Vanessa Reiser, LCSW "Joan of Narc"

✨ Instagram Live Announcement ✨
 
I’ll be going LIVE on Instagram with Adam James @epistemiccrisis on February 3rd at 6:30pm Eastern and this is a conversation you won’t want to miss!
 
Adam James, DPT is a practicing physical therapist, a musician and songwriter, and the other half of @studiesshowthings, where he creates meaningful content focused on neurodivergent awareness and support.
 
Vanessa M. Reiser, LCSW is a mother, author, entrepreneur, 2X Ironman and psychotherapist licensed in NY, NJ, MA & FL specializing in narcissistic and cult abuse.  She is also the founder of Tell a Therapist, LLC as well as Tell a Therapist, INC and is best known for her run across the state of New York (285 miles in 11 days) in a wedding dress to raise awareness for narcissistic abuse.  She also subsequently ran across NJ, CT, MA & RI with plans to traverse MD in June 2026.  Her insights are both personal and professional, giving her a unique lens into this insidious form of domestic abuse.  She recently published "Narcissistic Abuse: A Therapist's Guide to Identifying, Escaping, and Healing from Toxic and Manipulative People," available at Hachettebookgroup.com and Amazon.
 
 
We’ll be talking about mental & physical health, neurodivergence, dementia, cults, narcissism, psychopathy all through both the lenses of personal and clinical experience.
 
📅 Feb 3
⏰ 6:30pm EST
📍 Instagram Live
 
Set a reminder, bring your questions, and join us live 💬✨
 
#InstagramLive #NeurodivergentAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #HealingConversations #TellATherapist #StudiesShowThings

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 0

Vanessa Reiser, LCSW "Joan of Narc"

Narcissists and cult leaders love one tactic more than anything else: repetition.
Repeat the cliché. Repeat the slogan. Repeat the insult. Repeat the song lyric that suddenly becomes a “theme” of the relationship.

It’s not accidental—it’s conditioning.
When someone hears the same message over and over, it slips past critical thinking and starts to feel familiar, even true. That’s how they break down members of their fellowship, family, or relationship: through constant loops of the same phrases until you stop questioning…and start absorbing.

Pay attention to the words they repeat.
They’re not just talking—they’re training.

#NarcissisticAbuse #CultTactics #MindControl #TraumaRecovery #BreakTheCycle #KnowTheSigns #RepetitionIsManipulation #NarcissisticSupply #PsychologicalAbuse #HealingJourney

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

Vanessa Reiser, LCSW "Joan of Narc"

Narcissistic abuse is the carbon monoxide of relationships — invisible, odorless, and often unfelt until it’s already taken a toll.
You can be living inside it, breathing it in every day, and still doubt your own reality because there are no bruises, no loud explosions, no obvious alarms.

That’s why education and awareness matter.
That’s why boundaries matter.
That’s why healing matters.

If something feels “off,” pay attention. The danger isn’t always visible… but the damage is always real and can be deadly.

#NarcissisticAbuseAwareness #EmotionalAbuse #InvisibleWounds #TraumaHealing #KnowTheSigns #BoundariesMatter #TherapistThoughts #narcissisticabuserecovery

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Vanessa Reiser, LCSW "Joan of Narc"

✨ Red Bank, I’m coming for you! ✨
I’m so excited to share that I’ll be doing a book signing and live Q&A on December 13th from 12–2 PM at the Women’s Club in Red Bank for my book:

📚 Narcissistic Abuse: A Therapist’s Guide to Identifying, Escaping and Healing from Toxic and Manipulative People

If you’ve been wanting to dive deeper into narcissistic abuse, healing, and empowerment—or just want to connect in person—this is your moment. Come grab a signed copy, ask your questions, and spend an afternoon with an incredible community of women supporting women.

Can’t wait to see you there. ❤️

📍 Women’s Club of Red Bank
🗓️ Dec 13, 12–2 PM
🖊️ Book Signing + Q&A
🎤 Moderated by @feliciastoler

#NarcissisticAbuseAwareness #BookSigning #RedBankNJ #AuthorEvent #MentalHealthAdvocate #WomensClub #HealingJourney #VanessaReiser #NarcissisticAbuse #Empowerment #QandA #CommunityEvent #redbank #jersey

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

Vanessa Reiser, LCSW "Joan of Narc"

Here’s a polished Instagram post you can use:

⸻

A narcissist will hand you their whole personality résumé without even realizing it.
Just listen to how they talk about their exes. 👀

When they describe their former partners as “crazy,” “unstable,” “toxic,” or “impossible to please,” they’re not revealing anything about those people… they’re revealing themselves.

Projection is their favorite language.
Every accusation is actually a confession in disguise.

So listen closely.
They’re telling you exactly who they are — you just have to believe them the first time.


Link to my book in bio on Instagram @vanessareiserlcsw or at www.tellatherapist.net

Order my book here: Narcissistic Abuse: A Therapist’s Guide to Identifying, Escaping, and Healing from Toxic and Manipulative People:

www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/vanessa-reiser/na…

In this book, I aim to fuse the concepts of cult abuse and narcissistic abuse.

@serendipitylit @hachetteus @hachettebooks @hachetteaudio @hachetteuk @hachettego

#narcissisticabusesurvivor #narcissisticpersonalitydisorder #darktriad #survivor #domesticviolence #antisocialpersonalitydisorder #empathynotincluded #hachette #serendipitylit #intimatepartnerviolence #covertpassiveaggressivenarcissism #narcissist #tellatherapist #apd #narcissism #antisocialpersonalitydisorder #npd #narcissisticabuse #vanessareiser #narcissisticabuserun
#NarcissisticAbuse #Projection #EveryAccusationIsAConfession #KnowTheSigns #TraumaRecovery #ToxicRelationships #NarcissistDecoder #EmotionalAbuseAwareness #HealingJourney #BoundariesMatter #TellATherapist

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Vanessa Reiser, LCSW "Joan of Narc"

Being easily provoked is like catnip to a narcissist — it lights them up, arouses them, fuels their ego, and invites them right into the game they want you to play.

The trick? Don’t take the bait.
You don’t have to react, defend, explain, justify, or chase. The moment you stay grounded and refuse to be pulled into their cat-and-mouse chaos, you break the dynamic they rely on to feel powerful.

Your calm is not weakness.
Your non-reaction is not permission.
It’s mastery.

Choose regulation over reactivity.
Choose peace over provocation.
Choose you over their need for control.

Try this trick: Tell yourself “I will not be used for his arousal anymore” or “I refuse to give him a boner”. lol. I’m not kidding. Try it. It works.

Because that’s what this does, it gets them aroused. Mine used to say to me when we were arguing “you’re turning me off” which I later realized meant I was, in fact, turning him ON.

As soon as I realized that my reaction was turning him on, I became so grossed out and now I refuse to arouse a sexual deviant and monster. 👺

#narcissisticabuse #boundaries #emotionalregulation #healingjourney #traumarecovery #narcissisticpersonalitydisorder #mentalhealth #selflove #gaslighting #toxicrelationships #staygrounded #donttakethebait

Link to my book in bio!

Order my book here: Narcissistic Abuse: A Therapist’s Guide to Identifying, Escaping, and Healing from Toxic and Manipulative People:

www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/vanessa-reiser/na…

In this book, I aim to fuse the concepts of cult abuse and narcissistic abuse.

@serendipitylit @hachetteus @hachettebooks @hachetteaudio @hachetteuk @hachettego

Disclaimer: Anything posted on my page is not intended to replace REAL therapy. My posts are a result of years of research and are not about any ☝️ person. They are based on thousands of hours with thousands of people (many of whom are clients), regarding thousands of topics from the children of narcissists, the parents of narcissists, cult abuse survivors,
the coworkers of narcissists, the siblings of narcissists, the friends of narcissists, & diagnosed narcissists, themselves.

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

Vanessa Reiser, LCSW "Joan of Narc"

Lately, watching the MAGA movement twist reality has felt like a masterclass in hypocrisy and gaslighting. The constant contradictions, the emotional manipulation, the blind devotion, the “us vs. them” narrative—it’s not just politics. It’s the exact blueprint of cult dynamics, mind control, and narcissistic abuse.

What we’re seeing isn’t random. It follows the same psychological patterns I’ve spent my career helping people recognize and escape.

If you’ve ever felt confused, overwhelmed, or like something just isn’t adding up, you’re not imagining it. These tactics are designed to disorient you, make you doubt your own perception, and keep you hooked.

I break all of this down—clearly and compassionately—in my book Narcissistic Abuse: A Therapist’s Guide to Identifying, Escaping, and Healing from Toxic and Manipulative People.
If you want to understand the mechanics of manipulation—whether in relationships, cults, or entire political movements—this book gives you the roadmap.

Knowledge is how we break free.
Awareness is how we stop repeating cycles.
And truth is how we take our power back.

✨ Link in bio to order. Or buy here: a.co/d/7ucIaPv

#NarcissisticAbuse #CultAbuse #MindControl #Gaslighting #HighControlGroups #TraumaInformed #HealingJourney #PsychologicalAbuse #BreakTheCycle #MAGACult #TherapistAuthor #VanessaReiser #NarcissisticAbuseBook

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Vanessa Reiser, LCSW "Joan of Narc"

Lying through your teeth is not dental hygiene… though some of y’all sure treat it like a daily routine. 😏🦷✨

Moral of the story: floss your morals, not your stories.

#TruthHurts #DentalHumor #EmotionalHygiene #NarcissisticAbuseAwareness #TherapistHumor #SayWhatYouMean #HealthyRelationships #AccountabilityIsSexy

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

Vanessa Reiser, LCSW "Joan of Narc"

Many of my clients become so enmeshed with their abusers that they end up asking themselves if THEY are the narcissist.

Here’s a tip:

Who ruined holidays and birthdays? That’s the narc.

🎄 When Narcissists Ruin Christmas… 🎁
Let’s talk about it.

The holidays should be a time for connection, warmth, and joy — but if you’ve ever spent Christmas with a narcissist, you know they have a special talent for turning “the most wonderful time of the year” into confusion, tension, and emotional exhaustion.

They pick fights before the guests arrive.
They create chaos so they can play the victim.
They demand attention instead of giving presence.
THEY RETURN GIFTS OR ARE WEIRD ABOUT RECEIVING THEM.
And somehow, some way, they make the holiday about them.

Here’s the truth:
✨ You’re not overreacting.
✨ You’re not imagining it.
✨ And you deserve peaceful, drama-free holidays.

This year, protect your energy.
Set boundaries like they’re ornaments on your tree.
And remember — Christmas isn’t a performance. It’s a feeling.
Choose the people (and peace) that actually feel like home. ❤️

#NarcissisticAbuse #HolidayTriggers #NarcFreeChristmas #TraumaInformed #BoundariesAreBeautiful #MentalHealthMatters #HealingJourney #ToxicFamilyDynamics #BreakTheCycle

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Vanessa Reiser, LCSW "Joan of Narc"

During “Narc Season” (Oct 30–Jan 2), the gift-giving gets… creative.

A classic move?
🎁 The narcissist buys themselves a gift and wraps it up like it’s for you.
Then suddenly it’s, “Well, we can both use it,” or “I thought you’d want me to have this.”

It’s not generosity—it’s a loophole.
A built-in excuse to overspend, self-indulge, and call it “holiday spirit.” They do this with trips, concerts or experiences.

Healthy love gives to you.
Narcissistic behavior takes from you and calls it a present.

If this hits a nerve… it’s not in your head.
You’re just waking up to the pattern.

#NarcSeason #NarcissisticAbuseAwareness #HolidayHoovering #CycleOfAbuse #NarcissisticAbuseRecovery #Boundaries #ToxicRelationships #KnowTheSigns #TellATherapist #VanessaReiserLCSW

1 month ago | [YT] | 1