Relationship Rebuild & Communication Support
Service Type(s):
- Couples Counselling
- Communication Coaching
- Conflict Resolution Support
Service(s) Delivered:
- Joint Intake Session + Individual Check-ins (as needed)
- 8-Session Couples Program
- Communication Frameworks & Take-Home Exercises
A woman in her mid-20s sought therapy related to Narcissistic Abuse, to address long-standing issues with low self-esteem, guilt, and shame stemming from her relationship with her father, who exhibited narcissistic traits. He was highly critical and emotionally distant, often projecting the cold, perfectionistic tendencies of his own mother onto her. From a young age, she felt she could never meet his impossible standards. As she entered puberty, he would publicly criticise her appearance, leaving her feeling inadequate and hyper-aware of others’ perceptions.
She described growing up attempting to fit the mould of the “golden child,” believing that by excelling in academics, behaviour, and appearance she could earn love and approval. Despite her efforts, she often felt she fell short, and her father’s harsh comments triggered intense guilt, shame, and a pervasive sense of failure. Over time, these experiences left her with a form of PTSD, common in children of parents with borderline or narcissistic traits, characterised by hypervigilance, emotional suppression, and difficulty trusting her own perceptions and worth.
Therapy began with psychoeducation about the dynamics of narcissistic parenting and the impact on emotional development. Understanding that her father’s behaviour reflected his own unresolved trauma helped her reframe his projections of guilt, shame and criticism, as patterns not caused by her.
Using trauma-informed Somatic Psychotherapy, she gradually learned to track and tolerate these bodily responses without becoming overwhelmed. She explored the ways her nervous system had adapted to living under constant scrutiny, learning that hypervigilance and self-criticism were survival mechanisms rather than personal failings. Role-play and relational exercises helped her practise asserting boundaries, expressing needs, and responding to her own internal critic with compassion rather than fear.
As therapy progressed, she began to disentangle her sense of self from the expectations and projections of her father. She learned to recognise the guilt and shame he had imposed as externalised emotions, rather than inherent truths about her. She also began to challenge the internalised belief that she needed to be perfect to be worthy, exploring activities and relationships that fostered authentic self-expression and validation.
Later in therapy, we incorporated expressive Somatic Psychotherapy techniques to help her engage with the anger she had long suppressed toward her father. By safely discharging and containing this anger, she developed the ability to assert boundaries without regressing into the anxious, compliant patterns of her childhood. This work allowed her to interact with him from her adult self, staying present and grounded, rather than being pulled into old dynamics. She reported feeling more empowered and resilient in his presence, noticing that she could maintain both emotional safety and assertiveness.
Towards the end of therapy, she reported a marked improvement in self-esteem, emotional regulation, and resilience. She described feeling more grounded in her own identity, capable of recognising and honouring her needs without fear of disapproval. She could reflect on her childhood experiences with compassion rather than self-blame, and she noticed a growing capacity for joy, connection, self-acceptance, and healthy, grounded anger.
This case illustrates how trauma-informed Somatic Psychotherapy can support individuals recovering from narcissistic parenting, helping them rebuild self-esteem, release internalised guilt and shame, express and contain anger safely, and develop a stronger, more authentic sense of self
