Close Encounter: The Narcissist in the Wild

In this special extended episode, we sit down with narcissist-proof coach Dorothy Livio Vaughan for an honest, tender, sometimes uncomfortable conversation about what narcissism actually looks like up close, and why it can be so hard to see clearly while you're still inside it.

Dorothy walks us through how these patterns show up, why we instinctively know the truth long before our minds catch up, and what it takes to start untangling ourselves from that toxic knot that has rewires our brains and rewrites our reality. We get into the red flags, the gray areas, the self-doubt, and the messy, meaningful work of navigating or eliminating these relationships. We share our own stories too, because of course we do.

If you want to dive deeper after this one, check out the book Safe People by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend from Boundaries Books, or visit the website of Dr. Ramani Durvasula for more expert guidance and resources.

If you have ever lain awake at 2 a.m. wondering "is it just me, or is something really off here," consider this your permission slip to trust yourself. You are not crazy. You are not too much. And you are not alone.

About the hosts:

Rebecca has spent most of her life organizing, leading, fixing, building, and occasionally overthinking things for others. After decades in corporate and communal leadership, she now works as a coach and guide, helping people navigate life's transitions without losing themselves in the process. She is a partner, a mom, a sister, an auntie, a daughter, a healer, a spiritual teacher and guide, a friend, and a recent dog-mom. Based in California, Rebecca is learning (in real time) how to choose living in alignment with love, truth, and wisdom over the noise of raging hormones and the crumbling patriarchy.

Jessica is a California native who now happily calls Tennessee home — yes, willingly, and yes, she loves it. For the last several years, she has been every kind of mom, including cheer mom, scout mom, room mom, snack coordinator, and calendar manager, to an 8-year-old and a 12-year-old, while also being a wife, daughter, sister, running a business, and leading in the corporate world. Jessica brings heart, sarcasm, and the kind of practical wisdom that comes from juggling a lot and still showing up. She approaches midlife the way she approaches everything: full-on, and with enough humor and prescription hormones to survive it.

Heather has questions. A California girl now rooted in Washington State, she has fully embraced being a dog guardian, fresh air, muddy boots, and starting over. She is an amazing friend, a great big sister, a devoted dog human to her rescue dog, Chance, a community gardener, a bee lover, and a general enthusiast of things that grow. Heather brings curiosity, honesty, and a quiet adventurous streak to the mic. She sees midlife not as something to manage but as something to explore, preferably outdoors, ideally with really good snacks, and always with an open heart.