled gaslighting, intimate partner surveillance, AI-assisted monitoring, and the importance of safety planning before removing access or changing accounts. Brandon also shares practical steps for taking inventory, documenting incidents, checking shared access, creating new accounts, sweeping physical spaces, and finding tech-safety support. National Domestic Violence Hotline - 1 800 799 7233 NNEDV Safety Net Project - https://www.techsafety.org/ Refuge UK -  https://refugetechsafety.org/ Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon breaks down the patterns in Remy's story, including jealousy, projection, betrayal, and the complicated grief that can happen after an abuser dies.  Remy's abuser repeatedly accused her of the very things he was doing himself. His jealousy kept her defending her normal behavior, questioning her reality, and trying to gather enough proof to trust what she already knew. Brandon also explores how fear, obligation, guilt, and shame worked together in Remy's story, from the fear of his reactions to the obligation to be fair, the guilt of leaving, and the shame that came from questioning her own judgment. Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Remy shares her story of being in a long-term relationship with a jealous and hypocritical abuser. What began as intense attention from someone she remembered from high school slowly became a relationship shaped by accusations, projection, infidelity, physical intimidation, monitoring, and control. Remy talks about being accused of cheating while her partner was secretly pursuing other women, the way his jealousy made her defend herself again and again, and how the good times kept making the bad times harder to name. She also shares what happened after she finally left, including the post-separation harassment, the rebuilding of her life, and the complicated grief that followed when her abuser suddenly died. It's a story about trusting your instincts, projection, the strange mix of grief, relief, and anger, retraumatization, the death of the abuser, coercive control, jealousy, road rage, rage, infidelity, cheating accusations, being hypocritical, double standards, lies, fear, obligation, guilt, being chosen, intimidation, post-separation abuse, trauma bonds, intermittent reinforcement, hoovering, gaslighting, support, and shame. *** CONTENT WARNING - We discuss Physical Abuse in this episode. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Parker returns to share the story of her second abusive relationship with a petty emotional abuser. After leaving her first abusive marriage and being disfellowshipped from the Jehovah's Witnesses, Parker was isolated from family, friends, and the support system she had known her whole life. When a new relationship moved quickly into marriage, she thought she had found safety. Instead, the relationship changed almost immediately. Parker's husband used silent treatments, blame, financial control, intimidation, and constant punishment for perceived slights. He expected her to read his mind, made ordinary moments feel like offenses, accused her of being controlling, and turned his anger into something everyone in the home had to manage. It's a story of pettiness, emotional abuse, intimidation, control, love bombing, silent treatments, competence, support, getting your voice back, healing abuse, and healing trauma. *** CONTENT WARNING - We discuss sexual abuse and graphic abusive conversations in this episode. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon breaks down the major themes in Parker's story, including spiritual abuse, coercive control, suicide threats, custody abuse, and the way an abuser can use faith, community, and children as tools of control. Brandon explores how Parker's upbringing inside a high-control religious environment shaped her sense of obligation, how her abuser used those beliefs against her, and how fear, guilt, and responsibility kept her trapped longer. The episode also looks at suicide threats as coercive control, post-separation abuse through custody, and the long process of reclaiming your voice after being taught to stay quiet. *** CONTENT WARNING - We discuss Suicidal Ideation in this episode. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this rerelease episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Parker shares her story of growing up inside a high-control religious environment, surviving sexual assault as a teenager, and later marrying a manipulative and controlling abuser who used her faith, fear, guilt, and responsibility for the family against her. It's a story of spiritual abuse, coercive control, entitlement, escalations, suicide threats, post separation abuse, child hood sexual abuse, court, protection orders, parental alienation, putdowns, gender roles, patriarchal systems, distortion campaigns, and custody.  *** CONTENT WARNING - We discuss Child Hood Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse, & Suicidal Ideation in this episode. *** Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Narcissist Apocalypse Q&A, Brandon discusses why abusive partners often do not want to change, using ideas from Lundy Bancroft's Why Does He Do That? The episode looks at the rewards an abuser gets from abusive behavior, including power, control, privilege, free labor, financial control, double standards, and the ability to make everyone else organize their lives around the abuser's needs. Brandon also breaks down how these patterns become reinforced over time, and why abusive behavior is not just about anger, stress, trauma, or losing control. It often creates a life where the abuser gets their way, avoids responsibility, receives attention, and keeps the relationship built around their comfort. This episode is about understanding the benefits abusers receive from control, and why real change requires giving up the privileges abuse has created. Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Laura continues her interview with Sarah Ferris moving beyond the initial deception to unpack the deeper patterns, behaviours, and mindset of a conman - and what we must learn from it.   Laura and Sarah profile Peter Cowell, who posed as an Admiral, extracting money from senior leaders, veterans and even targeting former police detectives for an organisation he called IntSAR – the International Sea Air Rescue Service, a global humanitarian project with a military-style structure.  It turns out, it is a work of fiction.   Drawing on both lived experience and behavioural analysis, Laura and Sarah explore how perpetrators create influence, maintain control, and continue offending - often across multiple victims - while appearing credible and trustworthy to others.   Key Takeaways: • The Pattern Behind the Persona: Why conmen rely on consistency, charm, and credibility - and how this masks repeat offending • Grooming & Influence: How trust is built quickly and used to establish control and dependency • Serial Behaviour: Why there is almost always a history -and often multiple victims • Missed Warning Signs: How red flags are explained away, minimised, or only recognised in hindsight • Turning the Tables: The power of awareness, collective action, and refusing to stay silent • Prevention & Protection: Why recognising patterns early is key to reducing harm and protecting others   This conversation goes beyond the individual case - it is about understanding the psychology of deception and the patterns of behaviour that enable it.

In this debrief episode of Narcissist Apocalypse, Brandon breaks down Rebelle's story and the patterns that kept her tied to a relationship built on charm, fantasy, and control. What began as a relationship that felt like fate slowly became a cycle of gaslighting, stonewalling, weaponized incompetence, betrayal, and emotional exhaustion. Brandon discusses how Rebelle's strength was used against her, how her husband's woundedness became a way to avoid accountability, and how the dream of the relationship kept being revived just as she was close to leaving. The episode also explores the role of fear, obligation, and guilt in Rebelle's story, along with the escalation into legal abuse, financial control, smear campaigns, and post-separation abuse after she finally chose to leave. Click if you want to be a guest on our survivor story podcast, please send us an email at narcissistapocalypse@pm.me Click on the title to read about Coercive Control as Care: Signs & Patterns Sign up to our Domestic Violence Newsletter  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.