by Christine Hammond on October 18, 2016
The other day I received a phone call from a narcissist raging over something that just occurred. Within 30 minutes, the narcissist had completely calmed down, the situation had radically deescalated, and there was a clear path forward. Even I, as someone who works with narcissists regularly, was shocked by the dramatic turnaround. Did I… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on October 18, 2016
Narcissists have the ability to charmingly convince people of anything they want to convey. Their manner of speech, intertwined with shallow flattery and a flashy smile, is woven with truths, half-truths, and fiction. While this might gain media attention for the pure entertainment value and seem innocent, it does have the potential to cause harm… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on September 19, 2016
The conversation begins so normally. There is good flow from one person to the next. Each hears and understands the topic at hand without any indication of stress. Then out of nowhere, it dramatically shifts. The conversation becomes one-sided, almost lecture-like, the words toward others are harsh and biting intertwined with statements of self-praise, and… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on September 13, 2016
Over the past several years, I have had the privilege of working with a handful of clients who have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) or what was once called Multiple Personality Disorder. I use the word “privilege” because gaining the trust and confidence of these clients is difficult but so worth the effort. Generally speaking, DIDs… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on September 6, 2016
The Overt Narcissists are easy to spot as they literally suck the life out of a room and absorb all of the positive and negative attention. They love to be on center stage, need constant admiration, crave affection even from inappropriate sources, and seek adoration affirmation. The Covert Narcissists (CN) or the Silent Narcissists are… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on September 1, 2016
It can be a daunting task to differentiate between personality disorders (PD). There is so much cross-over from one type to another that a person may appear to have multiple PD’s. While the DSM-V chose not to use the five model factor as described in Widiger and Costa’s book, Personality Disorders and the Five-Factor Model… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on August 18, 2016
It is easy to spot a narcissist by their speaking. The constant references to self, comparing them with others always coming out on top, the verbal assaults to disarm and belittle others, and insisting they deserve admiration for some achievement are all indicators. But when it comes to writing, it might be harder to identify…. (more…)
by Christine Hammond on August 12, 2016
One of the most frustrating experiences is to live or work with someone who is constantly passive-aggressive (PA). Their refusal to accept responsibility even for the most minuet things is aggravating. At home or work, there is a constant flow of tasks needing completion which are outside normal expectations. PA’s will not take the initiative… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on July 26, 2016
When adults realize they were the product of a narcissistic parent, it can shock them into a state of grief. Instantly, they go from idealizing the narcissist to grieving their lost childhood and the God-like image of their parent. Suddenly, the parent is transformed from larger than life to a deeply insecure human being. With… (more…)
by Christine Hammond on July 21, 2016
Healing from a narcissistic parent has a positive effect on all of the other close relationships in a person’s life. The distorted perception of reality a narcissistic parent imposes on a child can have damaging consequences as an adult at work and home. The lack of self-esteem, obsessive thinking, minimization of abuse, excessive anxiety, and… (more…)