When Your Mother Hurts Instead of Loves You: Understanding The Controlling Mom

Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse

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Can you ever be “good enough” for a difficult mother?

In this episode, psychotherapist Katherine Fabrizio, author of The Good Daughter Syndrome, reveals why empathic daughters feel trapped in cycles of guilt, exhaustion, and approval-seeking—and how to finally reclaim your power and identity.

Tronick’s Still (Blank) Face Experiment

PODCAST EXTRA EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

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MORE ABOUT THE PODCAST EXTRA

🔹 Setting boundaries isn’t just about saying “no”—it’s about grieving the mother you wish you had while facing the reality of the one you do.

In this powerful bonus conversation, Katherine Fabrizio shares how to let go of the fantasy of a different mom, why pushback is a sign you’re on the right track, and how to reframe chronic protest behaviors as grief instead of personal failure.

Get immediate access to this extended interview—and discover the strength to set boundaries that honor your life.

👉 Join today: https://substack.com/@breakingfreenarcabuse

MORE ABOUT DR. FABRIZIO

• Book: The Good Daughter Syndrome: Help For Empathic Daughters of Narcissistic, Borderline, or Difficult Mothers Trapped in the Role of the Good Daughter
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KATHERINE FABRIZIO, M.A., L.C.M.H.C., is a psychotherapist, mother, and the author of the Amazon bestseller, internationally published, and award-winning book The Good Daughter Syndrome. She lives in Raleigh, N.C., where she dances to loud music, talks to her husband about everything, and enjoys her grandchildren without doing any of the work.

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More About Dr. Kerry

Kerry Kerr McAvoy, Ph.D, a retired psychologist and author, is an expert on cultivating healthy relationships and deconstructing narcissism. Her blogs have been featured in Mamami, YourTango, Scary Mommy, and The Good Men Project. In Love You More, Dr. McAvoy gives an uncensored glimpse into her survival of narcissistic abuse, and her workbook, First Steps to Leaving a Narcissist, helps victims break free from the confusion common in abusive relationships.

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