Narcissistic victimhood may render extremists too rivalrous to be teachable. — KEY POINTS There are hundreds of hate groups and dozens of extremist groups operating in the U.S., many of which hold far-right ideologies. Both collective and individual narcissism demand external validation of a false reality and sense of supremacy, to avoid feelings of inadequacy. “Dominant group victimhood” can intensify collective narcissism among…

Confusing healthy self-esteem with narcissism can trivialize narcissistic abuse. KEY POINTS Individuals with healthy self-image can balance high self-esteem with prosocial behaviors that nurture reciprocal relational dynamics. Clinical narcissism is characterized by authoritarianism, envy, grandiosity, shallowness, and sociopathic deficit of empathy and remorse. Clinical narcissism can arise from insecure parent-child attachment during early childhood and a subsequently underdeveloped prefrontal cortex.

Discussions about therapy should be grounded and nuanced, to combat stigma. — KEY POINTS Counselor educators emphasize that therapy is not a fit for all concerns or individuals, and do not pit therapists against other specialists. Many therapists have personally experienced barriers to care, in addition to the limitations of treating structural trauma with therapy. Not all therapists are therapreneurs — many are employed…

Research reveals five ways that raising LGBTQ+ kids catalyzes maturity. KEY POINTS A survey of 142 parents of LGBTQ+ children revealed their lives were positively transformed in five major ways due to their child’s influence. Parenting LGBTQ+ children has been shown to increase personal growth, positive emotions, activism, social connection, and relationships. Parenting an LGBTQ+ child can reduce controlling parenting dynamics, increase…

How elders, gatekeepers, and higher-ups enviously create no-win power struggles. KEY POINTS Downward envy is a feeling of inferiority caused when a leader sees that a subordinate has something that the leader wants but lacks. Downward envy can create power struggles in many settings, including in cases when younger people are up against the egos of narcissistic elders. Signs of downward envy…

This news story appeared in The Tennessean, Yahoo! News, Education Post, Rural Ed Voices, LGBTQ NATION, and The Mighty. In rural and small-town America, the pervasive dependency on the church to cope with…

Tennessee officials gave $1 million to an educational center founded by a pastor who preached that an “Antichrist spirit” promotes LGBTQ equality––and that’s not the half of it. Why won’t local leaders answer questions? This news story appeared in The Tennessean, Yahoo! …

Not a single one of America’s 28 largest churches spoke out against the fatalities of 4, unarmed youth of color over the past month and a half — 13-year-old Adam Toledo of Chicago, 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant of Columbus, 17-year-old Anthony Thompson of Knoxville, and 20-year-old Daunte Wright of suburban Minneapolis…

A related story appeared in The Tennessean, Yahoo! News, Education Post, Rural Ed Voices, LGBTQ NATION, and The Mighty. Prior attempts to reach Robert over the past year (updated January 2022): July 3…