Understanding the Complex Relationship Between Trauma and Narcissistic Abuse
When somebody doesn't hold up those duties in a relationship, which is a common occurrence in a narcissistic relationship, there is betrayal. When those betrayals mount up and as a person experiences betrayal trauma, they experience a cascade of fallout that is similar to that of all trauma survivors.
Watch the video below as renowned experts Dr. Ramani Durvasula and Dr. Kate Truitt delve into the complex relationship between trauma and narcissistic abuse. In the video, they explore how trauma and development intersect with experiences of narcissistic abuse and highlight the often-hidden dynamics that influence how we understand ourselves and our place in the world.
Dr. Ramani Durvasula and Dr. Kate Truitt also incorporate the latest neuroscience to pinpoint healing opportunities for your clients and share steps you can use to help clients recover from trauma, build a path toward self-empowerment, and so much more.
Keep Breathing: A Psychologist’s Intimate Journey Through Loss, Trauma, and Rediscovering Life
Part memoir and part scientific exploration, Keep Breathing uses Kate’s own account as a case study to illuminate the common experiences in our human brain – deep love and devasting loss, exhilaration and pain, life and death – that have the power to both derail our lives and ignite us to rebuild, heal, and grow. Her deeply personal loss sheds light on the human spirit’s extraordinary ability to persevere and thrive in the face of suffering – providing readers with a roadmap to navigate their own paths to healing and self-discovery. With its raw yet warm candor, Kate’s brave storytelling exemplifies what it means to truly come back to ourselves.
Dr. Truitt leads her award-winning clinic, Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates in Los Angeles, and serves as CEO of the Trauma Counseling Center of Los Angeles and the Amy Research Foundation. She is also the founder of The Truitt Institute, creator of the NeuroTriad Model, and co-developer of the Havening Techniques. She has trained thousands of clinicians worldwide in neuroscience-based, trauma-informed approaches that help individuals and communities navigate loss while building pathways to resilience and meaning.
Her work has been featured in the BBC, Washington Post, Today and Oprah Daily, and she has presented at the United Nations and the US Department of Defense. As a member of the Goldie Hawn Foundation’s MindUP Scientific Advisory Committee and an advisor for the Kevin Love Fund and Girl Scouts of America, Dr. Truitt is a dedicated advocate for mental health literacy and expanded access to care. She is the author of Healing in Your Hands (2022) and Keep Breathing (2024), the latter offering an intimate exploration of love, loss, and rediscovering life.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Kate Truitt maintains a private practice. She is the CEO of the Trauma Counseling Center of Los Angeles. Dr. Truitt is the executive director and founder of Viva Excellence and Amy Research Foundation. She is the executive director to American Cognitive Training Association. She is the Chief Strategy Officer to The Havening Techniques. Dr. Truitt is a scientific advisor and board member to Anti-AgingGames.com and Goldie Hawn Foundation. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. All relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations have been mitigated.
Non-financial: Dr. Kate Truitt is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the American Cognitive Training Association, and the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Dr. Ramani Durvasula is a licensed, clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, CA, Professor Emerita of Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, and the founder and CEO of LUNA Education, Training & Consulting, a company focused on educating individuals, clinicians, and businesses/institutions on the impact of narcissistic personality styles. Her academic research was focused on the impact of personality and personality disorders on health and behavior.
She is an author of multiple books including Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship with a Narcissist, and ”Don’t You Know Who I Am?” How to Stay Sane in an Era of Narcissism, Entitlement, and Incivility and her newest book, It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People will be released in February 2024 (Penguin Life). Dr. Durvasula is a faculty member for the APA Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology, and a consulting editor for the journal Behavioral Medicine. She has spoken widely on the impact of narcissism on mental health , relationships, and the workplace. She also operates a popular YouTube channel and podcast (Navigating Narcissism). Dr. Durvasula is also working with PESI on the development of an educational and certification program for clinicians working with clients experiencing the fallout of narcissistic relationships.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Ramani Durvasula is the founder and CEO of LUNA Education, Training, and Consulting and has an employment relationship with the University of Johannesburg. Ramani Durvasula receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Ramani Durvasula is an associate editor for Behavioral Medicine. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science Society for Behavioral Medicine, and the International Association of Applied Psychology.
