Narcissistic Abuse Recovery in San Diego

Narcissistic Abuse Recovery in San Diego, CA

Name: Inward Healing Therapy
Address: 5252 Balboa Ave. #801, San Diego, CA, 92117, US
Telephone: (408) 516-0363
Price range: $
Rating: 5

Recover from the pain of narcissistic abuse and rediscover your confidence, clarity, and inner peace. Therapy is available online throughout California.

You’re not crazy, you’ve been manipulated.

If you’ve been in a relationship with a narcissistic partner or grew up with a narcissistic parent, you know the deep confusion that comes with it. You may find yourself replaying conversations, questioning your memory, and wondering if you’re the problem. You might feel angry one moment and full of guilt the next.

People who experience narcissistic abuse often describe feeling like they’ve lost themselves. They’re emotionally exhausted, anxious, and unsure what’s real anymore. The person who once made them feel special and adored may now criticize, control, or completely ignore them. This constant push and pull between the love-bombing, the gaslighting, and the manipulation leaves long-term emotional scars that can take time, understanding, and support to heal.

You’re not “too sensitive.” You’re responding normally to something deeply abnormal.

The Lasting Impact of Narcissistic Abuse

The effects of narcissistic abuse run deep. Survivors often describe feeling:

Constant self-doubt and confusion
Anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion
Fear of speaking up or setting boundaries
Shame for having “allowed” the abuse (you didn’t — you adapted to survive)
Isolation from friends or family due to the abuser’s control
A loss of identity or sense of self

For those raised by narcissistic parents, the damage begins early. Love often felt conditional which was based on performance, obedience, or meeting your parents’ needs instead of your own. You may have learned to suppress your emotions to avoid conflict or rejection. As an adult, this can lead to perfectionism, people-pleasing, difficulty trusting others, and chronic self-criticism.

You might carry a deep, hidden belief that you’re “bad” or “broken.” But that belief was never yours — it was planted there by someone who wants you to not see your worth, because then you’re easier to manipulate.

Living Through Narcissistic Abuse

Living with or loving someone who is narcissistic often feels like walking on eggshells. You never know which version of them you’ll get, either the charming, affectionate one or the cold, dismissive one.

Over time, this unpredictability can make you lose trust in your own perceptions. You may start to believe that if you just communicated better, tried harder, or stayed quieter, things would get better. But they don’t because the problem isn’t you. It’s the cycle of manipulation that keeps you trapped.

Narcissistic individuals tend to control others through emotional and psychological tactics like:

Gaslighting – making you question your memory, perception, or sanity which can be seen by playing mind games with you like making you think you said or did something you didn’t do, or conversely making you think they didn’t say something or do something that they actually did.
Love-bombing – overwhelming you with affection or promises early on, only to withdraw once you’re attached.
Silent treatment or withdrawal as punishment.
DARVO – a manipulation tactic where they Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender Roles when you try to hold them accountable. For example, you may find yourself wanting an apology from them and end up feeling like you’re the one that needs to apologize.

These dynamics cause you to internalize the blame and doubt your reality. You begin to think, “Maybe I am the problem.” But the truth is: you’ve been conditioned to feel that way through repeated emotional invalidation and control.

Understanding the Cycle of Abuse

One of the most painful aspects of narcissistic abuse is the confusion it creates. The relationship often follows a cycle of:

Idealization (Love-Bombing): You’re adored, admired, and made to feel like you’ve finally found someone who truly understands you.
Devaluation: Subtle criticism, withdrawal, and emotional distance begin. You try harder to win back their affection.
Discard or Control: They might suddenly end things, ghost you, or use guilt and threats to keep you around.
Hoovering: They may reappear with apologies or flattery, pulling you back into the cycle.

This push-and-pull dynamic keeps your nervous system on high alert, trapped between hope and heartbreak. Therapy helps you recognize this cycle for what it is — manipulation — and gives you the tools to break free from it.

How Therapy Helps You Heal from Narcissistic Abuse

Therapy for narcissistic abuse recovery focuses on helping you rebuild your sense of self, reclaim your voice, and learn to trust your intuition again. Healing involves understanding the psychological patterns that kept you trapped and learning how to respond to them differently moving forward.

At Inward Healing Therapy, we create a safe, compassionate space where you can:

Understand what happened so you can stop blaming yourself.
Learn how gaslighting and manipulation impact your brain and emotions.
Recognize the difference between genuine connection and love-bombing.
Reconnect with your emotions and learn to trust them again.
Rebuild self-esteem and boundaries after years of control or invalidation.
Process grief and anger in a safe, supportive environment.

As you begin to understand these dynamics, the confusion starts to lift. You realize that your reactions like the anger, anxiety, and sadness, make perfect sense in the context of what you’ve endured. You begin to see that healing is not about forgiving the abuser; it’s about freeing yourself from their control.

Safety, Trust, and Trauma-Informed Care

Therapy for survivors of narcissistic abuse must feel emotionally safe. Many clients come in with a deep fear of being misunderstood or re-traumatized. That’s why we move at your pace and you only share what feels comfortable, and you are always in control of your process.

As trauma-informed therapists, we understand how easily survivors can slip into self-blame or feel guilty for setting boundaries. Together, we’ll slow down, regulate your nervous system, and ensure you feel grounded before exploring difficult emotions.

Healing from narcissistic abuse is not about confrontation; it’s about reconnection with your body, your truth, and your inner strength.

The Benefits of Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Therapy

Therapy can help you move from confusion and self-doubt toward clarity, confidence, and peace. Over time, you can expect to:

Feel more grounded and in control of your emotions.

Trust your perceptions instead of questioning your reality.

Recognize manipulation early and set firm boundaries.

Reconnect with friends, family, and supportive relationships.

Heal the wounded parts of you that still crave approval or fear rejection.

Regain your sense of identity and self-worth.

Many survivors describe therapy as the first time they’ve felt truly seen. It’s where they finally learn that the problem was never that they were “too sensitive” it’s that their feelings were never respected.

Our Approach to Narcissistic Abuse Recovery in San Diego, CA

At Inward Healing Therapy, we specialize in helping adults heal from narcissistic abuse and childhood trauma so they can feel whole, confident, and free. Our approach integrates trauma-informed care, attachment theory, and compassionate guidance to help you rebuild from the inside out.

We’ll work together to:

Help you understand the psychology of narcissistic behavior and its effects.
Support your emotional regulation so triggers feel less overwhelming.
Reconnect you with your true self, the part of you that knows you are worthy and good.
Build boundaries rooted in self-respect, not fear.
Empower you to form relationships based on mutual care, not control.

You don’t have to keep living in confusion, guilt, or fear. Recovery is possible and it begins with understanding what you’ve lived through and choosing to heal from it.