This week I am talking with Sally Leslie of the Reclaiming Pride: LGBT+ Survivors of Narcissistic Abuse podcast and my colleague! Sally talks about her decision to create a podcast to address the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in toxic, narcissistic relationships. We talk about the challenges of finding relevant literature and the pervasive heteronormativity in self-help resources, which often fail to reflect the experiences of non-heterosexual relationships.

Our discussion touches on the psychological and emotional aspects of narcissistic abuse, including gaslighting, performative empathy, and the profound impact on victims' mental health. Sally explains how narcissists often target empathetic and vulnerable individuals, perpetuating cycles of abuse rooted in the victims' past traumas.

Sally Leslie is currently the Director of Faculty and Instructional Development at Valencia College. An educator with over twenty-seven years experience, Sally started the podcast Reclaiming Pride, partly, to fill a gap in a self-help genre that ignores the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. Reclaiming Pride can be found at https://reclaimingpride.buzzsprout.com/

Dr. Adrienne Trier-Bieniek is a gender and media scholar who has published books on gender and pop culture, Beyoncé's influence in music, Tori Amos's fandom, as well as publications focused on the ways pop culture can help heal from trauma. Dr. Adrienne has been featured in publications like The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and NBC News and can be found at www.adriennetrier-bieniek.com or on Instagram @dr.adriennetb Supplemental teaching resources and more info for instructors is shared monthly via Dr. Adrienne's newsletter. Sign up at www.adriennetrier-Bieniek.com. 

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