Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

This week’s fan mail dives into two powerful questions about surviving emotional abuse.

First, Dr. Kerry explores what it means when you stop crying—and why emotional shutdown can be a survival mechanism in toxic relationships. Then she tackles whether the sunk cost fallacy is really what keeps us stuck with a narcissist, or if something deeper is at play.

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If you would like your question addressed on air, please respond here!

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Stay in Touch Dr. Kerry!

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

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Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Going through a custody battle or divorce with a narcissist? The you know the legal system can feel stacked against you.

This week, former family law judge and attorney Michele Locke reveals exactly how narcissists twist the truth, exploit legal loopholes, and weaponize the court process — and what you can do to outsmart them.

Whether you’re divorcing a narcissist, navigating parental alienation, or preparing for a high-conflict custody hearing, discover the insider tools to safeguard your case and your peace of mind.

Podcast Extra Exclusive Interview

Find it here the exclusive interview and weekly newsletter.

More About the Podcast Extra Interview

🔹 Choosing the wrong attorney in a custody battle can cost you more than money—it can cost you your case.

In this members-only conversation, former family law judge Michele Locke shares how to spot when your lawyer isn’t the right fit, why survivors of toxic relationships are at higher risk of hiring another toxic professional, and exactly what to do if you need to make a switch mid-case.

You’ll discover early red flags that your attorney might derail your custody fight, why “feeling comfortable” can sometimes be the wrong signal, and how to protect yourself from repeating old relationship patterns in the courtroom. But most importantly, learn how to replace your lawyer without sabotaging your case.

Get immediate access to this extended interview—and make sure the person representing you is truly fighting for your future.

👉 Join today: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse.

More About Michele Locke:

Website: https://www.coldwellbowes.com/people/michele-l-locke

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/attorneymichelelocke/

Podcast - LoveLustLaw: https://www.michelelocke.com/podcast

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Stay in Touch Dr. Kerry!

• Youtube
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook

More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Support the show

Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

What do you do when you can’t just cut off a toxic person?

This week’s Fan Mail question comes from a YouTube listener who asks: “How do I stop the cognitive dissonance and self-doubt when I can’t go no-contact with a toxic person?”

In this episode, Dr. Kerry explains why cognitive dissonance is such a powerful trap in emotionally abusive relationships—especially when you’re forced to maintain contact.

Submit Your Question

If you would like your question addressed on air, please respond here!

****************************************

Stay in Touch Dr. Kerry!

• Youtube
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook

More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Support the show

Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Why do so many survivors miss they’re being abuse?

In this Labor Day Special, I’m revisiting three powerful interviews that follow the journey from denial to freedom.

First, we explore how abuse often hides in plain sight, even for smart, capable people. Then, we examine how cognitive dissonance keeps you stuck. Finally, we describe what late-stage cognitive dissonance sounds and feels like—when you barely recognize yourself, and know you have to leave.

Whether you’re still in or out of a toxic relationship, learning to recognize the psychological patterns can help you plan your next step toward freedom.

Although there’s no Podcast Extra interview, in this week’s newsletter we take a deep dive into the underpinnings of cognitive dissonance, including if abusers’ intentionally created it to keep you stuck.

Have a Fan Mail Question? Submit it here!

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Stay in Touch Dr. Kerry!

• Youtube
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook

More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Is my daughter-in-law a malignant narcissist? How did she hide her worst qualities for so long?

Today, Dr. Kerry answers 2 listeners’ questions.

The first is from New York, New York about narcissists’ public and private personas. Many narcissistic individuals create a false mask to hide their worst qualities.

The second comes from Southern Pines, North Carolina, who wants to know more about love-bombing.

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION!

If you would like your question addressed on air, please respond here!

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Stay in Touch Dr. Kerry!

• Youtube
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook

More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Support the show

Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

What if the person you fell in love with never really existed?

In this episode, Dr. Nae — psychologist, author of Run Like Hell, and former wife of the real “Wolf of Wall Street” — exposes how master manipulators use love-bombing, mirroring, and coercive control to create a false sense of intimacy.

Learn:

• How abusers build a fake romantic persona to hook their targets
• Why trauma bonds are so difficult to break, even when you see the truth
• The role of cognitive dissonance in keeping survivors trapped
• How society’s myths about relationships can deepen the self-betrayal
• Steps you can take to reclaim your identity and self-trust after abuse

Podcast Extra Exclusive Interview
Find it here the exclusive interview and weekly newsletter.

More About the Podcast Extra Interview

🔹 Leaving a trauma bond isn’t just about walking away—it’s about planning your freedom in a way that keeps you safe.

In this exclusive podcast extra conversation, Dr. Nae—psychologist, author of Run Like Hell, and former wife of the “Wolf of Wall Street”—shares the exact steps survivors need to protect themselves before, during, and after leaving a toxic relationship.

Get immediate access to this extended interview for effective strategies and confidence-building insight.

👉 Gain access today

More About Dr. Nae

• Website
• Instagram
• Book: Run Like Hell

Have a Fan Mail Question?

Submit it here!

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Stay in Touch Dr. Kerry!

• Youtube
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook

More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

Welcome to our new podcast segment called Fan Mail! This is where Dr. Kerry answers your questions.

To kick off our weekly bonus episode, Dr. Kerry is responding to a listener who writes, “He has destroyed me and my world after 16 years of marriage.” -- from Westminster California

More About the Episode

Today Dr. Kerry answers two fan mail requests:
1. "Please address abuse from a man's perspective." -Cleveland, Ohio
2. "I can't heal...He's successfully destroyed my world. -Westminster, California

Submit Your Question

If you would like your question addressed on air, please respond here: https://kerrymcavoyphd.fillout.com/fan-mail

Stay in Touch Dr. Kerry!

• Youtube
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook

More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships. She hosts the Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse podcast and offers trauma-related advice on social media.

Support the show

Submit your question be answered on air to the Fan Mail link below!

What’s the single biggest giveaway that someone lacks emotional maturity — especially when the pressure’s on?

In this episode, Dr. Les Carter, psychologist, best-selling author, and expert on narcissism and emotional health, reveals the #1 sign of low emotional maturity during conflict. We dive into how this pattern plays out in everyday disagreements, why it derails problem-solving, and what you can do to protect your own emotional space when dealing with it.

You’ll learn:

• The clearest sign of emotional immaturity — and why it instantly escalates tension
• How emotionally immature people use defensiveness and blame-shifting to avoid responsibility
• Why maturity is measured less by age or intelligence and more by emotional steadiness
• Practical strategies to keep your composure and avoid getting pulled into reactive cycles

Whether you’re navigating conflict with a partner, family member, or coworker, this conversation will help you spot the signs early and respond in a way that keeps you grounded and in control.

Podcast Extra Exclusive Interview
Find it here for the exclusive interview and weekly newsletter.

More About the Podcast Extra Interview
🔹 Ever wish you could walk away from a heated argument without feeling guilty—or second-guessing yourself?

In this exclusive bonus conversation, Dr. Les Carter shares his best strategies for stepping out of circular or controlling exchanges before they drain you.

You’ll learn how to recognize the exact moment a discussion turns unproductive, spot the subtle tactics that keep you stuck, and drop the urge to “win” in favor of preserving your peace.

Get immediate access to this extended interview—and start building the clarity, confidence, and self-trust you deserve.

👉 Gain access today!

More About Dr. Carter
Books:

• The Anger Trap: Free Yourself from the Frustrations that Sabotage Your Life
• The Anger Workbook: An Interactive Guide to Anger Management
• Imperative People - Those Who Must Be in Control

Have a Fan Mail Question?

Submit it here!

****************************************

Stay in Touch Dr. Kerry!

• Youtube
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook

More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leavi

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show