My Tales from the Porch

Gwen's kids needs are bigger than her checkbook and she struggles with asking for financial help. It's scary to trust after a life with a Cluster B personality disordered spouse. It's scarier to ask Nihm or anyone in his circle for anything. But, are Gwen's fears and pride (to do it all on her own, thank you very much) getting in the way of receiving true gifts and provision? Join Gwen on her porch as she figures out how to circumvent Nihm and potentially solve these problems.

Gwen reminices about the day she left Nihm....her Independence Day. The day she left for diaper wipes and never came back. What was your independence day like? Or, are you planning your day of freedom? Gwen has all her red, white, and blue decor on her porch and a fizzy drink in hand as she tells the tale. And she declares her new home as a land of freedom because she was brave. Listening note: if you'd like to hear the podcast with all the musical elements, listen on spotify (just this episode because it's the only way, technical rules)

Cluster B refers to the category of personality disorder in psychology that contains narcissism, borderline, antisocial, and histrionics. Gwen thinks it should be called Cluster F... because this cluster really causes havoc and trauma drama wherever they go. Join Gwen on her porch as she breaks it all down for entertainment purposes, not diagnostic or treatment, with more of Nihm's emails. Bring your beverage, but caution when drinking because this tale will cause a spit take or two! Listening note: still getting down the tech and voice changing so there are a few extra seconds of pauses between email reads. listen at 1.5 speed if that's better for ya.

Gwen shares the latest adventure with trying to keep a family tradition that's important to her. She thinks this will help her daughters make new memories and have fun and bond and all that good stuff. Traveling with teens who are recovering from trauma many years later proves to be more challenging than she expected.

Gwen is fed up with the repetitive nightmare that she has about try to escape from Nihm. She's been having this nightmare for years. Gwen took to Dr. Google to see what she could do about getting this to stop (and find out why she's having this nightmare). Grab your favorite beverage and a comfy blanket and head on up to her front porch as she shares the tale of the "nightmare on my street."

Gwen shares her reaction to a recent sermon about the Bible story of the healing at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-10). A man has been hanging around the porches for 38 YEARS waiting for a healing. Gwen says that she can relate because coparenting with a narcissist for 10+ years can certainly feel like 38 years. She relates how it's easy to loose hope in all those years. And then Jesus steps in... If you need some quick encouragement to keep going, or if you've run out of hope, hang out with Gwen in this bonus episode.

There's another showdown at the OK corral (Gwen's way of referring to family court) this time amid the C-19 lockdowns of 2020 so it's being held virtually via Zoom. What happened at the hearing? Well, come on up to Gwen's porch and listen to her tell the tale. Listening note: there. will. be. pauses. between reading of emails and such. Listen on 1.5 speed if that bugs ya. TW: sexual abuse

Gwen is back, baby! Where has she been? Are her kids okay? What's happened in that really long break she took? And, like, why? Come on up and sit a spell on her porch with your favorite beverage and get all caught up. Of course there's been quite a bit to tell. Gwen will fill you in on her rona19 burn out, Adrenal fatigue, coparenting through the lockdown, and the week leading up to the hearing (finally) that may or may not involve the police.

Gwen is in isolation and quarantine recovering from the 'rona. She tells the tale of having to deal with Nihm through emails and texts in order to keep telling him NO to his requests. That's always a harrowing adventure. And, guess what, summer is coming. And for most kids and parents in a divorced family with a narc that doesn't mean summer vacation fun. Gwen walks us through her dilemma of how to handle this summer. Because making decisions about life during a world pandemic isn't scary enough, she's got the added ingredient of a narc to coparent with as well. Sit back and relax as Gwen adds humor and some guidance on how to navigate recovering from COVID19 as a single parent, summer schedule stress, and saying plain ol' NO. Mostly she's just glad you are here!

Gwen tells the cautionary tale of how anger poisons our bodies and hearts and minds both during and after a relationship with a narcissist, especially if you are having to coparent with one. She recounts the night she "fell down" and how her body has never been the same since. She shares all her wisdom from having an autoimmune disease and how she thinks it's linked to coparenting with a narcissist. Have and listen and see what you think as well. But first in the episode Gwen shares the always amusing emails of Nihm poppin' off at just about everything lately! You can find Gwen on the gram @mytalesfromtheporch

Gwen is back on her front porch telling tales after several weeks of medically necessary voice rest. She explains why she thinks COVID19 is very similar to a narcissist; and, why if you have been coparenting with a narcissist or sociopath you are better equipped than the average schmo to deal with living during a global pandemic. Listen and see if you agree while she tells the tales of what's happening in her household, and how to cope without being told to just do your best(!), start a new project(!), or embrace this time(!). Ugh! Gwen thinks we've been through enough and it's time to laugh.

Gwen tells her humorous and encouraging tales of living and surviving in the Wild West, aka family law or divorce and parenting agreements. Tumble weeds, no maps, lawlessness, rounding up varmints, figntin' words, showdowns, and the journeys to the Okay Corral just about describe the harrowing adventures. Come sit a spell after you rustle up some grub and whiskey - you're gonna need it for this episode :) Honorable mention: you can find Gwen on the Instagram @mytalesfromtheporch

Join Gwen and her friends on her porch for a Galentine's Party! They talk all things narcissism related from their individual takes on what it is to the different people in their lives who are this type. The fun really kicks up when they launch into how to survive and thrive during or after a relationship with a narcissist be it a family member or intimate partner (warning: some of the ideas given are not endorsed by the guests on the podcast but they sure give lots of laughs.) Many thanks to Gwen's fabulous friends for sharing from their hearts. So come on up to the porch with your favorite beverage and snacks and spend the evening with some girlfriends! Honorable mentions: HD Tudor's Youtube channel Knowing the Narcissist; Natalie Lue with her podcast and blog Baggage Reclaim and her book Mr. Unavailable and the Fall Back Girl

Gwen had so many red flags when she started dating Nihm that she could have made a scarf long enough to wrap around her house! She tells the tale of those red flags that Nihm was a scoundrel before their marriage, and how 25 years later, she has perspective of why she ignored all those flags and married him anyway. Gwen helps us not have shame about the red scarves we may have created or staying in a toxic abusive relationship for too long, and she advises on what to do with these long red scarves. Come on up to Gwen's porch to listen to this vulnerable and flowing tale. Honorable Mention: Enneagram quizzes and descriptions can be found on the Enneagram Institute webpage or through a quick google search

Triangulation is a manipulative tactic used by toxic people to draw attention, distract, and cover just like a pair of obnoxious Bermuda shorts. Gwen tells about how she's gotten sucked into this triangle and provides a map of how to get out. Gwen shares in her tale several examples of triangulation from NIhm's emails which always prove to be entertaining (although so typical of a narcissist). She delves into two types of triangulation by a narc: the golden child/scapegoat and third entity.

Gwen is in the thick of struggles with self-doubt, perfectionism, and people-pleasing which she's been noticing is highly linked to being divorced from a narcissist. She tells the tale of still trying to be perfect in the Wild West of coparenting within family law. You are invited to come hang with Gwen as she is raw and picking herself up and dusting herself off. (And yep, the audio is as raw and imperfect as Gwen is in portions of this episode. Sorry about that. The crummy equipment has been identified and dealt with! Have a listen anyway; it's good stuff.)

Gwen deals with Nihm coming unhinged in a very short period of time over weekend timesharing. This usually causes Gwen to come unhinged as well, but after much wisdom and surviving co-parenting with a sociopathic narcissist, she uses humor and observation to keep herself together. She also recounts a tale (subtitled: I would've gotten you Coors Light) from years ago that was one of Nihm's most outrageous times of coming unhinged. Gwen offers encouragement, support, and a few good laughs from her porch. Listen to this tale from the steadiest seat in your house!

Gwen shares about her breaking heart - and no not for her ex - for her kiddos. This was a bit of a tough episode because it's just plain heart-breaking what kids of narcissistic sociopathic parents have to deal with post divorce. And tougher in a different way are the empathetic parents like Gwen who have to witness it all. Put the tissues away, though, because Gwen tells the tale of the sad stuff with laughter including some terrible advice articles she found. She will have you laughing too. And to finish off the episode she advises on how to heal your breaking heart, increase your resiliency, and get through the loneliness. Sit back and enjoy! If you would like to share your tales or how you heal your heartbreak for your kiddos reach out to Gwen on the Insta @mytalesfromtheporch

Gwen discusses why we shouldn't negotiate with a narcissist, yet we are ordered by family courts to do that very thing as part of coparenting. She shares her tales of incidents and emails from summers past when she had to ask her ex for things or when he wanted to negotiate. Many of the tales cover the constant struggle of sticking to time sharing schedules that's typical of coparenting with a toxic, narcissistic, or sociopathic person. Laugh along with Gwen as she finds humor and emotional freedom in the midst of crazy negotiations. Please share with her any of your tales of negotiations or ghosts of your seasons past on the Instagram @mytalesfromtheporch or through the anchor.fm app.

Gwen tells the tale of why you don't want Nihm as your neighbor. Gwen confesses that lately she's felt like being a "story topper" when at parties, about all the outrageous phone calls she's received from neighbors and the (real) sheriff about Nihm in different neighborhoods. Laugh with her and see if you can notice any similar outrageousness from dealing with your NPD or sociopathic ex-spouse, or pick up any tips on how to deal with it. Finally, Gwen invites you to "story top" her by sharing your tales with her on the Instagram @mytalesfromtheporch