In this episode of Recovery for the Narcissist, Dr. Eric Perry examines the deep emotional patterns that shape our reactions during moments of stress, conflict, and relational rupture. This episode explores the Victim Triangle and the foundations of Transactional Analysis, revealing how old childhood survival roles continue to shape our adult relationships in ways we often do not recognize.

Dr. Perry explains how the three roles of the Drama Triangle—Victim, Rescuer, and Persecutor—emerge not from weakness or malice, but from early attempts to feel safe, valued, and emotionally connected. He explores how these roles become automatic responses in adulthood, especially in relationships marked by emotional imbalance or narcissistic dynamics, and how they keep both partners stuck in cycles of misunderstanding and emotional defensiveness.

Listeners will learn about:

• The origins of the Victim, Rescuer, and Persecutor roles
• How Transactional Analysis shapes communication patterns
• Why familiar emotional roles feel like “home,” even when painful
• How these roles operate in narcissistic relationships
• The Empowerment Triangle: Creator, Coach, and Challenger
• How to shift from reactive patterns into conscious, grounded connection

Dr. Perry offers a compassionate and emotionally grounded perspective for those who find themselves repeating the same arguments, feeling emotionally hijacked, or trapped in roles they no longer want to play. Whether you identify with narcissistic traits or have struggled to maintain connection in difficult relationships, this episode provides clarity, language, and gentle guidance for stepping out of survival patterns and back into presence.

Tune in to understand how awareness, emotional honesty, and grounded self-connection can transform old relational scripts. Healing begins not by perfecting your behavior, but by recognizing the roles you were once forced to play—and remembering that you no longer have to live inside them.

Connect with Dr. Perry: https://drericperry.com

Own Your Stuff Online Coaching Group: https://drericperry.com/ownyourstuff

Empathy Awakening Workshop: https://drericperry.com/empathyawakening

Disclaimer: The content contained in this podcast is for general information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Listeners should not rely on the information provided for their own health needs. All specific questions should be presented to your own healthcare provider. Listening to this podcast in no way creates a professional/working relationship between the listener and the host. If at any time you have an emergency while listening, please contact your local emergency center immediately.

In this episode of Recovery for the Narcissist, Dr. Eric Perry explores the hidden emotional engine beneath narcissistic defenses: self-loathing. This episode examines how deep internal shame, formed early in life and carried silently into adulthood, shapes emotional reactions, relational patterns, and the need to maintain a polished exterior at all times.

Dr. Perry explains how this inner narrative—the quiet belief of not being enough—leads many individuals with narcissistic traits to perform strength rather than inhabit authenticity. He explores how self-loathing fuels perfectionism, emotional guardedness, and an intense fear of being truly known, while simultaneously creating a painful hunger for real closeness.

Listeners will learn about:

• How the false self forms as a protective performance
• The role of shame in shaping narcissistic identity
• The hidden emotional cost of maintaining the mask
• How self-loathing interferes with vulnerability and attachment
• Five pathways toward healing through honesty and compassionate self-contact

Dr. Perry offers a deeply humane perspective for those who have felt the exhausting burden of performing competence, confidence, or superiority while privately fighting feelings of unworthiness. Whether you have struggled to let others in or have pushed away love out of fear rather than indifference, this episode gives language and clarity to an emotional experience that rarely gets acknowledged out loud.

Tune in to discover how gentleness, patience, and emotional presence can slowly restore the connection between the self you show to the world and the self you’ve learned to hide. Healing begins not with perfection, but with allowing yourself to be seen—imperfectly, authentically, and without the armor of performance.

Connect with Dr. Perry: https://drericperry.com

Own Your Stuff Online Coaching Group: https://drericperry.com/ownyourstuff

Empathy Awakening Workshop: https://drericperry.com/empathyawakening

Disclaimer: The content contained in this podcast is for general information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Listeners should not rely on the information provided for their own health needs. All specific questions should be presented to your own healthcare provider. Listening to this podcast in no way creates a professional/working relationship between the listener and the host. If at any time you have an emergency while listening, please contact your local emergency center immediately.

In this episode of Recovery for the Narcissist, Dr. Eric Perry explores the delicate, often misunderstood moment that follows an interpersonal disconnect. This episode examines how micro-ruptures—those subtle moments when a tone shifts, a comment lands poorly, or a sense of distance quietly appears—can profoundly impact emotional safety long before anything is acknowledged out loud.

Dr. Perry unpacks why these moments are uniquely challenging for individuals with narcissistic tendencies. He explains how discomfort, shame, and the loss of emotional control can activate defensive strategies that feel instinctive in the moment but ultimately undermine trust and connection. Instead of regulating internally, many unconsciously reach for overt defense, covert defense, or premature repair—attempts to ease their own discomfort rather than meet the relational moment with presence.

Listeners will learn about:

• What micro-ruptures look like in real-life dynamics
• Why narcissistic individuals often rush to repair in order to regain emotional control
• The difference between emotional urgency and emotional responsibility
• How premature repair protects comfort but blocks connection
• Five essential practices for meaningful reconnection

Dr. Perry offers clear and compassionate insight for anyone who has felt the sting of a subtle disconnect—or for those who may unintentionally respond to these moments with speed rather than attunement. Whether you’ve sensed emotional distance growing without understanding why, or you’ve noticed your own instinct to “fix things” too quickly, this episode brings clarity, language, and a framework for authentic repair.

Tune in to discover how slowing down, staying present, and tolerating discomfort can transform a disconnect from a moment of emotional rupture into an opportunity for genuine reconnection. Healing in relationships begins not with perfection, but with presence, responsibility, and the choice to rebuild emotional safety one moment at a time.

Connect with Dr. Perry: https://drericperry.com

Own Your Stuff Online Coaching Group: https://drericperry.com/ownyourstuff

Empathy Awakening Workshop: https://drericperry.com/empathyawakening

Disclaimer: The content contained in this podcast is for general information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Listeners should not rely on the information provided for their own health needs. All specific questions should be presented to your own healthcare provider. Listening to this podcast in no way creates a professional/working relationship between the listener and the host. If at any time you have an emergency while listening, please contact your local emergency center immediately.