Kerry McAvoy

S3 EP60: Why I’d Snoop Again: How this Toxic Behavior Sometimes Provides Closure and Safety

Is it ever okay to go through your partner's phone? I've been guilty of snooping and might consider doing it again. Narcissists and toxic personalities are masters at creating ambiguity. My ex used to readily offer me his credit card after we first started dating. He'd send photos of broken machinery and take me on…

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S3 EP59: I Think My Pet is Being Hurt! The Danger Narcissists Pose to Our Animals

An all-too-common problem is narcissists and pets. Toxic people often pose a serious danger to our beloved animals. In this podcast, Lisa Sonni and Dr. Kerry discuss the relationship toxic people often have with their family pets. Narcissists will often shower animals with love and attention only to harm the pets in private. The self-help…

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S3 EP58: Did the Church Groom Me for Abuse? When Spiritual Leadership Becomes Toxic

Have you been a victim of spiritual abuse? It's not just interpersonal relationships that can be toxic, but also group systems and leaders. Many are stepping forward to expose toxic church leadership and oppressive and abusive spiritual belief systems. This week, Natalie Hoffman, author of Is it Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A…

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S3 EP57: Am I The Narcissist? When Toxic People Accuse You of Being The Problem

Have you ever wondered, “Am I the narcissist?” Have you been accused of being the problem?  In this podcast episode, Rossana Faye joins me to discuss how to know who's creating the chaos. Narcissists are notorious for never seeing themselves as the root cause, but how do we know that the issue isn't us?  And…

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S3 EP56: Is It Really Abuse If I Can’t Do What I Want? What is Coercive Control?

Is being overly controlling a form of abuse? In this podcast episode, Lisa Sonni joins me to discuss the subtleties of coercive control. Learn how to recognize the common control tactic of this insidious form of abuse. And this week's self-help tip is to assess how your partner's feelings and demands affect you. Are you…

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S3 EP55: When Stonewalling Is Used Against You: How to Disarm Toxic Interactions

Stonewalling or giving someone the silent treatment is one of the nastiest forms of unfair fighting. When we ignore or reject another person's bid for a connection more than thirty percent of the time, the likelihood the relationship won't make it dramatically increases. In this episode, Lisa Sonni joins me to discuss why stonewalling is…

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S3 EP54: What’s wrong with me? The Power of Gaslighting to Confuse and Control: Interview with Dr. Robin Stern

Have you wondered what's wrong with me? This could be a sign of gaslighting. Dr. Robin Stern, psychoanalyst, author, and expert on gaslighting, joins me to discuss the underlying dynamics of a toxic or narcissistic relationship. She delves into the hidden motivations of both the gaslighter as well as the gaslightee. •Learn more about Dr….

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S3 EP53: When Fear of Change Keeps You from Leaving: How to Say Goodbye to a Toxic Life

Leaving often brings along with it a fear of change. We might dread how change will affect our kids or our friendships. Maybe we're concerned about how leaving could disrupt life as we know it. In this podcast episode, Tara and Dr. Kerry discuss the fears of change they faced and how they overcame them…

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S3 EP52: Could Your Relationship be Making You Sick? The High Cost of Living With a Narcissist

Could living with a narcissist be making you sick? Are you struggling with more illnesses? Maybe you even have an autoimmune disease. In this podcast episode, Tara Blair Ball and Lisa Sonni discuss the invisible impact of living with a narcissist on our health. Learn how narcissists and other toxic people not only sabotage our…

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S3 EP51: Don’t Trust Yourself? How Self-Doubt Keeps Us Stuck in a Bad Relationship

Are you stuck in a bad relationship? Are you wondering if you have good enough reasons enough to leave? In this podcast episode, Rossana Faye, Rollercoaster of Love, joins to me to discuss how self-doubt can trap us in a bad relationship. How we can get stuck in our own heads, which only adds to…

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