There are certain things a person needs to consistently hear from a supportive person:

1. YOU HAVE A SOUND MIND.

2. TRUST YOURSELF.

3. LOVE & LOYALTY IS NOT CONTROL.

4. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE NEEDS & WANTS.

5. YOUR VOICE MATTERS.

YOU HAVE A SOUND MIND. This truth will help battle the lies, manipulation, gaslighting, and coercion you’re subjected to. TRUST YOURSELF. You have inner wisdom—like your central nervous system—telling you this situation isn’t sustainable.

No matter what the hurtful person says or does—no matter their justification or rationalization—they are deflecting personal responsibility onto you. It’s all a lie. They project their fears and shame onto you. They likely accuse you often or try small tests of loyalty to see if you are still under their control. “If you loved me, you’d do what I say.” Or a boss may say, “If you were a real team player, you would do this for the organization.” LOVE & LOYALTY IS NOT CONTROL.

In healthy dynamics, love and teamwork feels safe. There’s a joint-effort. Everyone takes some responsibility. Everyone owns up to their mistakes and communicates kindly through misunderstandings. YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE A VOICE. Loyalty feels mutual in healthy relationships and workplace dynamics. Even when both parties in a healthy dynamic, compromise on a solution or process, both parties win and lose. This happens because there isn’t one clear “winner” or “loser,” since each person has equal value in the relationship. In healthy compromise, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE NEEDS & WANTS.

Being in a relationship with someone who is narcissistic, antagonistic, critical, controlling, or emotionally manipulative can leave deep scars. This type of psychological harm is often invisible to others, yet its effects are very real: confusion, self-doubt, anxiety, depression, trauma symptoms, and feeling like you’ve lost yourself trying to make this dynamic work.

Has it worked for you?

At Hope Together Health and Wellness, we specialize in therapy for survivors of narcissistic abuse. Whether you are recovering from a toxic marriage, a painful breakup, family dynamics with a narcissistic parent, or workplace gaslighting, we provide evidence-based counseling in Michigan—both in-person at our Adrian office and statewide through secure telehealth.

At Hope Together Health and Wellness, Alicia Fowler, LMSW-C specializes in narcissistic abuse support and recovery, and provides therapy at her office in Adrian, MI and surrounding communities. She also offers telehealth sessions available anywhere in Michigan with a wide variety of hours to support your unique scheduling needs. Hope Together Health & Wellness offers a safe, supportive space to begin processing, expressing, and healing.

You may be asking yourself (or Google or ChatGPT) questions like:

• Is narcissism real or is it just a cultural trend?

• What are narcissistic traits?

• What are narcissistic tendencies?

• How to know if you’re dating a narcissist?

• What if I’m married to a covert narcissist?

• How to know if your boss is a grandiose narcissist?

• How to heal from narcissistic abuse?

It’s a lot to sort through…

You don’t have to do it alone.

Let’s sort through your hurt and confusion with a qualified mental health professional, who specializes in healing from narcissistic abuse and trauma.

Serving Adrian and Surrounding Michigan Counties

The in-person office of Alicia Fowler, LMSW-C is located in Adrian, MI. Many of her clients come from within about an hour’s drive, including:

• Lenawee County (Adrian, Tecumseh, Hudson, Blissfield, Onsted, Addison)

• Washtenaw County (Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Chelsea)

• Jackson County (Jackson, Brooklyn, Grass Lake)

• Monroe County (Monroe, Dundee, Temperance)

• Hillsdale County (Hillsdale, Jonesville, Reading)

• Livingston County (Howell, Brighton, Pinckney)

• Wayne County & Detroit Metro Suburbs

If you live outside this radius, our secure telehealth grief therapy is available anywhere in Michigan—from Detroit to Grand Rapids, from Lansing to Traverse City.