Parental Alienation & Covert Narcissism When Your Child Turns Against You (Part 1)

In this CNG Community Chat, host Renee Swanson sits down with three parents who are living through one of the most painful experiences a parent can face: watching a child be turned against them. This conversation covers parental alienation, covert narcissism, high-conflict divorce, and co-parenting with a narcissistic ex — and the very real toll it takes on the parent-child relationship.

Each parent shares the moment they first recognized what was happening. One mother describes how truths that surfaced during her divorce led her adult daughter to accuse her of "victim shaming" her father, and how setting boundaries afterward resulted in being cut off entirely. A stepfather describes an abrupt separation after twelve years, being blindsided in court, and watching his stepson slowly pull away after being fed misinformation about his health and character. Another mother walks through a slow, multi-year alienation across four children — three of whom are now living full-time with their father after being coached to testify against her in family court.

Together, they talk through the patterns that show up again and again in covert narcissistic abuse: the push-pull dynamic with adult children, the "Disneyland parent" effect where boundaries and rules drive kids toward the more permissive parent, how narcissists destabilize the other parent first to make themselves look like the stable one, and why children often side with whichever parent they're most afraid of losing — not the parent who is actually safe.

This episode is honest, unfiltered, and validating for anyone currently experiencing parental alienation, co-parenting conflict, or estrangement from a child due to narcissistic abuse. If you're in the middle of this right now, you are not alone. To work with Renee Swanson, visit www.covertnarcissism.com

The Covert Narcissism Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing shared here should be taken as professional mental health advice. If you are in crisis or need support, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional.

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