Understanding and Addressing Their Impact
About this Event

The Rise of Traumatizing Narcissists: Understanding and Addressing Their Impact

The world is witnessing a surge of nationalist cults led by authoritarian demagogues who combine sociopathy with narcissism—malignant narcissists. Daniel Shaw developed the theory of traumatic narcissism from his experience with cult leaders and followers. After working with patients who described relationships similar to cult dynamics, Shaw profiled the traumatizing narcissist and how they use undue influence to subjugate and exploit others.

Shaw explores the traumatizing narcissist's "delusion of omnipotence" and outlines eight controlling behaviors they use to construct systems of subjugation. Anticipating his third book on the topic, Shaw's presentation will clarify for clinicians how to identify traumatizing narcissists and address challenges when working with their subjugated victims.

As more patients report abuse by unregulated figures—coaches, wellness gurus, psychics, healers, and facilitators of psychedelic journeys—the need for clinicians and patients to understand who the traumatizing narcissist is, what they do, and why they do it has never been greater.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

I. Identify the most prominent behaviors of the traumatizing narcissist.

II. Formulate treatment goals for victims of narcissistic abuse suffering from Complex-PTSD.

III. Utilize psychoeducation about the traumatic narcissism theory to help patients consolidate therapeutic gains.

IV. Prioritize treatment goals for cult survivors

V. Assess and effectively address shame pathology in cult survivors

VI. Utilize psychoeducation about the cult leader's coercive projections of shame and powerlessness to facilitate the restoration of stable self-esteem in cult survivors.

Daniel Shaw, LCSW is a psychotherapist in private practice in New York City and in Nyack, New York. As a clinician he integrates his extensive training in psychoanalysis with his studies of contemporary trauma theories and treatments. Shaw's book, Traumatic Narcissism: Relational Systems of Subjugation, was published in 2014 for the Relational Perspectives Series by Routledge. The book was a runner-up for the distinguished Gradiva Award. In 2018, he was honored by the International Cultic Studies Association with the Margaret Thaler Singer Award for advancing the understanding of coercive persuasion and undue influence. His second book, Traumatic Narcissism and Recovery: Leaving the Pr*son of Shame and Fear, was published by Routledge in 2021. His next book, The Traumatic Narcissism Theory: A Contemporary Psychoanalytic Introduction, will be published in 2026.

Continuing Education

This class is approved for 3.0 CE contact hours for psychologists, social workers, and psychoanalysts:

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies is approved by the American Psychological Association to offer continuing education credits for psychologists. The National Institute for the Psychotherapies maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0018.

The National Institute for the Psychotherapies is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychoanalysts #Psyan-0004.

Personalized CE certificates can be downloaded at the end of this event after completing an evaluation form. Attendance for the full duration of the lecture is mandatory for CE credits.

Refunds, & Cancellation Policy

Cancellation requests made more than a week prior to the event will be given a full refund of registration fees. Refunds will not be granted for cancellation requests made within a week of the first day of the event or for no-shows on any of the days event take place.