The Evolution of Echo

You've heard of narcissism, but do you know what narcissistic abuse means? Here's the truth. Within every culture, race, religion, income bracket and country, there are abusive, toxic people hiding in plain sight. They are part of your family, you're married to them; you work with them. They might be your friends, part of your family of worship and your neighbors. The spectrum of toxicity is broad, and when cluster B personality types are involved, it gets more complicated. When you're dealing with a narcissist in any type of relationship, you're bound to be dealing with a subtle form of psychological abuse that no one wants to talk about. You can walk down the street and look perfectly normal - this kind of abuse doesn't leave bruises and it doesn't leave broken bones. But it leaves scars that feel like they'll never go away. Toxic people play mind games with you. They put you down in sneaky ways that are hard for outsiders to detect. They triangulate you with others, isolate you from your friends and your family. They use gaslighting and projection to control and manipulate you. Even worse, they are rarely held accountable for this deplorable behavior. The narcissistic abuse cycle typically includes a love-bombing or idealization phase, followed by a devalue phase, rounded out by a discard phase. Often, the cycle begins again when the narcissist hoovers you - or sucks you back in. In some cases, this goes on for decades. Angie Atkinson, a certified life coach, author and YouTube creator, is also a survivor of narcissistic abuse. Atkinson's work has been touted as some of the most accurate and easy-to-understand by survivors of narcissistic abuse, and she has long been recognized as the go-to expert on how to discover, understand and overcome narcissistic abuse in toxic relationships. She has helped thousands of survivors to discover, understand and overcome their own abuse, and now, she's teaching them how to evolve. In this anthology, Angie has collected stories of survival from the "SPANily," a support group of survivors of narcissistic abuse. Inside, you'll find their true stories, from love-bombing to thriving - and everything in between. Plus, Angie and the SPANily offer their personal advice on how to go from being a victim of abuse to being a survivor and then a thriver. You will find new insights on what it means to heal after the long-game trauma inflicted by narcissists. You are not powerless, dear survivor, and you are not alone. Angie hopes that by sharing the voices of survivors of narcissistic abuse, you can be inspired to become the healthy, evolving thriver you were meant to be - and maybe, one who will change the course of history by ending the cycle of abuse in your own family moving forward. One person truly can create a difference in the world, but by bringing these amazing voices together in this anthology, Angie hopes to spark widespread, meaningful change that spans generations. Compiled & Co-Authored by Angela Atkinson, Featuring Insight & Stories by Colleen Brosnan, Lise Colucci, Jillian Tindall, Esq., James LaCroix, Andy Maycen, Diane Hawkes, Palma Mingozzi, Rebecca McGranahan, Shermonicia Slaughter, Angelena Lewis, Blair Botelho, Jennifer Primo, Phyllis Gilbert, Gable Young, Eva Leigh, Dita, Nelly Juma, and Anonymous. Cover Art by Maria Kauffman. Anthology Coordinator Melina A. Moutria.