Daniel J. Fox – Overcoming the Narcissistic Dynamic: Successful Treatment Techniques for Narcissistic Spectrum Clients, Their Partners and Their Children

Outline

Narcissistic Spectrum Treatment Foundations

• Core belief: “Since I am special, I deserve special rules”
• Five central components to accurate narcissistic diagnosis
• Core and/or surface structure of the narcissistic spectrum
• Gender differences and narcissistic personality disorder
• Narcissistic neurology
• Attachment and pathological narcissism
• Pathological continuum, treatment errors, and speaking narcissism
• Key target areas for treatment
• Five categories of therapeutic responses to narcissism
• Therapist reactions to narcissism
• Psychopharmacology and narcissism

Treating the Narcissistic Client
Setting the Stage for Successful Treatment

• Narcissists don’t seek treatment
• To treat or not to treat: the distinction and overlap between NPD and Antisocial PD
• The distinction between entitlement and NPD
• Complications to treatment planning – mild to extreme factors
• NPD subtypes

Address and Change Maladaptive Patterns

• Identify surface and core structure
• Assess investment and motivation in treatment
• Manage narcissistic power struggles
• Getting underneath the veneer of perfectionism: competency, autonomy, relatedness, and purpose
• Narcissistic reaction from stress to rage

The Treatment Plan: Dig Deeper into Motivations and Lessen Symptomatology

• Enhance personal empowerment to lessen maladaptive narcissistic behaviors
• Assertiveness over aggression
• Lengthen the fuse to prevent explosions
• Learn and implement new behavioral, emotional, and thought patterns
• Strengthen appropriate social power, interaction methods, and control

Final Steps of Successful Treatment

• Conceptualizing successful treatment
• Treatment plan goals and examples

Treating the Partner of a Narcissist
Setting the Stage for Successful Treatment

• What is and what may never be and challenging foundational beliefs
• The narcissistic self-serving significant other (SO)
• When they are caught in a blackmail trap
• Assess continuance of dissolution of the relationship

Address and Change Maladaptive Patterns

• Break the cycle of glorifying, belittling, and abandoning
• Clarify and maintain boundaries
• Manage and lessen mental manipulation
• Power to choose

Treatment Plan: Dig Deeper into Motivations and Lessen Symptomatology

• Breaking free from the narcissistic partner
• 7 hopes and realities expanded
• Clarify client wants, deserves, and must-haves
• No more roller coaster
• The foundational 5: communication, mutual respect, trust, acceptance, and shared interests and values

Final Steps of Successful Treatment

• Together or apart
• Stay who you are

Treating the Impact of Narcissistic Parents
Setting the Stage for Successful Treatment

• Narcissistic family characteristics
• The Narcissistic parent identified
• Components of adult children of Narcissists
• The family of my dreams

Address and Change Maladaptive Patterns

• Identify the engulfing or ignoring narcissistic parent type
• Avoid “The Family Crucible” trap
• The narcissistic parent and self-definition
• Fight backhanded and hurtful comments

Treatment Plan: Dig Deeper into Motivations and Lessen Symptomatology

• The gift of narcissistic pathology
• Overcome destructive inner narcissistic family member
• Differentiation of child from parent exercise
• Parenting differently

Final Steps of Successful Treatment

• The family dynamic influencers
• Therapeutic milestones