Bullies, narcissists create cults

One of Ralph’s daughters tried to bully Ralph into giving her everything she wanted at every moment to make up for the sins she felt he’d committed years ago.  Ralph and the other children thought his only fault was giving her too much.  She tried to rally the other children to beat Ralph into submission or she tried to manipulate them into hating Ralph.  Everyone in the family knew it was her way or the highway; there was no in between, no peace except through taking her side.  They knew disagreement started a war to the death with her.

Rachael’s parents always controlled her.  When she was growing up, if she didn’t do exactly what they wanted, she was abused physically, mentally and emotionally.  Her most important job was to be obedient, to submit and to serve.  Even though she was now grown and had her own family, they told her she had to honor them by doing everything they wanted immediately.  If she ever protested or refused, they got everyone in the extended family to threaten her.  They also got everyone in town and in the Church to pressure her.

Bullies and narcissists create cults.  Some of the characteristics of these cults are:

1. You don’t know what’s right or true; you can’t trust yourself or your judgment.  That message to Rachael created great self-questioning and self-doubt all her life.  She lacked self-confidence and self-esteem.  She couldn’t trust her intuition.  For example, when she was tormented by her parents, they said those were acts of love.  She should feel guilty if she disagreed or was angry.
2. They’re right; they know everything; they can justify everything; you must submit to their wisdom and authority.  Ralph’s daughter knew the truth about every voice tone or facial expression she didn’t like.  Everything Ralph did showed he loved the other children more.  Nothing he did was ever right or good enough, even when she changed her mind every moment about what she wanted.  It was all-or-none, black-and-white; she knew everything, he knew nothing.
3. You must believe everything; you must follow all the rituals the way they want.  Rachael’s parents insisted she never doubt or question their authority.  All family holidays and birthdays must be done exactly the way they wanted or else.  Rachael’s parents insisted she shun anyone they didn’t like at the moment, including her husband’s parents.  She was not allowed to be nice to them.
4. You must be their slave or servant.  Ralph must sacrifice everything for that one daughter and leave everything to her.  He must rescue and enable her whenever she wanted.  His wishes didn’t count, only hers were important.  He must submit to her verbal beatings with a smile and grovel for her forgiveness.  He could show he was sorry and took all the blame by giving her everything.  She treated him with contempt.
5. You are held hostage; if you try to leave the cult you’re an infidel; people who are not in the cult are infidels.  Anyone who didn’t agree with Rachael’s parents were bad and sinful, and whatever was done to them was deserved.  Minor infractions could be treated with major punishment.  If Rachael ever tried to leave the cult, they would pursue her, ruin her; she would fail in life, starve, be alone forever or be damned to hell.  Everyone should attack her because that’s what we must do to infidels.  They used force, emotional blackmail, manipulation and guilt.

Ralph and Rachael felt stuck.
They correctly saw they were being presented with all-or-none choices: submit or lose everything.  Ralph would never see one set of grandchildren and might be estranged by his other children also.  Rachael was haunted by guilt and fear if she didn’t give in to her loving and needy parents.

Both Ralph and Rachael faced their choices and decided they would not be slaves or servants to bullies or narcissists, even in their own families.  They would not accept the abuse; temper tantrums were not acceptable; no excuses.  They required high standards of behavior.  

They were surprised.
When they took strong stands, many people took their sides, including Ralph’s other children and Rachael’s husband and children.  They’d simply been waiting for Ralph and Rachael to stand up for themselves and for high standards of polite, civil behavior.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Narcissists are rotten apples

One of Polly’s daughters had always been selfish, narcissistic, entitled, demanding and RIGHT.  At 35 she’d become even worse.  Polly or her other children could never do anything good enough.  Her daughter’s demands changed and escalated every moment.  She was relentless in her bullying and abuse.   She fought as if every little thing was life-or-death.

Sometimes she was overt – throwing things, yelling, spitting or hitting whoever she was angry at.  Sometimes she was sneaky and manipulative – making up lies, slyly spreading poisonous opinions, stimulating people to feel insulted or left out, lying and backstabbing with a smile.  She’d organize other people as her “flying monkeys” to attack her scapegoat of the moment.

One rotten narcissist can spoil a whole barrel of good apples.
Polly was very competent.  She could always find ways of bringing other people together and negotiating peace.  But nothing had ever changed her bullying, narcissistic daughter.  It was her daughter’s way or a fight to the death.  The rest of Polly’s children gave in; “That was the way she always was.”  Polly had never stopped her, so they simply abandoned the fight.

Holidays always ended in anger and fights because somebody had always offended her daughter.  Polly’s family was falling apart.  Her children didn’t want their children to be with their sister and her children.  The pain and poison were spread all around.

Polly finally accepted she couldn’t rescue her daughter; it was above her job description.
The price of enabling her daughter to control the whole family was losing her family.  The other children were becoming selfish and nasty, or victims in order to protect themselves from emotional damage.  Trying to reason with her daughter would not save the barrel.  It’s as useless as trying to resist gravity by flapping your arms.  Giving in to gravity is hard for smart, competent people who’ve always been able to find solutions.

Polly accepted she was not giving up on her daughter; she was simply accepting gravity and the need to remove a rotten apple before all the other apples are ruined.  It was her job as the mother to save as many of the good apples as she could.  And to pray for her daughter.

Polly had to use strong measures, e.g., police and social services, before her daughter was forced to accept help.  That was the only way Polly could see to save her grandchildren from their toxic, narcissistic mother.  Polly was surprised that when she stopped letting her daughter act out, her other children rallied behind her.  But that’s the way it usually is.

We can also look at narcissists like we look at infected splinters or cancer cells.  We all know what we need to do.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Bullies, narcissists know better than you do

Olive’s abusive, bullying, narcissistic parents always knew better than she did.  She learned very early never to speak up.  Her wishes were simply ignored or she was beaten physically and verbally for being selfish and prideful enough to voice her opinion in defiance of theirs.  She was guilty of the worst sin – thinking she knew what was best for her.

They married her to a man who started where they left off.  She must submit to his authority, values and wisdom.  She could never convince him she was right.  When she had evidence, he lied or changed the subject.  As far as he was concerned, she was selfish; never loving or caring enough.  She was not a good enough wife.

Beware of bullies and narcissists who know better than you do.
Kids must learn to trust their accurate sense of what’s going on and then to distrust their suspicions based on fear and wishful thinking.  Bullies and narcissists try to destroy your inner sense of self; your inner Knowing that you see and hear what’s actually happening.  They try to create self-doubt, to destroy your self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth. They want you to think you’ll be all alone if you leave.  They’re trying to convince you that resistance is futile.

Olive could never set boundaries.
No matter how logical and reasonable Olive was, no matter what evidence she offered, her parents and husband never gave in.  They told her to take the “High Road,” which meant doing what they wanted.  Whatever she demanded something, they simply ignored or manipulated her by agreeing but not doing what she wanted.  They felt justified trampling on her boundaries.  She just didn’t understand; they knew better than she did.

Trust your gut’s Knowing even if you can’t prove it in court; protect and defend yourself from their mind-control.
When we’re kids, we need people to feed us.  One survival strategy is to duck and keep out of harm’s way as best we can.  We accept their control in order to survive.  Good idea.

We must keep our Spirit hidden and strong until we can get out of prison.  When we’re adults we can escape.  Then we must pit our own experience and wisdom against all of theirs.  We must stand up in the face of all of them and say, “No.”  We can escape from their cult, which was established on our fear and guilt; our distrust of our own feelings and Knowings.  

Stop talking to bullies and narcissists and go where your voice is respected.
With narcissists and bullies you can never set boundaries through talking or threatening.  End the torment by getting away.  No matter how hard.  No matter how long.

Only by clearing our personal space of bullies and narcissists can we fill our lives with people who respect and appreciate our voices.  With them, no need to prove, defend and fight.  Find and create your life with your true family; the family of your heart and Spirit.

Olive did and you can too.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

People are mixed bags so you must accept them

Nancy felt pressured by everyone – husband, Church members, friends.

Even though her husband had been verbally and emotionally abusive he’d only hit her a few times.  Even though he spend most of his evenings eating out with other women, there was no evidence he was having affairs.  Even though he didn’t bring in any money and insisted on controlling all she made, he did allow her to get their grown children Christmas presents.  He even said he loved her and showed it by sometimes forcing her to have sex with him, especially when she was sick or in physical pain.

Everyone is a mixed bag, she was told, so you have to accept him as he is.  You shouldn’t try to change anyone.  After all, she wasn’t perfect either.  For example, she resisted his control, her life wasn’t focused on making him happy and she even disagreed with some of his decisions.

Nancy looked at what she wanted in her life, especially her marriage.
She made a target with a series of circles around a bull’s eye.  In the bull’s eye she put the things she didn’t want to tolerate – ever.  One strike you’re out.  And also the things she must have in different areas of her life.

Then in the next outer circle she put what was very important to her and what she felt very strongly she wouldn’t put up with.  In the next outer circle she put things that were more negotiable and so on until she go to the outer circle where she put things she didn’t care about.

People are mixed bags but acceptance depends on what they’re mixed about; how and when.
Nancy finally saw she could accept a few of mixed-bag parts of her husband in the fourth and fifth circles.  She also saw that most of his mixed-bag actions were in the bull’s eye.  He was narcissistic, toxic, bullying and abusive.  He was relentlessly critical and never cared what she thought, felt or wanted.  

In the bull’s eye, hitting, even once, was intolerable.  So were verbal and emotional abuse.  She had no tolerance for his going out with other women and then demanding supper the moment he came home.  No emotional affairs whether they were physical affairs or not.  Also, she’d control all the money she made.  Most important, when she said “No” to sex, her “No” meant “No!”

She saw he never gave what she wanted most.  She even saw that the other people he’d gathered in their life didn’t care about her as a person.  They only cared about her as his slave or servant to do the work and to accept the verbal and physical beatings and control with a smile.

Her decision to remove him from her personal space became blindingly obvious, even though carrying it out was hard work.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Empathy, compassion used as traps

Mona was drained and exhausted – she wanted to run away and go where no one could find her.

She’d been raised by narcissistic, bullying, guilt-tripping parents to give them their every desire.  To show empathy, caring and compassion she had to make them happy, no matter the cost to her.  Her toxic, abusive adult children used the same tactics to bleed her dry.  She had to give them everything they wanted immediately or they’d attack her privately and in public as a bad parent.  Whatever she gave was never enough, they always wanted more.

Mona realized her pattern when a needy friend asked her to buy her an expensive car.

Some of Mona’s old rules were:

• A good and caring person is empathetic and compassionate, especially for people who are not getting what they want and feel like victims.
• Empathy and compassion meant that when people are unhappy, she must give them what they want to make them happy the way they want.
• Empathy and compassion meant that she must understand how hard it is for people so she’s required to overlook when they’re selfish and mean, when they blame and attack her, when they never apologize or change their behavior.
• Empathy and compassion meant that her wishes, pain and feelings don’t count, other people’s are much more important.  Empathy and compassion mean that their suffering is so great they don’t have to listen to her voice or respect her stated boundaries but she must always jump to respond to theirs.

How do you know their relationship, friendship and “love” are merely because you’re the bank?

• They’re greedy.  They always want money, food, baby sitting, emotional comfort, acceptance that whatever they do is good enough.  They expect-demand you give them what they want and they question your motives and character when you don’t give it.
• They never accept your hints, feelings or boundaries.  They listen to you only as a prelude to asking you to give them something.
• You avoid them because you know they’ll suck your blood and eat your flesh.
• They get angry when you don’t do what they want; you’re cruel, mean, heartless.  They lie, manipulate and get other people to attack you.  You walk on egg shells.
• If you don’t submit to their anger, they get sweetly manipulative and then guilt-trip or blackmail you (like, by withholding the grandchildren).  If you still don’t give in, they drop you and blame you.

How can you have empathy and compassion, and not make them happy?

• Know the difference between their Spirit and their personality-ego.  Love the Spirit – have empathy and compassion for its struggle to take over their lives.  Protect yourself from their personality-ego.  Don’t feed their personality-ego by giving it what it wants.
• Have empathy from a distance – pray, light candles, demand good behavior and don’t be a rescuer-meddler.  Fixing them is above your pay grade
• Be a guiding light as a child, parent, friend.  The most empathetic and compassionate, the kindest and most caring acts are to give them what’s best for them whether they like it or not – the opportunity to suffer, to become independent and strong, and to develop character.
• Give them the opportunity to develop a reciprocal, caring, loving relationship independent of money.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Win fight against toxic parents, siblings

Lenny’s toxic parents were total control-freaks and narcissists.  He had to follow their orders or else: yelling, beatings and damnation to hell; bullying and abuse.  He could never go anywhere or do anything without their approval.  Through high school Lenny prepared himself to be physically and financially free.  He learned a skill, got a job and starting saving to get his own place.  But his parents were still on him all the time.  Lenny fought back.  The yelling, cursing and fighting raged continuously.  Even after he was independent and married with children they tried to manipulate and control him.

Laura would never acknowledge that her back-stabbing sisters simply hated her guts all their lives, hated that she lived and breathed, hated that she succeeded.  They jumped at every chance to put down her and her children.  They made up lies and spread malicious stories through their extended family.  Laura defended herself to them and to the family.  She spent hours proving she wasn’t as bad as they said or that she never did what they said she had.

Lenny and Laura will never win; never get those enemies to admit they’re wrong.
The jury of his parents and her siblings will never let go of the fight.  It’s life-or-death for them.  Because they want to be right about what they think, they’ll never admit anything, never accept facts, always change the subject, always find new examples, always attack.  Lenny and Laura will always be defending themselves.  They’ll never defeat people who think their lives depend on victory.

The people who attacked Lenny and Laura wanted to see them bleed.
They were thrilled when Lenny and Laura got hurt or felt guilty because they hadn’t been perfect.  They were ecstatic when Lenny and Laura got enraged and fought back.  They knew Lenny and Laura were bleeding internally when they blew up.  The more Lenny and Laura fought back, the happier were their tormentors.  The predators wanted Lenny and Laura as emotional food all their lives.

Both Lenny and Laura said they had to keep fighting.
Even though they didn’t see a way to stop the fight by proving their innocence and goodness, they had to keep fighting.  Youngest children like Lenny and Laura often trap themselves more than others.  They grow up fighting and defending themselves, and proving they’re right, so it’s very difficult for them to stop fighting.  If they stopped fighting, they thought their tormentors would win.

There is a way to win the fight.
Lenny and Laura had more years ahead of them than they had behind them.  All they had to do was to let go of the fight and walk away.  That would mean making those long years ahead rich, full and wonderful.  And without those parents, siblings and extended family.

At first, the idea of walking away from the fight was too difficult for Lenny and Laura.  They’d no longer belong to the people they’d been fighting all their lives to belong to.  But who wants to belong to masters who treat you like a servant or slave?  Who wants to stay with tormentors?

Lenny and Laura remembered the true fable of “The Ugly Duckling.”
So they screwed up their courage and started looking for their true families; not the families of their DNA but the families of their hearts, minds and Spirits.  A personal ceremony-ritual-sacrament help them bury their past or put their past yearning behind them.  Then they could open the door of the present and walk into the rest of the life they wanted for themselves.

And, yes, they did find and create families who appreciated, valued and loved them in ways that felt soothing and healing.

Laurel Keyes once told me, “If someone tries to give you a rattlesnake and you don’t take it, ‘who has the rattlesnake?’”

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Be the steward of your Soul

Kate had been raised to be a good steward.  She’d get reprimanded, scorned and punished severely if she wasn’t.

She grew up frugal with money and spent hours to save every penny.  She took care of all her things and clothes, avoiding any activity that might soil or damage anything she had.  She was a good steward of everyone who wanted anything from her, always putting their wants ahead of her needs or deadlines.  She wasn’t much fun.

She woke up in middle age surrounded by grasping, greedy, needy people (bullies and narcissists); surrounded by stuff that needed huge amounts of time to take care of; worrying obsessively about small amounts of money she was hoarding for a rainy day.  She never had fun; she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been gloriously happy.

Kate woke up feeling trapped by her guilt and her duty to be a good steward as she’d understood it; wanting to run away from it all; just disappear without an address or phone number.

Kate hadn’t been a good steward of her time and energy, of her Heart’s Desire, of her Soul.
She wasn’t feeling trapped because she’d sacrificed her ego’s pleasures and gratifications.  She felt trapped because she’d paid no attention to the core of her being, her Soul.

If you haven’t felt the core of your being, your Soul, no one can explain it to you.
Kate couldn’t define that and neither can I.  But she could point to how she felt when she felt full, whole, at one with herself and God.  She could point to the activities that charged her solar batteries, that expressed her essence, that made her feel she was living the way she was supposed to.

Kate could see how she’d wasted so much time and effort taking care of things weren’t important and people who were using and abusing her.
Now she could see how to be a good steward of her life energy while doing the things that mattered most.  She simply had to clear her life of what mattered so little it wasn’t worth thinking much about.

As her focus improved, her energy and joy returned.  She felt strong enough to weed her garden.  She didn’t have to run away.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Can bullies, narcissists be cured?

Jane knew her boyfriend Jerry, just like her father, was cheap and selfish, a bullying, abusive narcissist.  But he wasn’t cruel and he didn’t yell at her all the time.  There would be whole days when he adored her.  But every time he had to spend any money or help her do anything he didn’t want to or keep it together for more than three days, he was guaranteed to blow.

He never apologized; he’d blame her for his rages, claim she was hyper-sensitive and over-reacting, and minimize how bad he’d been.  And point out when she had criticized him.  She constantly doubted herself.  Her confidence, self-worth and self-esteem rode a huge roller coaster.

Jane researched internet experts to see if bullies and narcissists could be cured.
The experts disagreed; some said they could be cured, others that couldn’t.  The only way she’d know would be at her last breath.

The ones who said they could be cured, said it was a full-time job.  Both of them would have to be in therapy all their lives and Jane would be have to be ever watchful for Jerry to revert.  Bullies and narcissists were boundary pushers.  If Jane had power, Jerry might decide to give in temporarily, and act submissive and charming to get what he wanted.  But then he’d slowly revert when she relaxed or he’d worn her down.

There’s a wide range from bullying through narcissism to narcissistic personality disorder, sociopathology and psychopathology.
Jane couldn’t lump them all together when she looked for answers. Sometimes Jerry promised to change and then almost immediately took it back.  Or he said the only way he could change was if she was with him completely.  She had to marry him and support him.  She knew, in her heart-of-hearts, he really wanted power and control of her.  And he wanted her to be happy with him doing exactly what he wanted at any moment.

Jane asked herself a better question: Did she want to go along for a lifetime of battering rides on the roller coaster of Jerry’s narcissism?
She was thrilled with Jerry when he said she was the most beautiful woman in the world.  Jerry said he needed her; give him what he wanted and he’d be with her forever.  She was thrilled when she thought she could rescue Jerry.  His therapist said he could be saved and she was the only one who could cure him.  But of course, he was most concerned with what Jerry wanted, not with her happiness.

Jane decided she didn’t want to take the risk and the beating.
She decided he’d have to cure himself on his own time with his own therapist.  Now, in her middle age, she’d look for better love from a person without those issues.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Filling hole from narcissistic father

Ingrid felt her narcissistic, bullying, abusive father had ripped her soul out of her and left her chest feeling empty.  For years he’d taught her she was worthless and only he could make her feel whole.  Years of fear and panic, feeling empty and alone, were relived sporadically by his smile, his saying he adored her, she was his princess.  But these moments, as thrilling as they were, lasted only a few minutes before he spurned her again and the old terror and desperation gripped her once more.

After her father died, Ingrid grew to middle age having replaced him with a string of selfish, narcissistic boyfriends and ex-husbands.  She recognized her addiction to winning their moments of adoration and feeling full and whole once more.  Then they would be uncaring and brutal and she’d be back on the old, familiar treadmill.  The addiction to their adoration drove her to question herself and to accept their excuses; she was over reacting and to blame for their bullying behavior.

At long last she faced the real question for her life:
* Settle for a life of moments of adoration and peace with abusive narcissists who subsequently destroyed her confidence and self-esteem.
* Do the hard work to fill herself so she didn’t need the fix of instant adoration.  Instead, find someone who offered adult love, appreciation, kindness and respect.

Of course she had many fears and questions: Would she be turned on by another person who seemed good in a wonderful adult relationship?  Would she find someone or would she be alone?

Ingrid realized her father had not ripped her soul out of her.
Her Soul was still inside her, wanting to fill and heal her, wanting to direct her life to better love and more spiritual development.  She simply had to be braver and stronger than she’d ever been; she had to trust herself and move forward.  That was more important than staying the same old horrible way and settling for temporary highs that never satisfied and left her hurt and poor.

Simple and clear; just not easy.
Her only chance to find the love she really craved and was capable of returning, was to take the risk and do the hard work.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Bullies, narcissists: At war with the world

Hillary’s son seemed to be stubborn but alright when he was young. However, by the time he was a teenager, he’d instantly become filled with anger and rage.  He’d take the slightest word or expression as criticism and blow up at her.  By the time he was 32, he was continually bullying and abusive.  Nothing she did was ever good enough.  Everything wrong in his life was Hillary’s fault.  Even worse, he’d married a woman who felt the same way about her whole family and his.

Hillary’s son was at war with the world.
He knew the world owed him what he wanted; he was entitled.  He’d either beat everyone in the world into submission or he’d argue or manipulate everyone to give him what he wanted.  He looked at everybody as if they were in one of three categories:

1. Allies were people who actively agreed with him and helped him get what he wanted.
2. Enemies were anyone who didn’t do what he wanted or give him what he wanted immediately.  They needed beaten, coerced or manipulated.
3. People who didn’t matter because they weren’t useful at that moment – until he put them into one of the first two categories.

Since they’re at war with the world, every moment is a matter of life-or-death.
They never apologize or change – that would be a dangerous admission of weakness.  They over-react to the slightest provocation.  They fight to the death over the most trivial things.  Nothing is trivial to them.  If they make a truce for a moment, it’s temporary; they’re gathering their forces for the next attack.  Greed and war are necessary for survival.

He only recognized the language of power and control.
Every time she reached out to him, he interpreted that as weakness and an invitation for him to try to take more.  When she had leverage, he’d be nice so she’d lower her guard.  However, as soon as she gave up her leverage, he reverted.

He always attacked; she always defended.
No facts, reason or logic ever changed his mind.  She could never get him to understand; she couldn’t educate or rescue him from himself.

She recognized him as a narcissist.
She didn’t count; only his feelings at the moment counted and they counted for everything.  Eventually she recognize that it wasn’t personal in the sense that she’d really done anything she had to atone for.  He simply thought he needed everything or he’d die.  It was all about him and she was simply in the line of fire.

Hillary had to be on guard every moment.
Any contact with him or his wife was like entering a war zone loaded with land mines.  It was exhausting and frustrating.  She never knew when she didn’t matter or she had what they wanted or when she’d set them off.  He never talked or negotiated openly or honestly. Typically, his approach was enraged and cursing her.  It was all-or-none with him; sucking up or beating her into submission.  He’d argue or rant forever if he wanted something; he was relentless.

She stopped feeling guilty; nothing she’d ever done was that bad.
Actually, she’d tried to give him everything while trying to teach him values, character and decent behavior.  But none of that mattered to him.  The only things that mattered were what he wanted.  And he wanted victory and complete control all the time.  He wanted her to be a good servant; she should do everything he wanted and accept his beatings with a smile.

Hillary decided to keep her leverage and accept decent treatment without sincerity as the best she could get.
She stopped wondering whether he could ever change; she decided she’d simply protect herself one incident at a time and see what happened later.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Wean bullying, narcissistic adult children

Gina’s adult son was narcissistic, bullying and abusive to her.  He was callous, demanding and arrogant.  He never appreciated what she did for him.  He was 37 but couldn’t support himself in the style he wanted.  Even worse, when Gina wouldn’t solve his problems or give him all the money he wanted, his anger and rage toward her were overwhelming.

He asked for her advice but when she tried to help him avoid another disastrous decision, he’d yell that she wasn’t respecting him as an adult.  When he ignored her advice and failed, he’d curse her and say it was all her fault; he was entitled, she owed him everything he wanted.

Gina was afraid.
She was afraid if she didn’t give him what he wanted every moment, he’d fail and become depressed and maybe even suicidal.  On the other hand, she was also afraid if she didn’t keep bailing him out, he’d hate her forever.  The twin fears kept her participating in a sorrow-filled dance that always left her sobbing with frustration, pain and guilt.

Gina decided to wean him.
She accepted that by remaining in the game, she was hurting him; she was being a bad mother.  By thinking of him as weak and frail, she was reinforcing his own fears.  By treating him like a child she was preventing his rough and painful passage to becoming an adult.  In order for him to grow up, he needed to face the challenge and risk of possibly failing.

The next time he demanded respect for him as an adult, Gina had cue cards prepared.  They carried the following messages:

• You’re not an adult, no matter how old you are, until you’re self-sufficient.  So I’m weaning you off any advice and money and we’ll see if you can take care of yourself.
• You’re not an adult, no matter how old you are, until you can control your emotions toward me.  Adults can have polite, civil conversations even about touchy subjects.  As long as you’re throwing hissy-fits, I’ll think of you as a child needing a time out and I’ll give you appropriate consequences.
• Since you’re still at the stage when you’re learning the magic words – please and thank you and you’re welcome – I won’t give you any milk until you use the good manners I know you have.  The problem between us is that you don’t respect me.
• I always love you but I don’t like your personality.  You’re bullying and abusive to me so you don’t get near me.  I can’t save you from yourself.  I know you’re strong enough to make it on your own.  But if you fall apart, I’ll gladly institutionalize you.
• Our relationship will never be about money.  We’ll bring each other wonderful, interesting things to talk about or we’ll talk about the weather.  If you can’t do any better than surface, small talk then I know what our relationship is about.

She even read the cue cards to him.  That shocked him because he realized his game was so predictable.

Of course, he threw a huge temper-tantrum.
But Gina ignored him.  Then she laughingly said to let her know when he was ready to come out of the time out she was putting him in, and apologize and do better.  Meanwhile, she was going to have a good time the rest of her life.

Of course she was afraid.  But she saw this as the only and necessary approach.  She’d see if he needed institutional help.  And she knew she couldn’t be the one to rescue him.

In this situation, Gina's son needed her.  So, after trying to beat her into submission and failing, after trying to manipulate her into backing down, he capitulated and began treating her respectfully.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

You can't rescue bullies, narcissists

Fran’s heart ached so much for her narcissistic, bullying, abusive son.  Even worse for her than his hostility and anger towards her was that he couldn’t or wouldn’t take care of himself even though he was 41.

He was bright enough and talented enough to succeed but he was an incompetent loser.  He lost jobs, apartments and girlfriends.  Fran was afraid if she didn’t bail him out he’d get depressed and turn to drugs or suicide.  He begged for her help but when she’d advised him or gave him the money he wanted, he’d turn nasty.  Then he’d blame her for all his problems and yell at her to stop controlling him.

Fran felt guilty and tortured herself.
She thought since he was an arrogant, entitled narcissist, it must be her fault.  Since he hated her, she must have done many things wrong.  His therapist agreed with him.  The only way she could think of atoning for whatever sins he thought she’d committed was to keep giving him everything he wanted and to accept his verbal and emotional bullying and abuse.

Her narcissistic parents had abandoned her when she was young and she’d vowed never to abandon her child.  She felt compelled to rescue him, to save him from himself and the hostile world.

We can’t rescue someone who doesn’t want to be rescued.  Only he could save himself.
Yes, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.  You can’t save a person’s soul when his pit is bottomless.  Fran couldn’t save him from himself, from the laziest, greediest, most entitled parts of himself.  

Giving him what he wanted would only enable him to stay a selfish bully.
Fran’s son didn’t really want to learn to be independent.  He always complained but he wouldn’t make the steps he knew he needed to take.  He wanted Fran to make all the effort so he could get what he wanted easily, and then reject and lash out at her.  That game was more important to him than succeeding independently.  He’d much rather fail and have excuses to justify his failure and his reasons for blaming her.  

First, they have to be transformed on the inside.
First, they have to become people who are determined to pull themselves up no matter how hard that is.   Then, they have to take difficult steps to help themselves out of the pit they dug for themselves.  Only after Fran’s son made concerted effort over time against adversity could offered help be helpful.  And it would be better coming from someone else.  Fran had to take herself out of the rescuer/meddler role.

What to do while we’re praying for their transformation.
This is the hardest role because it goes against our promises to ourselves and our natural inclination to reach out and put a healing balm on our baby’s pain.  We must remember they’re no longer babies.  And pain, suffering and natural consequences can be the greatest stimulators to their developing the strength, courage and determination they need to survive.

Fran decided to break the game – without his “understanding” or permission.

1. She told her son she was finally weaning him.  She’d stop paying for his phone, car insurance and rent.  She’d stop covering his debts when he’d overspent.  To help him, she’d stop meddling in his life; she’d stop rescuing him. She was no longer a hovering mommy to a little child.  
2. She’d continue being a cheerleader encouraging him to solve the problems and difficulties he made for himself.  Maybe, when he bottomed out he’d get the help he needed on his own.  Maybe not.  But she’d let him fail and bear the consequences.
3. She said she wouldn’t listen to his problems and suffering.  They were boring and trivial.  She’d be glad to talk with him about was exciting in their lives; books, movies, music, art, etc.
4. She said her home was no longer his home; his childhood room no longer his room.  He was an adult now and had to be a guest in her home.  And he knew the rules for behavior of a guest who’d be welcomed back.  Then she gave him all his childhood stuff and converted his old room into a studio for herself.
5. She said if he showed himself incapable of making great use of his gifts and talents, she’d find other people who would make something great with her love and money, and appreciate her in return.

Of course, her son blew up and tested her resolve.
He ranted and raved at her.  When he couldn’t bully her into submission, he begged and pleaded and threated to die on the streets.  When that didn’t work he tried worming his way back to her money bit by bit.

And of course, she sometimes gave in but she then went right back to her chosen course.  One moment of weakness did not set a precedent.  And of course, it took months of manipulation attempts before her son finally started becoming independent.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Bullies, narcissists aren't turned back by gentle words

Elle’s grown children treated her just like their father, her ex-husband, had.  They demanded whatever they wanted, put her down at every opportunity, yelled and blamed her when she didn’t give them everything immediately and then threatened to withhold her grandchildren.  They were narcissistic, abusive bullies.

Elle was always kind and gentle with them.  She tried to defend herself with examples, reason and logic.  Her parents had taught her that gentle words always turned away wrath.  She always apologized and begged for forgiveness, even though she knew she hadn’t done anything wrong.  But that never seemed to help.

She thought, if she was kind enough, they would treat her the way she wanted.
Clearly, she wasn’t gentle, kind and understanding enough.  She was to blame; she was guilty; she must be a bad mother.

Bullies, narcissists aren’t turned back by gentle words
If kind words are effective with someone, that person isn’t really a bully or narcissist.  Relentless bullies and narcissists aren’t stopped by gentle words.  Actually, that’s my test to see if someone is really a bully or narcissist.

This applies to all relationships: toxic parents, controlling siblings, righteous friends, selfish, entitled adult children and domineering co-workers.  They all use the same approaches and varied the tactics slightly depending on the situation.

Elle remembered her parents had always told her to understand and forgive bullies.  She’d tried but the bullies never stopped.  She’d used the same approach to her parents’ demands and anger but they never stopped manipulating her or taking advantage of her.  She could see now they wanted her to be kind and gentle while they allowed themselves to be selfish, demanding and angry.  Even now, they were toxic in her life.

Be a scientist; believe your experience, not their explanations.
Your experience with them is the real evidence, the data.  Elle realized that her parents, her ex-husband and her children’s behavior had always been consistent: bullying and narcissistic.  Their reasons, excuses and justifications had varied but always had the same theme: they were entitled; she should give in and submit to their will; she should be sweet and obedient, and maybe someday she would win their kindness in return.  But she never could.

Commit to your standards, not theirs.
Their standards for her behavior always gave them the advantage.  She always had to defend herself and eventually become submissive and docile.  They always got their way.

But now Elle committed to follow her own standards of how she would allow people to treat her, no matter the name of the relationship.  She decided that the kindness, most respectful thing she could do for their Souls would be to tell them to stop being demanding, arrogant and bullying, to stop throwing temper-tantrums and hissy fits.  She would honor them with the truth.  The way they were acting is bad for them and for the whole town.  They would have to be gentle and kind in order to get into her space.  

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Bullies, narcissists make scapegoats

Dottie was furious.  Her husband’s parents and his sister criticized and demeaned her to him and also in public.  They were relentlessly bullying and abusive.  They were clear; he should divorce her and do what they wanted.

She hadn’t done anything particularly wrong.
Then Dottie realized that it wasn’t that she’d done anything wrong.  Those bullies and narcissists were simply moving down the line from one brother’s wife to the next, and she was the third.  After her, they’d find someone else on whom to focus their anger and hatred.  They moved from one scapegoat to the next.

Even more, she’d seen that type of behavior in every relationship situation.
She’d seen toxic and demanding parents organize the family to guilt-trip and try to force one particular child to do what they wanted; she’d seen toxic adult children gang up and blame everything on one parent or one sibling; she’d seen disgruntled spouses alienate children from the other spouse; She’d seen therapists side with the bullies because they were the most difficult people in the room, and turn on the reasonable person who might give in and make all the changes; she’d seen co-workers mock and demean someone who tried to be kind and understanding.

She’d seen haters move from target to target, always having someone to scapegoat.
That was typical behavior for many bullies and narcissists; always blame and attack someone else.  She saw they felt good and powerful and righteous attacking the scapegoat of the moment.  They wanted the scapegoats to feel fear and to submit, to be obedient; that gave them power and control.

It was mean-girl/mean-boy junior high school all over again.

She’d be condemned no matter what she did.

Nothing she could ever do would be good enough for her husband’s family.  They wanted her to think she’d done something wrong and if only she acted perfectly and pleased them, she’d have no trouble.  They want her to keep trying to please them forever.  But they’d never let her succeed, so she’d always be trying harder and they’d always be manipulating and cutting her down.

Dottie and her husband decided to break the game.  The two hard parts were:

1. Getting past their guilt at maintaining their standards and disagreeing with people they were told they should love, honor and respect.  And make happy.
2. Getting past the need to argue and justify themselves or to prove their innocence to people who’d already decided they were guilty.

They decided they simply wouldn’t care what jerks and haters thought.  They wouldn’t give jerks and haters any power over them.  They decided not to be around those predators – not to answer calls or texts, and, instead, to have family holidays with his brothers and their wives but not with people who wanted to stab them.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Instill healthy fear in bullies, narcissists

Claire’s narcissistic, adult children bullied and abused her with their negativity, demands, distain and blame.  And she let them get away with it.  She always reached out and apologized.  She always minimized everything they did and magnified her imperfections in any incident.

They were not the least bit afraid of her.  They knew there’d be no consequences that mattered for them.

It’s the same in many situations.
I’ve seen the same pattern when siblings gang up and back-stab or bad-mouth the one who is nicest, when toxic and demanding parents’ guilt-trip and try to force children to do what they want, when a co-worker mocks and demeans someone who tries to be kind and understanding, and when selfish customers expect staff to be their servants or slaves.

Tolerating bullying, abuse and narcissism only encourages predators to do more.  Following the Golden Rule only encourages true bullies and narcissists to do more.

Instill a healthy fear in bullies and narcissists.
Fear is a normal and healthy part of growing up.  We need to fear sabre-tooth tigers and rattlesnakes.  We need to fear the consequences of stealing and killing.  We need to fear the consequences of using and abusing people.  Fear is often a step in our learning to be polite and civil because that behavior is “Right.”  

Many people understand that early on and consistently treat people decently.  But many other people need to have a healthy fear of messing with you or taking advantage of you before they act civil and polite.

Bullies and narcissists understand only power.  So it’s healthy for us if they’re afraid of being nasty or taking advantage of us.  It’s also a healthy step for them if they’re habitually takers and users.

Should I turn the other cheek?
Be a scientist; do an experiment.  Give them a chance.  If they still bully, blame and abuse, make them afraid of you.

Am I being just as bad?  Two wrongs don’t make a right.
No, Claire was not being just as bad when she made them afraid.  She was simply standing up for good standards of behavior.  Her adult children were trying to beat her into submission, loot her treasure, drink her blood.  There’s a difference and she knew that in her heart.

Claire took charge by charging back at them.
She started by ignoring what they were angry about and saying, “Don’t you dare yell at me.  I’m your mother and you’d better have more respect.”   And she hung up on them.  They assumed she’d call back but she waited them out.  Then she demanded an apology before continuing on to any other subject.  And she said they had to prove their apology was sincere by maintaining decent behavior over time.

When they tried to make their anger important and demand things from her, she said, “You’re the problem.  Remember your manners.  If you want anything from me, you’ll treat me nice, you’ll ask nice and you’ll be grateful.”

Claire never argued with them and never defended herself.  Instead she simply demanded good behavior.  Not sending them birthday or Christmas presents made the point but, I think it was telling them she was cutting them out of her will that really affected them.  They’d thought they could do what they wanted and still be rewarded.  Now they became afraid and started behaving themselves.

Was their change sincere?
Claire decided probably not, but it didn’t matter.  She knew that continuing the old way would guarantee the same old behavior.  The new way, she could enjoy being treated nicely.  If she had to bring them back into line once in a while, she could live with that.  Her choice.

Claire’s task was easier than many people’s because her children didn’t have grandchildren to threaten to withhold.  And her ex wasn’t alienating the children.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Made mistakes; not perfect; no guilt

Billy’s narcissistic, toxic parents were always angry at him.  He was never perfect; he’d never done everything they’d wanted and one time he’d even walked out on them when they were in the middle of a tirade.  Billy had to admit he wasn’t perfect.  Maybe his parents were justified in being angry?  Maybe he had to give them everything they wanted at a moment’s notice all the time?

Beth’s abusive, greedy, demanding, adult children were angry at her.  She hadn’t created perfect environments for them when they were growing up; she hadn’t done what they’d wanted and one time she’d yelled at her son and she’d also taken her daughter’s phone away for two weeks.  Beth had to admit she hadn’t been perfect.  Maybe her children were justified in being angry?  Maybe she had to give them everything they wanted at a moment’s notice all the time?

Why did their accusers’ hate them?
Billy’s parents and Beth’s children said they hated them and they had to give them a lot to overcome that hate.  Both Beth and Billy knew they hadn’t do anything particularly bad.  And when they’d resisted, they’d been provoked beyond measure.  They kept asking themselves, “What have I done that was so hateful?”

In these cases, Billy’s parents and Beth’s children had chosen to hate.  Nothing particularly bad had been done to them but hating had made them feel righteous and powerful, and had gotten other people to give in to them.  Beth and Billy realized that haters always find reasons to hate.  But they hate because they’re haters, not because of their excuses and justifications.  No amount of satisfying today’s demand would satisfy those haters for long.

Haters want us to take their emotions seriously.
Haters hate most when other people don’t care about their hates.  Instead, they want us to spend our lives trying to make up for what they hate.  They want us to ask ourselves always, “What did I do wrong?”  And they want us to keep trying harder, forever, to please them.

We haven’t been perfect according to them.  So what?
Billy or Beth’s narcissistic, bullying judges and their learned-inner judges decided that if they ever did anything wrong, they were guilty of everything and had to pay the price of everything their accusers wanted, all the time.  Those judges demanded perfection or guilt and shame.

The big step for Beth and Billy was to stop examining themselves with the eyes of hostile judges and stop finding themselves guilty of infractions.  They simply accepted that they weren’t perfect, and their mistakes did not entitle their bullying abusers to take advantage of them.

Billy and Beth accused their accusers.
At first Beth and Billy said, “I wasn’t perfect but I don’t have to be; you weren’t perfect either.”  Then they said, “I’ve put down the guilt.  I’m bored with your attempts to make me feel guilty enough to give you money or to accept your beating.”  Then they said, “If you hate me, take that up with your therapist.  I’m done dealing with your hatred.  You can learn; you can do better.  Grow up and become the wonderful adults you could have been.”

They stopped trying to satisfy their haters.
They hung up or walked away from the haters.  They even laughed at the haters’ feelings.  They started demanding good behavior now.  “If you want anything from me, you’ll have to be nice and polite and grateful over time before I give you.”  Beth and Billy liked the consequences of taking control of the distance between them and their haters more than being jerked around by their bullies.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Bullies, narcissists want you in their prison

Alice asked her husband, “Don’t you want me to feel like I’m loved?”  Her husband finally told her the truth in so many words, “I’d rather have you feeling like you’re in prison.”

Bullies and narcissists had wanted to control her in almost every relationship.
Alice felt like she’d been punched.  That really was what her husband wanted; complete control of her life.  With a shock, she allowed herself to feel that same blow from her toxic parents, her critical, abusive sisters, her selfish, arrogant, entitled adult daughter, the friend who always used her whenever she needed, and her sarcastic, back-stabbing boss.

They all wanted her in the prison of their choosing.  They might have different desires – power, money, guilt, someone to kick – but, ultimately, they all wanted submission and obedience.  Some wanted her to protest so they could beat her down; some wanted her to pretend she loved them.  They wanted her in prison, like a Stepford Wife who loved her master.

She knew her husband lied when he said he didn’t really mean it.
This time Alice’s realization remain in her.  He might say anything, they all might smile once in a while, but their behavior never changed.  They still did everything they could to keep her in prison.  Their behavior told the truth.

The degree of difficulty in freeing herself.
Since Alice had let so many people in her life be her prison guard, she had a difficult task ahead.  She had to free herself from prison despite their attempts to keep her locked up.  Also, she had to free herself despite the fear she’d become a bad person.  She was also afraid she’d lose all those people and then she’d have no one.

The crucial step is freeing ourselves from our self-imposed prisons, despite the fears and second-guessing.  Of course, the prison guards would keep trying to lock her up; it had worked for them for decades.  But the most important step was her own resolve – her courage, strength and determination.  She remember the stories of caged birds who are set free and return to their cages where it’s secure.  She remembered the stories of long-term prisons who can’t function when let free.

Alice commanded herself to get free; one step at a time.
Every time the distant future looked too scary, every time she thought of too many “what ifs,” she grabbed herself and made herself look at only the next step.  When she focused on the next step, that seemed do-able and she could move herself.

Hers was a journey made step by step, but she did find and create a new family and community; a family of her heart, mind and spirit; no prisons, no cages, no guards.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Bullies, narcissists blackmail by suicide threats

When other threats and manipulations fail, many bullies and narcissists blackmail their sources of money using threats of suicide.

One situation.
Vicki’s 50 year-old brother, bright and articulate, had worked only sporadically in his life.  He’d sponged off their parents and after they died, he demanded that Vicki give him the whole of their small inheritance, not the half they’d left him.  He said he needed it all in order to fund his next project and scheme (a trip around the world with his new girlfriend taking pictures).

When Vicki said, “no,” he barraged her with emails and texts about how needy and deserving he was.  When she still said, “no,” he barraged their extended family with Facebook posts and emails about how jealous and mean she’d always been, and how she was violating what this parents had actually wanted.

When Vicki still said, “no,” he barraged her and the family with threats of suicide, blaming Vicki.  He said it would be her fault for ruining his life and she’d be remember as cold, heartless and unloving, having driven a wonderful brother to suicide.

Some questions to ask ourselves.
This is a very difficult area because we have to make careful distinctions in each situation and because a life might be on the line.

1. Has the person been depressed, anxious and suicidal all their lives?
2. Have there been previous, serious attempts?
3. Do they have a specific, detailed plan?
4. Has some specific and devastating situation arisen?
5. Do they threaten suicide only when they don’t get what they want?
6. What does the doctor say?
7. Do we believe they’re serious?

Vicki was clear.
Her brother had been a narcissist all his life.  He was selfish and felt entitled to be supported in doing whatever he felt like.  He’d blackmailed his parents using this threat all his life to get whatever he wanted.  He’d only contacted them or her when he needed money.  He never seemed serious enough to carry out his threat.  That is; he never has specifics or detailed plans; just threats.

But her parents had given in; in part because they couldn’t live with their guilt if he carried out the threat.  And also, in part, because they hoped that each gift would bring their son to a sense of responsibility and duty to take care of himself.  He was certainly capable of doing so if he was willing to struggle in order to succeed.

Vicki wrote, “no,” to her brother and sent copies to the whole extended family.  She had her own responsibilities and she was kicking her brother out of the nest.  She’d live with the consequences of her decision.

She told him if he ever threatened suicide again, she’d call his local police and ask them to do a psychiatric evaluation.  She also told him that if he did kill himself, she’d cry but she’d blacken his memory as a weak, coward and selfish loser.

The decision is much harder if the person threatening is an adult child or a parent who’s getting old.  Or if you’re sure they’re serious.  In those cases, our considerations of love and duty may shift the balance.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Bullies, narcissists don't care

Tom said about his narcissistic, toxic parents the same thing Tracy said about her bullying, narcissistic adult son, “How can they not care how I feel or what I want?  Look at all I’ve done for them.  I don’t believe they don’t care.”

Bullying, toxic, narcissists don’t care about us.
They have totally different standards, values and wants from us.  They have totally different rules.  They want what they want so much they’re willing to beat or manipulate us or even act nice temporarily to get what they want.

What we’ve given them in the past, our feelings or desires, our rules of honesty and fair play don’t matter to them.  The only thing that matters to them is what they want and they’ll use any tactic to get it.  And once they get it, they move on to the next thing they want.  We’re only used to give them what they want; we’re slaves.

Our power over our own thoughts, feelings and actions is the only thing that stops them.

Accepting that is the key to taking charge of our lives.
The people who call me for coaching were not bad parents.  They were fine.  They shouldn’t accept blame or guilt for these toxic, narcissists’ feelings or for not giving them what they want.

There was nothing Tom or Tracy could do to satisfy their oppressors.  The demands would be endless.  The problems were not them, the problems were his parents and her son.  Changing them was impossible; Tom and Tracy couldn’t perform miracles.  Changing them was above their job descriptions.

Once Tom and Tracy accepted that, which they knew in their hearts but didn’t want to admit, they could acknowledge years of bullying treatment.  They could see the patterns.  Simple and clear; just not easy to accept.

Now they could decide how to live the rest of their lives.
Tom could decide if he wanted to serve his parents until they died; knowing he’d be bullied, whipped and bled dry the whole time.  Tracy could decide whether she’d accept guilt and be scourged all the rest of her life in order to see her granddaughter.  She also knew, no matter what she did, her granddaughter would be raised to hate her and to try to use her like her son did.

Or they could decide, seeing the future more clearly, if they wanted to demand good behavior from their masters as the price for letting their predators into their worlds.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.

Reconciling with adult children, their spouses

Agnes was distraught.  She thought one of her sons and his wife hated her and didn’t want to see her any more.  She was afraid they’d cut her off from her new grandchild.  She didn’t know why they would want to estrange from her.

Were her son and his wife toxic adult children; was his wife alienating her son from her?  How could Agnes tell?

1. Agnes’ son and his wife were not harsh or cruel to her.  They’d actually explained, numerous times, kindly, almost pleadingly, that they simply liked privacy.  They were not bullying or abusive; no temper tantrums.  They said they didn’t want her coming over unannounced.  They’d call her at least month, maybe even more if she’d respect their privacy.  They begged her not to bring dinner.  She was a great cook but they liked cooking together by themselves.  Of course they’d spend the big holidays with her, in rotation with her daughter-in-law’s family.
2. They told Agnes they loved her and simply had different personalities and styles; they liked distance.  She hadn’t done anything wrong and they were struggling with their guilt at not living their lives the way she wanted.  Her daughter-in-law even said she’d call her “Nonna.”  They felt guilty.  Nevertheless, they had to live the way they were comfortable.
3. Agnes remembered that her son had always been that way.  He’d always seemed to want privacy and had distanced himself.  She’d insisted the family do everything together; that was simply what families did.  She’d spent a lot of his childhood dragging him back into the bosom of her family.
4. They never asked for money or demanded her help on a whim.  They weren’t using distance or cruelty to blackmail Agnes or to make her life miserable.  They simply seemed to like more scheduling and planning ahead.
5. They never used her grandchild as a hostage for demands.  They never hovered to oversee Agnes playing with child.  They even said they could see spending a day a month together or even leaving Agnes’ grandchild with her if Agnes gave them distance in other ways.
6. They treated her daughter-in-law’s family the same way.

What was the problem?
Agnes’s other son and his wife were fine with Agnes’s being intimately involved in their lives.  One of them called at least once a day.  Unannounced, Agnes brought dinner to them at least once a week and spent all day Saturday with them.  That was exactly the way she imagined, all her life, being a mother and grandmother.  She was helper and caretaker.  Agnes focused all her vast energy on her family; she’d even vacation with them if they let her.

That was the problem.  The first son wasn’t smothered by Agnes’s attentions but the second was.  He and his wife wanted more privacy and time for their nuclear family.  They were not toxic adult children; her daughter-in-law wasn’t alienating her son from her.  They simply didn’t wanted to be smothered by Agnes’ ever-present love.

The only thing Agnes had done wrong was not to see her son as an individual different from herself; with a different personality and style.  And possessing free will.  Her son and his wife were not toxic or bullying.  They didn’t try to beat Agnes down with anger or manipulate her by guilt at not having been a good enough parent.

Reconciliation was relatively straightforward.
Agnes had a hard time accepting that they had different personalities and styles from her dream.  She had a hard time thinking of them as independent and capable adults.  This was not the life she’d planned so carefully.

But once Agnes finished weeping her guts out, once she realized it wasn’t about who was right or wrong, it was simply about personalities, Agnes started listening to their boundaries.  Once she relented and talked to them calmly, her son and daughter-in-law also relented a little and welcomed her more than they’d originally said.  But no vacations together.

Of course, the same applies to every gender combination.

Of course, there are many complications depending on your situation.  The best way to learn how to take power in your life and to be the person you want to be is to hire Dr. Ben for personalized coaching and counseling so you can:

1. Develop the strength, courage, will and determination to be and to act your best resolutely, diligently and effectively.
2. Develop a plan and master the skills necessary to create the life your spirit has always hungered for.

Since all tactics depend on the situation, call me at 1-877-8Bullies for expert counseling and coaching by phone or Skype.