The Narcissist's Playbook

Outline

The Narcissist's Playbook (2019) is a guide to recognising and protecting oneself from manipulative and emotionally abusive people. Dana Morningstar explains the common tactics such people use, why others become entangled with them, and the emotional hooks that make it hard to leave. The book offers practical steps for setting firm boundaries, breaking free, and rebuilding confidence.

• Manipulative and emotionally abusive people tend to rely on common, recognisable tactics, and learning to spot them is the first step toward protecting yourself.
• People get entangled with manipulative partners or relatives for understandable reasons, so staying in such a relationship is not a personal failing.
• Emotional hooks keep people attached to abusive relationships and make leaving harder than it looks from the outside.
• Firm boundaries are a practical tool for protecting yourself from someone who tries to control you.
• Breaking free is only part of recovery, and the book also covers rebuilding confidence after psychological abuse.

Dana Morningstar is an American author, speaker, and advocate for survivors of emotional abuse. She founded Thrive After Abuse and hosts a podcast and YouTube channel that help people recognise manipulation and recover from unhealthy relationships.