Healing Your Nervous System and Psyche from Narcissistic Relationships with Dr. Heather Kent

This week’s episode rounds out our series on what it means to "be seen" in multiple facets of our lives, while we attempt to self-actualize in these human suits and engage in our sacred work.

In this episode, Michelle is on the mic with Dr. Heather J. Kent a registered psychotherapist and trauma recovery specialist. She is the co-author of the newly released book, Wellness Wisdom, and the #1 Amazon bestselling author of the books Heal from Your Narcissist Ex and I Left My Toxic Relationship – Now What?

Michelle and Dr. Heather speak about …

  • The pros and cons of transitioning from a group practice to running a solo practice

  • How to forge a friendship and maintain strong friendships while being a writer and solopreneur

  • What are the signs of covert narcissism vs. grandiose narcissism and how do you spot them?

  • Running a practice with animal-assisted therapy, and how they can help patients heal from PTSD

  • Is it possible to be in a healthy, loving relationship with a narcissist?

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“Highly sensitive people are really susceptible because they’re all-in with whatever it is that they’re into, so when they commit to a relationship, they’ll do whatever they can to make it work. So it’s really challenging when we don’t have an awareness that we might be more susceptible to their kind of behavior and manipulation tactics.”
— Heather Kent
“Codependent behavior develops from abusive relationships — it may or may not be present previously. Certainly, if you have a history of narcissistic abuse, say with a parent or a previous relationship, codependent behaviors or insecure attachment behaviors would already be there.”
— Heather Kent
“If you look at a small child, or an angsty teenager, the world revolves around them in their brain. And that’s just part of development. But as we grow and understand our sense of self as it relates to the world, our worldview and our view of ourselves in the world changes. And so for narcissistic personalities, that just kind of doesn’t happen. They stay self-centered.”
— Heather Kent
“The thing about animals that’s different from humans is that animals offer unconditional love, and they don’t have judgment, and they don’t care about yesterday, and they don’t care about how you’re dressed, or whether you were on time. They don’t care about any of that.”
— Heather Kent
“Learning that we don’t have to be responsible, and that we actually are not responsible for how other people feel, that we are only responsible for our own feelings — is really important.”
— Heather Kent

    • Becoming the fullest version of yourself, whatever that means to you

    • Dealing with a narcissist, and moving past it

    • How Heather became an expert in narcissistic abuse and dealing with narcissists?

    • How someone develops a codependent behavior

    • How does perfectionism impact our ability to be seen as survivors of narcissistic abuse?

    • From someone who feels really secure and confident to terrified to be witnessed

    • Why should labeling be avoided by parents, and may negatively affect a child's development?

    • The difference between borderline personality and narcissistic personality disorder

    • Various narcissistic personality types

    • Not wanting to draw attention because they are so dreadfully afraid of outside criticism

    • Envious and jealous of others on the inside

    • Possessing narcissistic tendencies at various times and in various circumstances

    • Utilizing animal therapy to facilitate a form of somatic discharge in relation to impending trauma

    • Heather describes how using animals as therapy actually lessens pain

    • A rationale for why humans are more likely to trust animals than people

    • Is it possible to ever be in a loving, healthy relationship with a narcissist?

    • Learning that we are just accountable for our own emotions and that we don't actually have to be responsible for other people's feelings

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