About this course

Learning Objectives

• Differentiate narcissistic traits, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and antagonistic relational patterns.
• Describe at least three potential psychological and relational impacts of narcissistic and antagonistic relationships, including effects on self-trust, emotional regulation, attachment, and well-being.
• Identify at least three trauma-informed strategies that can support safety, boundaries, agency, and recovery for individuals impacted by narcissistic and antagonistic relationships.

Learning Levels

• Beginner, all levels are welcomed

Target Audience

Course Instructor(s)

• 

  Ramani Durvasula, Ph.D

  New York Times Best Selling Author, Psychologist, & Professor of Psychology

  Ramani Durvasula, Ph.D. is a psychologist in California, the founder and CEO of LUNA Education, Training and Consulting, and professor emerita of psychology at California State University Los Angeles. She is the New York Times Bestselling Author of It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People. She is also the author of multiple other books including “Don’t You Know Who I Am”: How to Stay Sane in the Era of Narcissism, Entitlement and Incivility and Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship With a Narcissist. She has lectured and trained therapists around the world on best practices on working with clients experiencing narcissistic abuse and has developed a 36 hour virtual training and certification program in conjunction with PESI to train clinicians on how to use an Antagonism-Informed approach with clients experiencing narcissistic relationships. Dr. Durvasula hosts a popular YouTube channel with over 2 million subscribers, maintains a program offering support and education to thousands of survivors, and is a featured expert on the digital media platform MedCircle. She also maintains an engaged online network called the Dr. Ramani Network. She has also been widely involved in the governance of the American Psychological Association, including the APA Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology and the APA Minority Fellowship Program. Dr. Durvasula received her M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in clinical psychology from UCLA, and completed her internship and post-doctoral training at the UCLA Department of Psychiatry. She completed her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology, with a minor in sociology in 1988 at the University of Connecticut. She resides in Los Angeles, CA.

• 

  Athena Petersen

  Executive Director Foundation for Post-Traumatic Healing and Complex Trauma Research

  Athena Petersen is the Executive Director of the CPTSD Foundation and a global advocate for complex trauma awareness, education, and recovery. Through the Foundation’s virtual programs and resources, Athena and her team provide ongoing support to trauma survivors in more than 180 countries, offering community-based resources designed to complement individual therapeutic care.

  Athena is deeply committed to creating spaces where survivors feel seen, heard, respected, and valued. Her work emphasizes compassionate, accessible, and validating support while fostering connection and community for individuals navigating the impact of complex trauma.

Disclosure

References

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• Besser, A., & Zeigler-Hill, V. (2026). Recognition and Resistance in Early Psychotherapeutic Encounters: Therapist Response Style, Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry, and Public Mental Health Engagement. International journal of environmental research and public health, 23(7), 876. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23070876
• Campbell, W. K., & Miller, J. D. (Eds.). (2011). The handbook of narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder: Theoretical approaches, empirical findings, and treatments. John Wiley & Sons.
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• Day, N. J. S., Townsend, M. L., & Grenyer, B. F. S. (2020). Living with pathological narcissism: A qualitative study. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 7, Article 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-020-00132-8
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• Durvasula, R. (2024). It’s not you: Identifying and healing from narcissistic people. The Open Field/Penguin Life.
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• Mercadante, E. J., & Tracy, J. L. (2026). Needing others to know you're good: Narcissists' pride in success is contingent on peer reactions. Journal of experimental psychology. General, 10.1037/xge0001974. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001974
• Minnick, A. M., Cachelin, F. M., & Durvasula, R. S. (2017). Personality Disorders and Psychological Functioning Among Latina Women with Eating Disorders. Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.), 43(3), 200–207. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.2016.1276429
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• Porges S. W. (2022). Polyvagal Theory: A Science of Safety. Frontiers in integrative neuroscience, 16, 871227. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2022.871227
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• Soliman, O. M., Messer, M., Skvarc, D., Moffitt, R. L., & Linardon, J. (2025). Exploring the role of mindfulness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance during delivery of a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy app for recurrent binge eating. Eating disorders, 1–23. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2025.2602455