Narcissistic abuse therapy in Denver
Recover from emotional abuse. Reclaim your sense of self and what’s real. Our narcissistic abuse therapists work with survivors in Denver, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, and Arvada — and via telehealth throughout Colorado.
Therapists for narcissistic & emotional abuse
Narcissistic abuse is one of the most confusing and difficult forms of emotional harm — precisely because it’s designed to make you doubt your own reality. If you’ve been in a relationship with a narcissistic partner, parent, or family member, you may find yourself questioning your memories, defending someone who hurt you, feeling responsible for things that weren’t your fault, or struggling to explain what happened to people who weren’t there.
This is not a character flaw. It’s the predictable result of sustained psychological manipulation — and it’s something our therapists are specifically trained to help you recover from.
At My Denver Therapy, our narcissistic abuse specialists use trauma-informed approaches including EMDR, IFS (Internal Family Systems), CBT, and attachment-based therapy to help survivors rebuild their sense of self, process trauma, and move forward with clarity. We see clients at our Denver, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, and Arvada offices, as well as via telehealth throughout Colorado.
Are you in a relationship with a narcissist?
At My Denver Therapy, we understand the devastating impact of narcissistic abuse. If you’re questioning your relationship and experiencing some of these common feelings, you’re not alone:
- Lost in a Fog of Doubt: Gaslighting and manipulation can leave you questioning your own reality and memories. Is this how it really happened? Am I overreacting? These are normal struggles for victims of narcissistic abuse.
- Emotional Tug-of-War: Your relationship may feel like a rollercoaster, swinging between intense highs and soul-crushing lows. Anxiety and depression, often linked to the unpredictable nature of a narcissistic partner, can take their toll.
- Frustration and Helplessness: Feeling angry and stressed while simultaneously trapped in a hopeless situation is a frequent outcome of narcissistic control.
- Blamed and Shamed: Are you constantly apologizing or feeling like you can’t do anything right? The burden of blame in a narcissistic relationship can leave you questioning your own sanity and worth.
- Exhausted and Emotionally Drained: Walking on eggshells, seeking validation, and dealing with constant criticism takes a significant emotional toll. You may feel depleted and disconnected from yourself.
Remember: Your feelings are valid. If you recognize these patterns in your relationship, reaching out for professional help from a therapist can be the first step towards healing and reclaiming your life.
Symptoms of narcissistic abuse in relationships
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) can be complex and nuanced in relationships, but here are some of the most common symptoms:
- Entitlement & Control: A perpetual sense of deserving special treatment, coupled with a strong need to dictate situations and exert dominance.
- Emotional Detachment & Lack of Empathy: Difficulty connecting authentically with others' emotions, often accompanied by limited expression of vulnerability or remorse.
- Grandiosity & Unrealistic Expectations: Inflated self-perceptions of abilities and achievements, fueling grandiose fantasies of success and perfection.
- Exploitation & Manipulation: Willingness to use others for personal gain, employing tactics like charm, guilt, or even threats to further their agenda.
- Volatile & Reactive: Prone to outbursts of anger and rage when their ego is challenged, sometimes resorting to the silent treatment or emotional withdrawal.
- Hypercritical & Blameshifting: Constant criticism of others while seeking endless affirmation and praise themselves, which can include a tendency to deflect responsibility and paint themselves as the victim.
Understanding the cycle of narcissistic abuse
If you’re in a relationship marked by intense highs and devastating lows, you might be experiencing the cyclical nature of narcissistic abuse. These relationships can feel incredibly confusing and emotionally draining, but understanding the patterns can empower you to make choices that are right for you..
The Idealization Phase: Imagine a whirlwind romance, filled with compliments, promises of commitment, and an intoxicating sense of “perfect love.” This is known as the idealization phase, where the narcissist showers you with affection and attention, making you feel like the center of their universe. They may mirror your interests, paint grand visions for the future, and offer unwavering support. However, remember, this level of intensity is rarely sustainable.
The Devaluation Phase: As the initial infatuation fades, the narcissist’s insecurities and need for control begin to surface. This is known as the devaluation phase, where their behavior subtly shifts. They may become critical, belittling your achievements, dismissing your concerns, and subtly manipulating situations to undermine your confidence. Gaslighting, guilt-tripping, and emotional manipulation become frequent tactics to erode your sense of self and reality.
The Discard Phase: By this point, the narcissist has gained a significant power dynamic. In this part of the cycle known as the discard phase, the abuse escalates. Outbursts of anger, rage, and threats become commonplace, often used to punish you for perceived slights or simply for the narcissist’s own gratification. You may be isolated from loved ones, subjected to relentless criticisms, and made to feel utterly worthless.
Breaking the Cycle: Recognizing these cyclical patterns is crucial for escaping the emotional toll of a narcissistic relationship. Remember, this is not your fault. You deserve a healthy, supportive relationship built on mutual respect and genuine love.
Narcissistic personality disorders exist on a spectrum
Narcissistic personality disorder, often abbreviated as NPD, can be a complex and challenging concept. Unlike what many people believe, it exists on a spectrum. While some individuals exhibit a few characteristic traits, others meet the full diagnostic criteria for NPD.
Behind the facade of confidence and charisma often displayed by individuals with NPD lies a hidden world of internal turmoil. Insecurities, anger management issues, shame, and fear can lurk beneath the surface, unseen by the outside world.
This internal conflict can manifest in unpredictable behavior, making it especially difficult for those experiencing their abuse.
Understanding the narcissistic spectrum
It’s important to remember that NPD exists on a spectrum, not as a rigid category. This means that individuals with the disorder can exhibit varying degrees of its characteristic traits. Some may express mild narcissism, while others struggle with severe, debilitating symptoms.
Why the NPD spectrum matters
Recognizing the spectrum of NPD empowers both survivors and mental health professionals:
- For survivors: It can help them validate their experiences and understand the complexities of the abuser’s behavior.
- For therapists: It allows for more nuanced diagnoses and tailored treatment approaches for individuals with NPD.
How therapy helps survivors of narcissistic abuse
When you’ve experienced narcissistic or emotional abuse, the effects reach far beyond the relationship itself — into your self-esteem, your ability to trust, your sense of what’s real, and your patterns in future relationships. Our therapists help you:
- Recognize and name what happened — Many survivors struggle to label narcissistic abuse as abuse at all. We help you understand the patterns — gaslighting, love bombing, triangulation, intermittent reinforcement — so you can see your experience clearly.
- Process trauma and emotional flashbacks — Using EMDR and other evidence-based trauma therapies, we help you work through the nervous system-level impact of sustained emotional abuse.
- Rebuild your identity and self-trust — Narcissistic abuse systematically erodes who you are. Therapy helps you reconnect with your values, needs, and intuition.
- Set boundaries — and actually enforce them — Especially important if you’re co-parenting with, still in contact with, or leaving a narcissistic relationship.
- Understand attachment and relationship patterns — Learn why these relationships feel so compelling, so you can recognize red flags earlier and choose more safely in the future.
- Heal from complex trauma (C-PTSD) — Long-term narcissistic abuse often produces C-PTSD symptoms: hypervigilance, emotional dysregulation, dissociation, and a persistent sense of shame. We treat this directly.
You deserve a therapist who understands why leaving is hard, why you might still love the person who hurt you, and why “just move on” is not helpful advice. That’s the kind of support we provide.
Struggling with a narcissistic family unit?
Narcissistic and toxic family dynamics create a particular kind of wound — because the people who were supposed to love and protect you were the source of the harm. Children raised by narcissistic parents often grow up with a distorted sense of self, difficulty trusting their own perceptions, chronic self-doubt, and patterns of seeking approval from unavailable people.
The effects don’t disappear when you leave home. Many adult survivors of narcissistic families find that the patterns surface in their closest relationships, their parenting, and their inner critic. Therapy helps you untangle what was yours from what was imposed on you — and build an identity that’s truly your own.
Our therapists at My Denver Therapy are experienced in working with adult survivors of narcissistic family systems. We offer in-person sessions in Denver, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, and Arvada, and telehealth throughout Colorado.
We can provide psychiatric medication management
At My Denver Therapy, our in-house psychiatric nurse practitioner Shannon Keane (PMHNP-BC) can provide medication management and prescriptions to help treat behavior, mood, and mental health issues. As a board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner, Shannon is dual certified in family medicine and psychiatry, and she strives to provide patients with comprehensive strategies to improve and maintain their mental health.
By combining therapy with medication management within one therapy private practice, we’re able to provide a deeper level of support and an integrated approach to mental health for clients who have depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, trauma, or are looking into Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Instead of searching for a therapist and a psychiatrist in Denver separately, we can save you time and create an integrated plan for your mental wellness by offering both in our Denver area offices.
Other Specialties
Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn’t you – all of the expectations, all of the beliefs – and becoming who you are.
Rachel Naomi Remen
Meet our therapists
As a therapist-owned practice, we care about helping you heal, grow, and thrive. We take a client-focused approach to counseling and approach each session with a commitment to your progress and growth.
Availability
We’re always accepting new clients at our conveniently located offices in Denver, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, and Arvada. All of our therapists can meet with clients online.
We specialize in you
You are welcome here. Because we have a large team with a wide range of specialties and trainings, we work with clients of all ages, backgrounds, and life stages.
We can match you with a male or female therapist who matches your goals, location, and schedule. If you have a preference for gender, age, religious background, or a person with a specific type of training or life experience, we can match you with a therapist you feel comfortable with.
Trained in effective therapy modalities
To support your mental health journey, our team is trained in some of the most effective forms of therapy available today, including EMDR, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Brainspotting, CBT, DBT, and IFS.
Whether you’re looking for help with anxiety, depression, trauma, or want to better understand your relationship and attachment styles, we can help.
Insurance information
We’re out of network with insurance and Tricare and are unable to take Medicaid or Medicare.
Unlike many Denver therapy practices, we don’t charge separate intake or administration fees or charge more for your first session or specialized therapy methods like EMDR.
Get matched with a therapist
Contact us today, and one of our therapists will reach out to you directly, usually the same day.