When Narcissists Hide In Safe Spaces

The scary reality of a narcissistic personalities and the mental health world.

Photo by Malcolm Lightbody on Unsplash

We spend a lot of time talking about narcissists in terms of our intimate relationships with them. Boyfriends. Girlfriends. Wives. Husbands. Mothers. Fathers. Siblings. It’s become easy to point out the narcissistic traits of those closest to us, but what about the narcissists who hide in the safe spaces of recovery and healing?

The shocking reality is that narcissists hide in plain sight, including the places that seem least fit to house them. That includes the mental health space, where these harmful and manipulative personality types often find powerful places to conceal their worst instincts and behaviors.

Yes. It’s true. Therapists, counselors, psychiatrists, coaches, and mentors can all be just as prone to narcissism as anyone else. As survivors of these manipulators in disguise, we must be vigilant and protect ourselves accordingly.

The terrifying case of Vanessa Reiser LCSW.

It seems too wicked to be true. How could an individual who is clinically lacking in empathy enter a space in which empathy is required? Sadly, it’s an all-too-common occurrence. Many individuals, when entering therapy, find themselves deteriorating mentally and emotionally. What could be the root cause behind this?

For some, it’s a matter of the wrong therapy. For others, it’s the matter of the wrong therapist.

Narcissistic and manipulative people gravitate toward mental health professions. One of the best examples, perhaps, behind that of the narcissism influencer and LCSW - Vanessa Reiser.

Vanessa came to fame as the ex-fiance of a Real Housewives of New Jersey star (Louie Rouelas). The two parted ways around 2020-2021 and have since been embroiled in non-stop, back and forth, legal entanglements.