Narcissistic Personality Disorder Counseling in West Palm Beach, Florida

Support for Understanding, Healing, and Growth When Facing Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Are you struggling with a lack of empathy for others, or do you know someone who is just void of compassion for other living beings in West Palm Beach? Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is characterized by a long-standing pattern of grandiosity (either in fantasy or actual behavior), an overwhelming need for admiration, and usually a complete lack of empathy toward others. People with this disorder often believe they are of primary importance in everybody’s life or to anyone they meet. While this pattern of behavior may be appropriate for a king in 16th Century England, it is generally considered inappropriate for most ordinary people today.

I’m Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT, and I offer counseling for individuals facing the symptoms and effects of Narcissistic Personality Disorder here in West Palm Beach, Florida. With over 20 years of experience in relationship therapy and personality work, I provide a supportive space for those who want to better understand themselves, change unhealthy patterns, and build meaningful relationships with others.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is often misunderstood, both by those living with it and those around them who are thereby affected by this mental disorder. The label alone can evoke fear, shame, or even defensiveness. But underneath the surface, there are real people struggling with identity, self-worth, emotional connection, and long-standing behavioral patterns that feel difficult to change. I am here to help guide you forward.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder can be treated. Whether you are seeking therapy because you have been diagnosed with NPD, suspect you may have narcissistic traits such as manipulative tendencies or an expectation of excessive admiration, or you are trying to recover from the impact of narcissistic behavior in your relationships, professional therapy for NPD can help.

Call me, Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT, now at (561) 688-8787(561) 688-8787 or complete my online form to request a free introductory call.

Key Takeaways

• Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT offers in-person therapy for Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and narcissistic traits in West Palm Beach, FL, with secure virtual sessions available throughout Florida.
• Narcissism can be extremely disruptive or toxic to social relationships, affecting work and family life.
• Narcissism can manifest in Grandiose, Vulnerable/Covert, or Malignant varieties, each associated with different behaviors and challenges for the narcissist and those around them.
• Counseling for individuals living with NPD or exhibiting narcissistic traits can help to build self-awareness and empathy, helping to improve relationships with their family, work colleagues, and social circle.
• Therapy for NPD can provide emotional insight, help to build improved relationships, foster healthier coping skills, and promote long-term growth.
• As a mental health provider, Dr. Christiansen guides people with NPD who carry the weight of a grandiose sense of self-importance and other pathological personality traits tied to narcissism — through a tailored Narcissistic Personality Disorder treatment plan targeting personal growth and socially functional relationships.
• Therapy can also benefit individuals who are recovering from emotionally harmful relationships with narcissistic individuals.
• Easily request a free introductory call with Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT by phone at (561) 688-8787(561) 688-8787 or through the online form.

What is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition characterized by patterns of:

• Inflated self-importance or grandiosity
• Excessive need for admiration
• Sensitivity to criticism
• Lack of empathy
• Difficulty sustaining close relationships
• Hidden vulnerability or deep insecurity

Recognize that NPD exists on a spectrum. Some individuals meet full diagnostic criteria that presents as severe NPD, while others experience and suffer from more subtle but impactful narcissistic traits. These behaviors are often defense mechanisms rooted in early childhood wounds — sometimes related to invalidation, emotional neglect, or unrealistic expectations.

At its core, narcissistic behavior is an attempt to protect a fragile sense of self. Therapy creates the space to explore those emotional roots, challenge unhelpful patterns, and develop a more authentic and resilient identity.

Understanding Narcissistic Personality Disorder Types

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all presentation of NPD. Therapy helps identify your unique experience, which may include:

Grandiose Narcissism

• Often presents as confidence, charm, and control
• Can include arrogance, entitlement, and dominance
• Typically denies vulnerability or emotional pain

Vulnerable (Covert) Narcissism

• Manifests as hypersensitivity, defensiveness, or self-pity
• May include passive-aggressive behavior and chronic insecurity
• Often hides emotional needs behind withdrawal or sarcasm

Malignant Narcissism

• Combines narcissistic traits with aggression or manipulation
• May be more exploitative or controlling
• Often requires deeper, longer-term intervention

As a mental health professional, I can work with you to build awareness and understand your unique pattern so you can better recognize how Narcissistic Personality Disorder affects both you and the people around you.

This self-reflection then allows us to tailor treatment so you can develop empathy and compassion and create sustainable emotional shifts to improve your experience and heal or strengthen your interpersonal relationships. Together, we can work to reduce the effects of pathological narcissism in your circle of influence and throughout your life to foster greater well-being.

Common Causes of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Narcissistic personality disorder causes are complex and often trace back to early life experiences. These may include:

• Overly critical or neglectful parenting: Children who feel unseen or unloved may compensate by building a grandiose self-image to protect themselves.
• Excessive praise or unrealistic expectations: Being told you’re special without grounding in emotional attunement can create an unstable self-concept.
• Emotional trauma or abandonment: Deep-rooted fear of rejection can fuel defensiveness and avoidance of vulnerability.
• Insecure attachment styles: Trouble trusting others often leads to controlling or distant behaviors in adulthood.

In therapy, we do not seek to assign blame, but we seek to understand the emotional history behind current struggles.

Key Benefits of Therapy for Narcissistic Personality Disorder

1. Greater Emotional Awareness

Most people with narcissistic traits have learned to protect themselves from emotional vulnerability. Therapy helps you become more attuned to your emotions and those of others without feeling overwhelmed or ashamed.

By strengthening your emotional awareness, you can:

• Recognize underlying emotions such as fear, shame, or grief
• Develop tolerance for emotional discomfort
• Learn to regulate reactions without defensive patterns

2. Improve Relationship Patterns

NPD often makes it difficult to form or maintain close relationships. Therapy provides tools to improve communication, manage conflict, and develop mutual respect.

Through NPD therapy, your relationships can improve as you:

• Understand your impact on others without self-attack
• Build empathy and emotional reciprocity
• Set healthier, more respectful boundaries

3. Reduce Defensiveness and Rebuild Identity

Many clients with NPD feel stuck between a false self and a lost sense of identity. Therapy helps you rebuild your self-image based on honesty, vulnerability, and growth — not perfection or performance.

NPD therapy helps you relax your defenses to truly strengthen your sense of self as you:

• Let go of the need for external validation
• Separate self-worth from status, success, or control
• Cultivate a grounded, resilient sense of self

4. Heal from Childhood Emotional Injuries

Narcissistic behaviors often serve to protect unhealed emotional wounds. In therapy, we explore early experiences that shaped your beliefs about love, worth, and connection.

We will address formative past experiences to help you:

• Reframe harmful internal narratives
• Process feelings of abandonment or inadequacy
• Develop emotional safety within yourself

5. Build Motivation for Change

The decision to enter therapy is courageous, especially when facing shame or fear of change. Together, we turn that motivation into concrete, sustainable shifts in your thinking and behavior.

We will work together to help you:

• Clarify your goals for emotional and relational change
• Keep therapy on course for your current needs as you progress
• Learn how to pace your growth without burnout

Therapy for Those Affected by Narcissistic Relationships

I also work with individuals who have been deeply affected by someone else’s narcissistic patterns — whether a partner, parent, sibling, or boss. This kind of emotional abuse or manipulation can leave lasting scars.

Therapy can help you:

• Understand gaslighting and emotional invalidation
• Rebuild self-esteem and trust
• Set boundaries without guilt
• Heal from codependency or trauma bonding

If you’re unsure whether someone in your life has NPD, I can help you explore your experience and guide you toward clarity and empowerment.

How Narcissistic Personality Disorder Counseling Works

Step 1: Initial Consultation and Evaluation in Early Sessions

We begin with a thorough intake session. I learn about your emotional history, relationship patterns, challenges, and goals. Whether you’ve been diagnosed or not, this step provides the foundation for our work.

We may be able to establish a formal diagnosis, drawing upon the DSM-5 (The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition). I have extensive experience as a mental health professional building treatment plans for narcissistic personality symptoms that may indicate NPD. During this step, I can also assess other mental health conditions associated with your symptoms.

Step 2: Clarify Focus and Objectives

Depending on your needs, we may focus on:

• Managing narcissistic traits or behaviors
• Strengthening emotional regulation and insight
• Rebuilding relationships and communication skills
• Healing trauma related to narcissistic abuse

I tailor my work to gently support your consistent growth.

Step 3: Weekly or Biweekly Sessions

Sessions are usually 50–60 minutes. Each session may include:

• Psychoeducation on narcissistic personality disorder types
• Exploration of current relationships and triggers
• Cognitive restructuring and emotional regulation
• Boundary work and relational practice

Sessions may include treatments incorporating Talk Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and more — according to your customized treatment plan.

Step 4: Integration and Long-Term Growth

As therapy progresses, you’ll begin integrating healthier ways of relating to yourself and others. With time, you can expect:

• Improved self-awareness
• Greater emotional balance
• More fulfilling relationships
• Reduced impulsivity or reactivity

Therapy is not about becoming someone else. It’s about becoming more authentically and emotionally connected to who you truly are.

Who Can Benefit from This Counseling?

You might consider therapy for narcissistic personality disorder if you:

• Have been diagnosed with NPD or relate to its traits
• Struggle to maintain relationships due to defensiveness or control
• Feel anxious, depressed, or emotionally unfulfilled despite outward success
• Want to understand your behavior and how it affects others
• Are motivated to grow emotionally and relationally
• Feel you need continued guidance in treating NPD

You can also benefit if you are:

• A partner or spouse of someone with NPD
• An adult child of a narcissistic parent
• Recovering from a toxic or emotionally manipulative relationship

This work is available to anyone seeking change, healing, and honest insight — and no diagnosis is required.

You may believe that you suffer from narcissistic personality traits, but these may or may not indicate NPD. Some of these symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder can overlap or coexist with other personality disorders or mental health disorders.

Some possible alternative or co-occurring conditions may include:

• Histrionic Personality Disorder
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Bipolar Disorder
• Antisocial Personality Disorder
• Other Mood Disorders
• And more…

Whether treating NPD or other mental health conditions or concerns, I can guide you to pursue better interpersonal relationships and emotional fulfillment as you gain greater emotional understanding of yourself and others.

Why Choose Dr. Susan Christiansen for NPD Counseling in West Palm Beach?

Experience with Personality and Relational Dynamics

As a licensed LMFT and Ph.D. in Humanities & Social Sciences, I specialize in helping people work through complex relational issues and personality challenges. I’ve helped clients across Palm Beach County heal from patterns of emotional harm while rediscovering their emotional core.

Nonjudgmental, Empathic Care

Therapy should never be a place of shame. My practice is rooted in compassion, boundaries, and the belief that everyone has the capacity to grow. I hold space for difficult conversations without blame or moralizing.

Tailored and Trauma-Informed

Whether you’re facing lifelong behavioral challenges or relational trauma, I adapt my therapeutic approach to fit your goals and pace. My sessions are structured to provide safety, clarity, and forward movement.

Ask Questions About Narcissistic Personality Disorder or Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT

Living with and healing from Narcissistic Personality Disorder takes courage, insight, and support. Whether you’re just starting to explore this or you are ready to commit to change, I’m here to help.

Call me, Dr. Susan Christiansen, Ph.D., LMFT, now at (561) 688-8787(561) 688-8787 or complete my online form to request a free introductory call.

Let’s begin the journey of understanding and healing, working together to help you become your most authentic self.

Helping Palm Beach County clients achieve peace and harmony since 2000