Dear Annie: Is couples counseling a mistake with a narcissist?

To Annie, please:

I’d want to make a recommendation for her to think about before seeking couples counseling after reading your post about feeling exhausted and alone. Her research on narcissistic tendencies, especially hidden narcissism, should be encouraged. She may feel stuck and keep spinning her wheels because of future manipulation, emotional abuse, and fake if she is in a relationship with someone who exhibits these tendencies and is unaware of the dynamics (as I wasn’t initially).

Since couples counseling can often backfire on the sympathetic partner and exacerbate the abuse, it’s crucial to keep in mind that many psychologists and specialists advise against it in these circumstances. I understand how lonely, alienating, and perplexing it might feel because I’ve gone through a similar experience.

Her tale didn’t provide enough information to make a firm conclusion, but these kinds of connections can endure for years and are sometimes overlooked. Many people stay stuck because they are too scared to escape or because they are unable to identify the warning signs. By sharing this information, she could be better able to comprehend her circumstances and take protective action. I was present and broke free.

Greetings, Been There:

I appreciate your letter. I hope it will be helpful to her and everyone else who is dealing with abusive relationships. They should continue couples counseling, in my opinion, and a competent counselor would be able to assist.

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