You, Me, Empathy - Episode 30: An Exploration of Narcissism with Tony the Therapist

On Episode 30 of You, Me, Empathy, Tony the Therapist and I explore narcissism, the common traits of narcissistic personality disorder, and the ways human kindness and love can help us better understand narcissism.

I also talk about my own father, and the way he presented as a narcissist in my childhood—from the pristine familial unit we demanded to the soccer field yelling to the kitten he threw off the balcony. 

Tony also explains the nuances of ego and arrogance, and the empathy we as humans can embrace in efforts to meet people where they are and recognize that there are unmet needs and untreated wounds. 

How do we reconcile the fact that, it seems, arrogant, ego-driven people are in power? I worry and think about this often. Curious to hear your thoughts too!

Scroll down for links we mentioned during this episode! Thanks for listening, and thanks for empathizing with us!

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Special hugs to David Grabowski for the music for You, Me, Empathy and special hugs to Grant Snider for the art!

Disclaimer for "Tony Time" episodes of You, Me, Empathy:

Anthony Ramynke is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, licensed by the Board of Behavioral Sciences, license number LMFT47805.

Read the full You, Me, Empathy disclaimer here.

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Eliezer Tristan Publishing — Borne Out Of Loss & Supporting Stories of Resilience and Vulnerability

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I love words. I love books. And I love people who are actively engaged in embracing empathy, normalizing conversation around mental illness, and creating safe spaces for others to share their stories.

Sarah Fader is one of these people. And Sarah also loves books and words, which is part of the reason Eliezer Tristan Publishing was created! The other reason is much more personal.

Read my full interview with Sarah Fader below, and be sure to check out Eliezer Tristan Publishing. We need to support others who are, like us, leading first with our hearts. 💜

An Interview with Sara Fader, CEO and Founder of Stigma Fighters, and CEO of Eliezer Tristan Publishing

Q: Eliezer Tristan Publishing was borne out of personal loss. Loss can be such a transformative spark for creativity and beauty. Why do you suppose that is? And how does that speak to the mission and the type of writing Eliezer Tristan seeks?

A: When someone suffers a loss it changes the person. When I lost Eliezer, a part of me changed. It's hard to articulate what that shift was and I'm still processing it. Even though he passed on, I know that he will always be with me and he lives on in the creative company that I created. As human beings, we are constantly growing and evolving. We shed our skin and change into (hopefully) better versions of ourselves. We are resilient, and we are brave. People have been through horrific circumstances and come out stronger. We publish stories from people who are brave, resilient and demonstrate the ability to survive despite life's sucker punches.

Q: How does empathy play a role in Eliezer Tristan Publishing—from your start to the books you publish to the messages you want to see more of?

A: I am the CEO and founder of the mental health nonprofit Stigma Fighters. We have been featured on the front page of the Washington Post.

I'm dedicated to handing a microphone to people who have been silenced by our culture, some of whom are people living with mental illness. When you live with mental illness, as I do, you are bound to feel more empathetic to other human beings. I am passionate about empathy and making sure it's a core value in my life and in my company. We want to honor the stories of others who have been through trauma and give them the opportunity to share what they've been through. 

Q: I love words. Words matter to me deeply. Why do words matter to you, and to Eliezer Tristan?

A: I (like you) love words. Words have the potential to help or hurt, love or destroy, heal or fester and create their own reality based upon letters strung together. Words are more than imprints on a page, they are emotions, stories, feelings and the passion that comes with them. We want to showcase the way that words work for diverse individuals. What love means to you means something different to me and we need to discuss those differences. At Eliezer Tristan our goal is to support writers in sharing their words with the world. We want them to tell their story, and it could be the first time they're sharing it. They might feel vulnerable but we're here to support their voices.

 

Q: Who's your audience? And what do you want readers of Eliezer Tristan books to take away?

A: Our audience differs from book to book, author to author. We want people to connect to the stories that resonate with them. Maybe someone is interested in reading about a near-death experience or perhaps they're more intrigued by the journey of an individual living with bipolar disorder. You (the reader) will decide what books you connect with.

Q: What books are you reading currently (or recently)?

A: I'm currently reading the first book published by Eliezer Tristan, which is a poetry anthology by Norb Aikin entitled 100.

Thanks to Sarah for sharing with me!

A Little More on Eliezer Tristan Publishing

Eliezer Tristan Publishing is an indie publishing house that values writers’ words. The origin of the name is based on the renowned author and survivor, Eli Wiesel along with Sarah Fader’s unexpected loss of a third baby. She planned on naming her baby Eliezer, but instead, she gave birth to Eliezer Tristan Publishing, a space where writers can share their stories of resilience, truth, and humor. Sarah F. identifies as Jewish and even in the face of tragic events, Jews are notorious for employing humor as a coping mechanism.

Editor in Chief, Sarah Comerford chose Tristan after a name her mother loved. Sarah C’s mother passed away and this is a way to honor her life. Sarah C.’s goal is to give a voice to the silenced. She is passionate about revealing stories of people who haven’t had a chance to tell them. She is an exceptionally talented writer, editor, and a remarkable listener, which makes her an excellent conduit to communicate which stories are asking to come out of the dark and into the light.

To learn more and buy their books, head on over to EliezerPublishing.org.
 

You, Me, Empathy - Episode 29: Narcissistic Fathers with Sheri Heller

Trigger Warning: Addiction, sexual abuse, and violence are all mentioned in this episode of You, Me, Empathy.

On Episode 29 of You, Me, Empathy, Rev. Sheri Heller, LCSW and I explore narcissistic fathers, violence in the household, the impact of narcissism on children and humanity, and the origin of narcissism.

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As a licensed psychotherapist, Sheri helps us define narcissism, and we explore where narcissism originates and its impact on relationships, love, the world at large—and how we can better understand and combat narcissism in our lives.

Sheri's father was a narcissist and sex addict with a lack of humanity, who often debased, humiliated, and abused her. Sheri also opens up about her schizophrenic and abusive mother, who threatened Sheri and her sister, often with a knife or a hammer, and how her mother forbade Sheri and her sister from leaving the house.

Sheri's story is heartbreaking. And, most importantly, it's one of triumph. Sheri is doing beautiful work in the world as a therapist, clinical social worker, and interfaith minister. If you can relate to her story, do her a kindness and let her know that she is not alone. 

For links we mentioned during this episode, scroll down

Thanks for listening, and thanks for empathizing with us!

Support You, Me, Empathy:

Empathy Links:

Follow You, Me, Empathy on Social Media:

Special hugs to David Grabowski for the music for You, Me, Empathy and special hugs to Grant Snider for the art!

You, Me, Empathy - Episode 28: Grief as a Parent with Elizabeth Laime

On Episode 28 of You, Me, Empathy, I explore Grief as a Parent, from talking to your kids about grief to protecting our kids from pain, with Totally Laime podcaster Elizabeth Laime.

Elizabeth shares her feelings about being a parent, mental health in parenting, how she was impacted by the loss of her parents, the balance between what she tells her kids and what she wants to protect her children from, finding her identity, using humor to process her feelings and grief, the #MeToo movement, and some of her mental health tips for parenting and dealing with grief.

For links we mentioned during this episode, scroll down!

Thanks for listening, and thanks for empathizing with us!

Support You, Me, Empathy:

Empathy Links:

Follow You, Me, Empathy on Social Media:

Special hugs to David Grabowski for the music for You, Me, Empathy and special hugs to Grant Snider for the art!

You, Me, Empathy - Episode 27: Motherhood and Birth Trauma with Katie Nicole Stahl-Kovell

On Episode 27 of You, Me, Empathy, I sit down with Katie Nicole Stahl-Kovell to explore mental health in motherhood, breastfeeding awareness, and birth trauma.

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Katie opens up about her recent traumatic birthing experience, and she shares and educates me on such things as pre-eclampsia, midwifery, home births, epidurals, postpartum PTSD, mental health tips for moms, and the work Katie is doing in breastfeeding rights and awareness. This episode isn't just for moms either. It's for all of us humans who want to more better empathize with each other.

Plus, Katie shares (and makes me envious) her current pop-up adventures!

For links we mentioned during this episode, scroll down! Thanks for listening, and thanks for empathizing with us!

Support You, Me, Empathy:

Empathy Links:

Follow You, Me, Empathy on Social Media:

Special hugs to David Grabowski for the music for You, Me, Empathy and special hugs to Grant Snider for the art!

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You, Me, Empathy T-Shirts, Mugs, Notebooks, and Tote Bags - Shop is OPEN

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I Launched a You, Me, Empathy Shop!

For all your You, Me, Empathy shopping needs. To spread the idea that empathy matters. Mental health matters. And my hope is that, like the podcast, these little podcast merch items will serve to inspire and foster communication around mental illness with the intended goal of ending the stigma. You, dear feely human, deserve that. So, please, if you can, support You, Me, Empathy by buying something below! Thanks!

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T-Shirts

Now you too can wear your heart on your sleeve (or chest in the case of my You, Me, Empathy t-shirts available for me, women, and grubby kiddos) while you spread kindness, watch the clouds in the sky become triceratops, or do yoga in the stark nude!

Tote Bags

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Now you too can carry your altogether too-massive psychology books to class or load up on at minimum seventeen boxes of Trader Joe's cardamon sea salt lavender free range organic post-imperialist dark chocolate with the sturdy and stylish You, Me, Empathy tote bag! 

Mugs

Now you too can embrace your self-care so hard by sipping your favorite morning coffee or spritely loose leaf chamomile from your now favorite You, Me, Empathy mug! Dishwasher safe! Microwave safe! Dog safe! 

Notebooks

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Now you too can workshop your centaur-themed poetry or make those doodles of the kittens whose elongated whiskers do double-duty as both kitty jumpropes and lock picks in your brand new You, Me, Empathy notebook (hardcover or spiral)!

Thank you. I love you. And hey, I get it. If things are a little tight on the financial front, no fret. There are other ways to support the show, which you can check out here. 

Hugs,

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