The Adult Lives of Children of Narcissistic Parents

In this Interintellect Salon, Matjaž Leonardis will host a conversation on life trajectories of children of narcissistic parents and their common life and relationships problems. 

The stories are different, but the patterns repeat.

Whether it one failed relationship after another, one career change after another, patterns of behaviour that alienate others or difficulty with dealing with certain kinds of emotions many people who face these challenges don’t realise that they might have a cause that goes beyond their present situation.

Indeed the thoughts and feelings that are often behind these patterns – pervasive feelings of unworthiness and shame, of not being good enough, identity issues, difficulties with establishing boundaries and forming authentic and stable relationships with other people all have a self-fulfilling character to them.

Given the lack of social understanding and the alienation these issues bring about they often leave those suffering with them with no understanding and no help.

In this salon we will explore the lives of children of narcissistic parents, what problems their upbringing is thought to give rise to and how to move beyond them.

Optional reading list:

• Narcissistic Parent
• https://theawarenesscentre.com/narcissistic-parent/
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2016/07/09/how-being-raised-by-a-narcissist-damages-your-life-and-self-esteem/
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communication-success/201602/10-signs-narcissistic-parent
• https://goop.com/wellness/relationships/the-legacy-of-a-narcissistic-parent/

Further reading:

• The Drama of the Gifted Child, Alice Miller
• Toxic Parents, Craig Buck and Susan Forward
• Will I Ever Be Good Enough? Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers, Karyl McBride