No Visible Bruises – Details, episodes & analysis

Join the waitlist for my Narcissistic Trauma Informed Coaching Certification: https://carolinestrawson.com/ntic-waitlist

Order my NEW book here: https://carolinestrawson.showit.site/book

In this episode, I explore the importance of addressing trauma and narcissistic abuse not just through traditional talk therapy, but also through somatic and nervous system-based approaches. I am passionate about advocating for a "top-down and bottom-up" approach that combines cognitive processing with healing the body and nervous system.

I share my own journey of discovering these somatic modalities and my frustration at being dismissed by the mainstream mental health system for not having a psychology degree, despite my extensive training and success in helping people heal. I am on a mission to bring more awareness to the need for integrating somatic practices into trauma and abuse recovery.

In this episode, we will explore:

• Why you can’t JUST talk about trauma and narcissistic abuse
• The importance of also feeling, processing, and healing the nervous system
• My personal experience with traditional talk therapy providing leading me to believe you can’t heal through talking alone
• My discovery of somatic modalities like EMDR, brain spotting, and breathwork to address the nervous system and body

Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Order my NEW book here: https://carolinestrawson.showit.site/book

In this episode, I explore the concept of reactive abuse - how narcissists can provoke their partners to react in ways that make the partner appear to be the abuser, when in fact they are the victim of the narcissist's manipulation.

I also discuss the feeling of not recognising oneself due to the changes in behaviour brought about by being in a relationship with a narcissist. I explain the dynamics of reactive abuse and provide guidance on how to navigate this challenging situation safely.

In this episode, we will explore:

• Understanding Reactive Abuse: What it is and how narcissists use it to manipulate their partners
• Navigating Safety and Exit Strategies: Prioritising safety when leaving a relationship with a narcissist
• Managing Emotional Reactions: Techniques for regulating the nervous system to avoid being provoked

Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Join my FREE Trauma Bonding Masterclass, 8pm BST Sunday 30th June: https://carolinestrawson.com/trauma-bond

Even if you can’t attend live, sign up to be sent a copy of the recording after it concludes.

Do you find yourself constantly attracting toxic and narcissistic individuals, unable to break free from the cycle? You’re not alone. This isn't just a coincidence—it’s an addiction. But rest assured, there is hope and a brighter future awaits you.

Reflecting on my own experience, I remember the dark days spent in a toxic and narcissistic relationship with my ex-husband. Each day, I felt more worthless, often finding my only solace in the comfort of baggy tracksuits. I was paralysed, unable to muster the energy or desire to do anything at all.

In this episode, we will explore:

• Why We’re Drawn to Narcissists
• Breaking Free from Abusive Relationships
• The Brain and Body's Role in Trauma Bonding

This cycle of despair is rooted in a phenomenon known as trauma bonding. Trauma bonding is more than just an emotional connection; it’s a physiological addiction that takes hold within our bodies, always hoping for a lasting change that never comes. Understanding this can be the first step towards breaking free and reclaiming your life.

Podcast Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Do you ever wonder why you react in the way you do and wish that you had a positive response instead of what always seems to be a negative response? If so, tune in, as in this episode I’ll break down Polyvagal Theory and how it teaches us how and why our responses are often automatic. By knowing how our nervous system controls our responses, we can start to point ourselves in the direction of growth by integrating a recovery programme that can change how we feel for the better. 

What you will learn in this episode:

• What Polyvagal Theory is and how your vagus nerve regulates your reactions
• The science behind trusting your gut
• How cortisol and adrenaline play a role in your perception of narcissistic abuse

I’ll also discuss how you can use the traffic light system to define where you are in your trauma recovery. At the end of the day, I want you to know how you can turn your pain into your purpose, and by learning more about your nervous system, you’ll be able to create a recovery plan to influence how your nervous system can help you for the better. If you want to learn about these topics on a much greater scale, you can check out my Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme here: https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse

Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

In this Survivor Stories episode, you’ll meet Sarada Rao, a Narcissistic Abuse Survivor and one of my students in my Accredited Narcissistic Trauma Informed Coaching Certification who is driven to help women from the South Asian Community. We’ll discover how Sarada is turning her pain and struggle into her purpose and strength to help women from the South East Asian community to recognise narcissistic abuse and recover from it.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Sarada’s story of recovery from narcissistic parents to an arranged marriage with a narcissist
• How the South East Asian culture creates abuse and narcissism
• What post-separation abuse is and how to deal with it

Sarada discusses how she discovered what narcissism is after a childhood of narcissistic abuse from her parents which led to an arranged marriage with a narcissist. Then throughout the episode, we’ll see where Sarada is now, so that women, especially those from the South East Asian community, can see what the light at the end of the tunnel can look like in terms of recovery from narcissistic abuse. 

Connect with Sarada:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolution.of.sarada/

Resources:

• Become an Accredited Narcissistic Trauma Informed Coach: https://go.carolinestrawson.com/NTICC3

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse

• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse

• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/

• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Today’s episode is this month's "Ask Me Anything" where I get to answer the questions you’ve been sending in! In this episode, I discuss topics ranging from why you may be struggling to find the energy to exercise because of a trauma response, to the number #1 thing that you can do to get back into dating. I’ll also discuss how to stop your children from developing narcissistic behaviours when they spend time with your narcissistic ex-partner and if a narcissist can actually be cured.

Questions in this episode include:

• Why is it so hard to find any energy and exercise?
• My 7-year-old son is exhibiting narcissistic behaviours...Help!!
• Can you cure a narcissist?
• How can I start dating again after the narcissist?

My aim for these episodes is to make sure I’m discussing topics that directly impact you, so I hope my answers help you in a strong recovery from narcissistic abuse. Every first Tuesday of each month is an "Ask Me Anything" episode, so please send in your questions to hello@carolinestrawson.com where we will endeavour to answer them either in these Ask Me Anything episodes or as a topic for a full episode!

Resources:

• Discover the psychology of a narcissist in my FREE masterclass: https://go.carolinestrawson.com/join-my-masterclass
• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 

Have you left a narcissist and want to get back into dating, but are now scared you may fall into a relationship with another narcissist? If so, this episode is for you. Dating can be hard for anyone, but it’s particularly difficult, and even traumatic, for those of us who have been in a narcissistic relationship. In this episode, I’ll help you rediscover your confidence to start dating again by showing you what a narcissist looks for in a partner, so you can avoid those “attractive to a narcissist” behaviours. 

What you will learn in this episode:

• The traits narcissists will look for in you
• How to see the early warning signs of a narcissistic personality
• What steps you can take to safely start dating again

I’ll also discuss how there are many types of narcissists, from covert to overt, grandiose to vulnerable, as it’s important to recognise what type of narcissists are out there to improve your chances of avoiding them. I hope that with the information in this episode, you can move from post-traumatic stress to post-traumatic growth and find yourself in a happy and functional relationship going forward. 

Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Have you been in a narcissistic relationship and are now scared to jump back into the dating scene for fears of ending up with another narcissist? If so, this episode is for you. By getting back into dating, we further our path to recovery, so it’s important to prepare ourselves for dating and to avoid falling into a narcissist's trap. One of the ways to avoid narcissists is to understand how they use love bombing to entice you into a relationship. 

What you will learn in this episode:

• What love bombing is and how to see the red flags 
• How to start dating again whilst avoiding narcissists
• What co-dependency is and how protector parts work inside of us

We must remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel! There is hope. We may date some more narcissists along the way, but I hope with the information in this episode you can avoid them and end up growing into a great relationship. 

Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

In today’s episode, I hear Aneela Mehkri’s story of how she knew that something was always wrong with her mum, but she didn’t know it was Narcissism until she was 30. We’ll learn how a household of dysfunction, arguments, and fights led to Aneela discovering what narcissism is and how it impacted her life emotionally, mentally, and physically.

What you will learn in this episode:

• What Enmeshment is and how it plays a role in Aneela’s life.
• How to learn to trust your feelings and listen to your body.
• Why abuse is abuse. Just because they’re family, it doesn’t excuse abuse.

Aneela discusses how her mother and the culture in Pakistan caused her to have insecurity growing up by teaching her to not discuss what was happening inside her household with other families and friends. We’ll then learn how Aneela got on the pathway to recovery from her mother's narcissism and the wounds it caused, and how she is now helping others heal from narcissistic abuse with her work as a Humanistic Integrative Therapist.

Connect with Aneela:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aneelamehkri/?hl=en

Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/

Have you ever said to yourself “I feel so stupid… I’m so fat… I’m so ugly?” If so, you’re not alone. I used to say those words to myself all the time, I felt disgusted at myself and I definitely didn’t want to look at my body in the mirror. This was all happening whilst I was married to my narcissistic ex-husband, he had deeply impacted my sense of self and my physical appearance is what I honed in on.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why we can body shame ourselves whilst being in a narcissistic relationship.
• How to stop negative self talk and start to love ourselves.
• What IFS is (internal family systems) and how it can be extremely powerful in creating transformation in each one of us. 

Body shaming can be a huge part of narcissistic abuse, because we’ll blame ourselves for what’s happening and take it out on ourself. My hope for this episode is that I can put you on the right track to love yourself and feel comfortable in your own body in the process of healing from narcissistic abuse. 

Here is the link to book your FREE call with one of my Narcissistic Abuse Ambassadors to get your very own Personalised Healing Map with the steps to start your healing journey with where you are right now: https://go.carolinestrawson.com/personalised-healing-map-call

Resources:

• Join my FREE Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriveafternarcissisticabuse
• Access my low cost Narcissistic Trauma Recovery Programme https://go.carolinestrawson.com/heal-the-trauma-of-narcissistic-abuse
• Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestrawson/
• Find me on TikTok!: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolinestrawson 
• My website: https://www.carolinestrawson.com/