In Patricia Gianotti’s third book, Embracing Therapeutic Complexity, she talks about the powerful grip that unfair loyalty contracts have on people throughout their life span.

A working definition of narcissism begins by inviting people to pause, and think about narcissism as a condition of vulnerability or injury, rather than thinking about narcissism as a “diagnosis.”

Have you noticed that the word narcissist has morphed into a term of derision and contempt that is easily thrown around at will? But how many people really understand where the term comes from or what it means?

Disappointments happen in life. If we’re smart, we can learn from them. With enough distance, disappointments that initially feel crushing often turn out to be life lessons.