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Listen "Signs You're Trapped in a False Self"
Episode Synopsis
In this Weekly Insight, Dr. Ettensohn explores subtle signs of false self experiencing. Drawing from clinical work and developmental theory, he reflects on how early relational demands can lead individuals to organize their identity around performance, compliance, or emotional suppression.
The episode examines how precocious self-monitoring, idealized emotional states, and internalized expectations often become automatic, forming a false self that feels necessary for connection but ultimately leaves authentic self experience obscured.
Dr. Ettensohn situates the false self as a broad survival strategy shaped by narcissogenic environments. With compassion and psychological nuance, he offers signs that may indicate someone is operating from a false self, and encourages viewers to reflect gently on moments of disconnection, exhaustion, or rigid self-presentation. The goal, as he frames it, is not to attack or dismantle these protective structures, but to begin noticing them and allowing more space for what is real.
LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://rb.gy/cklpum
LISTEN ON GOOGLE PODCASTS: https://rb.gy/fotpca LISTEN ON AMAZON MUSIC: https://rb.gy/g4yzh8
VISIT THE WEBSITE: https://www.healnpd.org
The episode examines how precocious self-monitoring, idealized emotional states, and internalized expectations often become automatic, forming a false self that feels necessary for connection but ultimately leaves authentic self experience obscured.
Dr. Ettensohn situates the false self as a broad survival strategy shaped by narcissogenic environments. With compassion and psychological nuance, he offers signs that may indicate someone is operating from a false self, and encourages viewers to reflect gently on moments of disconnection, exhaustion, or rigid self-presentation. The goal, as he frames it, is not to attack or dismantle these protective structures, but to begin noticing them and allowing more space for what is real.
LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://rb.gy/cklpum
LISTEN ON GOOGLE PODCASTS: https://rb.gy/fotpca LISTEN ON AMAZON MUSIC: https://rb.gy/g4yzh8
VISIT THE WEBSITE: https://www.healnpd.org
More episodes of the podcast Heal NPD
From Ideal to Real: Lessons From My Father
28/08/2025
Live with Dr. Ettensohn 6-12-25
17/06/2025
Do Narcissists *Really* Lack Empathy?
06/06/2025
In God we trust