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Breaking Up with Narcissism: How to Protect Yourself

Breaking Up with Narcissism: How to Protect Yourself

Dec 15, 2025

    • Dr Alina Kastner, author of Break Up with Narcissism, talks about narcissistic abuse and how to remove yourself from a relationship with a narcissist

Asking yourself whether you’re involved with a narcissist is a scary place to be. You are probably feeling very alone with some unanswered questions in your head right now. My mission is to help you answer most of those questions. I have been in your shoes many times before and know exactly what it feels like.

Even though I dedicated a lot of time to the topic of narcissism, I was not safe from its heartbreak. The pain from these relationships motivated me to learn everything I could about narcissism and help others around the world avoid going through what I did. It pushed me to become a psychotherapist, focus on couples and spousal abuse, and even write a two-hundred-page PhD dissertation on narcissism.

Despite my knowledge of narcissists at the time, I was still deeply hurt by them.

I’d love you to be able to trace back what has happened with narcissists in your past, understand what is going on with the narcissist in the present, and figure out how to deal with leaving the narcissist going forward. This is exactly what I set out to do with this book. I want to arm you with all the knowledge and emotional preparation you need for this war and give you the necessary wisdom, guidance, and confidence to end it. You can break free and stay free from narcissistic partners forever.

In the very beginning, your narcissistic partner may have felt like a little piece of paradise — like your soulmate. What has truly happened: They lured you into their narcissistic web to manipulate and abuse you. You’re experiencing feelings of confusion, hurt, betrayal, and possibly even severe depression, but healing is possible.

It’s hard to believe, but if you have a little faith in yourself and this process, even if you’re not feeling it right now, you will grow stronger through this heart-wrenching experience and your hard work will pay off.

It all starts with you.

Watch our interview with Dr Alina Kastner:


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Dr Alina Kastner

Dr Alina Kastner is a systemic family therapist specialising in emotional abuse, sex therapy, and narcissism. Based in Austria, Alina shares practical advice and insights on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube (@dr.alinakastner). Break Up with Narcissism is her debut book.

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Alice McGurran

Alice McGurran is Welldoing editor. She has an MSc Psychology and and Diploma in Counselling from the Gestalt Centre. Alongside working for Welldoing, she runs her own private practice in Central and East London.

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