Break Up with Narcissism

You’ve met the partner of your dreams. Everyone loves them. Within weeks, you’re making wedding plans and choosing kids’ names. Then suddenly, you can’t do anything right, you begin to doubt your sanity, and you find yourself being constantly corrected, cut down, and controlled. Welcome to life with a narcissist, says family therapist Kastner. The author, who has experienced narcissistic relationships herself, aims to help readers dig into their past, understand the ways of the abuser, and escape the relationship. She offers examples of dialogues and situations gleaned from clients’ files, showing how abusers gradually groom their subjects using manipulative actions including love-bombing, gaslighting, belittling, and stonewalling. The narcissist is described as lacking empathy, being hypocritical, and making their subject walk on eggshells. “Check-Ins” throughout the book prompt readers to put the abuser’s actions into writing, both as a reminder of the abuse and as evidence if needed for legal action. Kastner winds things up with step-by-step plans to escape the abuser and restore your life. For readers who find themselves in a similar situation, this is gold.

Dr. Alina Kastner is a systemic family therapist specializing in narcissism, emotional abuse, and sex therapy. Blending her clinical expertise with research and compassion, she is dedicated to helping clients heal and rebuild their lives. Based in Austria with her son, dog, and horses, Alina shares practical advice and insights on Instagram and TikTok (@dr.alinakastner). Break Up with Narcissism is her debut book, a powerful guide to breaking free from the grip of narcissistic abuse.