Shana Evans-Bassett, LPC Counseling & Psychotherapy
(404) 735-9039 Free 15-Minute Consultation

Narcissistic Abuse Recovery

Is It Really You? Or Is Something Else Going On?

You’re staring blankly, anxiously, at an open refrigerator. You don’t know why you feel this way.

Everyone is talking about perimenopause. You’ve even wondered if you have early-onset dementia, as crazy as it sounds.

You can’t seem to make even the smallest decisions these days. You are regularly flooded with waves of self-doubt and paralysis, fearing that either way you go will be wrong.

You’re Trying So Hard to Get It Right

Your husband is still mad at you from yesterday.

You want to do your part to make your relationship work; your partner always tells you you need to “get help” for your issues, but it’s hard to figure out what your part is.

You worry about your relationship constantly in the car, in the shower, turning the same questions over and over.

Nothing You Do Is Ever Enough

What’s wrong here?

Why does he act this way?

Is the problem really me?

Your couples therapist told you to “get curious” and let go of defensiveness, but when you try to listen patiently and ask more questions about why he’s upset, he gets even more upset about how you fail him and the kids.

The only thing that seems to work is taking the blame and groveling for an apology. You’ve even tried that. But he says your apologies aren’t sincere.

Sometimes, it feels like you are becoming a shell of your former self. You feel yourself shutting down, and you’re scared.

The Harder You Try, the More Miserable He Gets

If there was something you could do to fix this and make your marriage work, you would do it.

Your chemistry was so strong at the beginning, and he seemed satisfied with who you were.

You really do care about him. He went through some hard things growing up that weren’t his fault. You’ve listened to his complaints and tried to address them, but there always seems to be one thing you miss.

All you know right now is that the harder you try, the more miserable he gets.

You need better answers than what you have, because how can you solve a problem if you don’t understand what’s going on?

You Need Someone Who Can See Clearly

The key to solving these problems lies in understanding how things SEEM versus understanding what is really going on in the relationship. Sometimes, more effort and taking on more responsibility aren’t the answer, even though your partner thinks they are.

This is where boundaries come in. Sometimes, setting a healthy boundary is the most loving thing you can do, and the best chance for your relationship to turn the corner.

You need to know what kind of relationship you have, so you can do what’s most likely to work. Your friends likely do not have the bandwidth or expertise to help you navigate the complex psychological dynamics you are facing.

You need someone who can see clearly when you are confused, who can be certain when you are afraid, who believes in health when all you can see is sickness.

Someone who respects your pace of making difficult adjustments in how you show up.

Someone who can hold your hand no matter what happens.

I Know When the Usual Approaches Won’t Work

I am an expert in family systems, particularly dysfunctional family systems: how these systems operate and how individuals negotiate power and control within them.

While I am trained in well-known modalities like the Gottman Method and EFT, I understand that these approaches often do not work within unhealthy relational systems. I will not lead you down a path that requires you to sacrifice yourself, even when part of you wants to.

My approach is naturally protective of the individuals in any system. Every treatment I consider is evaluated to ensure it will not compromise your safety, autonomy, or well-being.

Together, we’ll sort out whether your partner or you has a personality disorder. I can help you stop playing to lose and start playing a game that everyone can win.

You Can Stop Performing and Start Becoming Yourself

Once we have stabilized your situation and helped you get stronger and clearer in yourself and your relationship, it will be time to unpack the roots of your fear, guilt, and obligation to others.

The seeds of these were likely planted before you ever met your partner.

But when you did meet him, you already knew how to “be the bigger person” and make relationships work, even when you had to ignore your own needs.

My main goals for you are to develop your sense of competence and self-trust.

This Is One Situation Where You Cannot Wait

These problems do not get better on their own. They get worse over time until there is some sort of intervention or a crisis occurs.

When we start working together, we will spend your first few sessions getting to know you, your important relationships, and the experiences from your childhood that have shaped you as an adult.

Expect support and directness in equal measure.

I will help you clarify your boundaries and options, and I will respect your decisions at every step along the way.

In this case, the question is probably not whether you can afford to start therapy, but whether you can afford not to.

Call me today at:(404) 735-9039 to see if I am the right therapist for you.

I am known for my ability to work with complex cases, and I have had success with clients who have had previous unsatisfying experiences in therapy.

If you’re ready to break free from frustrating cycles of despair, overthinking, miscommunication, and emotional gridlock, and start changing your life and relationships for the better, I am at your service.

Book a 15-minute consultation with me to discuss your situation and how I can help.

Book Your 15‑Minute Consultation

Free, 15 minutes, in person in Buckhead or online.