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Why the Empath Loves the Narcissist: The Hidden Attachment Patterns That Keep You Stuck And The Trauma-Informed Path To Breaking Toxic Relationship Cycles
156 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2026
About the author
Olivia E. Barrett
11 books4 followersI am a licensed psychologist and psychotherapist with a Master's degree in Psychology and 27 years of experience working with individuals across all ages, from children and teenagers to adults. Specializing in child psychotherapy, parental guidance, and family dynamics, I have dedicated my career to helping parents navigate the challenges of raising emotionally healthy and resilient children and patients of all ages live a fulfilling life.
With extensive experience in trauma-focused therapy, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), I help people of all ages heal from childhood and attachment trauma, as well as a wide range of psychological challenges such as family conflict, anxiety, and emotional regulation issues. My integrative approach blends evidence-based psychological methods with compassionate, trauma-informed care, empowering parents and caregivers to foster safe, supportive environments that promote long-term emotional well-being.
I write under a pen name for professional and personal privacy, drawing from decades of clinical practice and research to offer practical, accessible, and impactful strategies for families. My work is devoted to helping parents build positive relationships and guide their children through life's challenges with confidence, care, and a deep understanding of trauma and healing.
I am also a mother who has raised two children.
With extensive experience in trauma-focused therapy, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), I help people of all ages heal from childhood and attachment trauma, as well as a wide range of psychological challenges such as family conflict, anxiety, and emotional regulation issues. My integrative approach blends evidence-based psychological methods with compassionate, trauma-informed care, empowering parents and caregivers to foster safe, supportive environments that promote long-term emotional well-being.
I write under a pen name for professional and personal privacy, drawing from decades of clinical practice and research to offer practical, accessible, and impactful strategies for families. My work is devoted to helping parents build positive relationships and guide their children through life's challenges with confidence, care, and a deep understanding of trauma and healing.
I am also a mother who has raised two children.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 16, 2026
Why the Empath Loves the Narcissist is a book covering multiple tough topics including attachment style, as well as reaction style. This book is written to accompany therapy, but is so well written it could be read separately. This is not to say it replaces therapy, which is clearly stated in the beginning of the book. It just breaks things down in easily palatable bites of information. If someone has never been to therapy, studied psychology, or the medical field they will still be able to process the information given. This is extremely helpful since the majority of the population has not done these things.
The book goes into detail about the why of the physiological, emotional, and mental reactions in different ways. It discusses the physical reason for the reaction and the relation it has to the emotional and mental side. The author explains how the process works in different ways and with different verbiage really helps paint the whole picture for the reader.
New research is included in this book to help the reader gain more insight into their actions. This is discussed heavily in the chapter labeled The Empath- Narcissist Dynamic and the Fawn Response. Including this new research findings also provides the reader with new coping mechanisms that the reader may have not been aware of beforehand.
Overall, I would say this is a wonderful book to read to learn about attachment styles, grounding, the fawn response, and coping mechanisms. The descriptions the author uses to explain the reaction process and the examples used throughout the story help the information be easily understandable.
The book goes into detail about the why of the physiological, emotional, and mental reactions in different ways. It discusses the physical reason for the reaction and the relation it has to the emotional and mental side. The author explains how the process works in different ways and with different verbiage really helps paint the whole picture for the reader.
New research is included in this book to help the reader gain more insight into their actions. This is discussed heavily in the chapter labeled The Empath- Narcissist Dynamic and the Fawn Response. Including this new research findings also provides the reader with new coping mechanisms that the reader may have not been aware of beforehand.
Overall, I would say this is a wonderful book to read to learn about attachment styles, grounding, the fawn response, and coping mechanisms. The descriptions the author uses to explain the reaction process and the examples used throughout the story help the information be easily understandable.
Displaying 1 of 1 review