Dear Jordan… Is That a Narcissist Knocking on Your Door? | Recognizing Behavior and Manipulation

In this letter to my daughter Jordan, I talk about a word that seems to be everywhere right now: narcissist.On social media, the term gets used to describe everything from rude behavior to difficult relationships. But narcissistic personality disorder is something much deeper than everyday selfishness, and understanding the difference can help us recognize patterns that might otherwise leave us confused for years.In this episode, I share what I learned after finding myself in a relationship with someone who operated within that pattern. I talk about how manipulation slowly reshapes your sense of reality, why confronting a true narcissist rarely leads to change, and how knowledge can sometimes become the ladder that helps you climb out of situations that once felt impossible to explain.I also talk about something that many people don’t discuss openly: what it looks like to navigate these experiences through the lens of faith. When someone is trying to leave a harmful relationship, the advice they receive from religious communities can sometimes add another layer of confusion. In this letter, I reflect on the tension between honoring faith and recognizing when a covenant has already been broken by harm, deception, or abuse.This episode explores the intersection of psychology, lived experience, and biblical wisdom, and the importance of something Scripture talks about often but many of us struggle to practice: guarding your heart.Because sometimes the most loving thing we can do for our lives is recognize who is standing at the door before we invite them inside.If this episode resonated with you and you’d like support navigating your own situation, I offer one-on-one coaching for individuals working through difficult relationships, family court challenges, and rebuilding their lives after harmful dynamics.You can learn more or book a session here: https://vibly.io/experts/andrea-manajo/