Ramani Durvasula

It’s essential that clinicians understand not just the phenomenon of narcissistic abuse (or antagonistic relational abuse), but the fallout from it (the distress, discomfort, and dysfunction). In this workshop, we’ll explore the nature of narcissism and antagonism as a personality style; how it shows up in relationships; the vulnerabilities people have to get stuck in these relationships; and techniques for working with these clients suffering narcissistic abuse. You'll learn an intuitive and actionable road map that you can use with clients in high-conflict divorces and workplace-abuse cases. You’ll discover:   

• How to identify the characteristics of narcissistic abuse that are often misdiagnosed   
• Specific vulnerabilities to entering and getting stuck in relationships characterized by narcissistic abuse  
• An actionable treatment approach—applicable to any practice—that includes psychoeducation, assessment, fostering radical acceptance, and striving for growth 
• Ethical issues in working with clients experiencing narcissistic abuse 

 Learning Objectives: 

• Catalog the fallout from narcissistic abuse that clients experience, and co-occurring patterns that can complicate diagnosis and assessment. 
• Construct an actionable framework for working with clients presenting with the distress, discomfort, and dysfunction entailed by experiencing narcissistic abuse, and fostering growth in these clients. 
• Evaluate ethical issues which arise in working with clients experiencing narcissistic abuse. 

Dr. Ramani Durvasula is a licensed clinical psychologist, Professor of Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, and the Founder and CEO of LUNA Education, Training & Consulting, a company that offers a range of programs focused on educating survivors, clinicians, coaches and businesses on the impacts of narcissism on health, wellness, and function. She’s the author of Don’t You Know Who I Am: How to Stay Sane in the Era of Narcissism, Entitlement and Incivility, Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship With A Narcissist. Dr. Ramani also has a popular YouTube channel that focuses on narcissism and difficult relationships, mental health, and societal expectations. Her work has been featured at SXSW, TEDx, and on a wide range of media platforms including, Red Table Talk, the Today Show, Oxygen, Investigation Discovery, and Bravo. She is also a featured expert on the digital media mental health platform MedCircle. Dr. Durvasula’s research on personality disorders has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and she is a Consulting Editor of the scientific journal Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Durvasula is a brutally honest voice on the struggles raised by narcissism in the US and globally.