If you've left — or are still in — a relationship with someone who left you doubting your own memory, walking on eggshells, or feeling you were never quite enough, you are not "too sensitive", and you are not alone. Recovery from narcissistic abuse is real, and it's what I help people in Marlow and across Buckinghamshire do every week.
I'm Keeley Taverner, a Psychotherapist, BACP Accredited and author of Why Love Hurts. I've been working in mental health for 18 years and qualified as a psychotherapist for 14 — specialising throughout as a therapist for narcissistic abuse, toxic relationships and coercive control. This page explains what narcissistic abuse actually is, the signs to look for, and how therapy can help you rebuild — whether you come to my practice at The Courtyard in Marlow or work with me online.
What is narcissistic abuse?
Narcissistic abuse is a pattern of emotional and psychological harm caused by someone with strongly narcissistic traits — a partner, parent, family member, friend or colleague. It rarely looks like obvious abuse from the outside. More often it's a slow erosion: charm and intensity early on, then control, criticism, blame-shifting and manipulation that leaves you questioning your own judgement.
Coercive control is the term professionals use for this pattern of dominating behaviour — isolation, monitoring, intimidation and the steady removal of your independence and self-belief. In England and Wales it has been a criminal offence since 2015. You do not need a diagnosis of the other person, or visible bruises, for what happened to you to count and to deserve support.
Common tactics include gaslighting (making you doubt your own memory and perception), love-bombing followed by withdrawal, the silent treatment, triangulation, and a relentless sense that nothing you do is ever good enough. Over time this rewires how you see yourself.
Signs you've experienced narcissistic abuse
Everyone's experience is different, but the people I work with in Marlow often recognise themselves in several of these:
- You constantly second-guess your own memory and feelings
- You walked on eggshells to avoid setting them off
- You apologise reflexively, even when nothing was your fault
- You feel anxious, hyper-vigilant or "switched on" all the time
- You lost touch with friends, family or your own interests
- Your confidence and sense of identity have been worn down
- You feel responsible for managing their moods
- You struggle to trust your own decisions — or other people
If this resonates, therapy can help you make sense of it. Recognising the pattern is often the first turning point — and it's something many people only manage to do once they have a safe, confidential space to think out loud.
How therapy for narcissistic abuse recovery works
There's no single "fix", and I'll never promise one — recovery is a process, not a switch. What I offer is a structured, compassionate space to understand what happened, grieve what you hoped for, and rebuild a clear sense of who you are. My approach is integrative, which means I draw on what fits you rather than forcing you into one method. In practice, work on narcissistic abuse recovery usually touches on:
- Making sense of the relationship — naming the patterns, so the confusion and self-blame start to lift.
- Rebuilding self-trust — reconnecting with your own perceptions, needs and boundaries after years of them being dismissed.
- Processing the trauma — addressing the anxiety, hyper-vigilance and low mood that often follow, at a pace that feels safe.
- Breaking the cycle — understanding codependency and people-pleasing so future relationships feel different.
You are not starting from scratch. You're starting from experience — and that's a far stronger place to begin.
What about codependency and people-pleasing?
Many people who've been in a toxic relationship discover an underlying pattern of putting everyone else first, struggling to say no, and feeling responsible for other people's feelings. This isn't a flaw — it's usually a survival strategy learned long ago. A large part of recovery is gently understanding where that comes from and learning that your needs are allowed to matter. If this is the part that resonates most, you may find my work on codependency and people-pleasing a natural next read.
Your narcissistic abuse therapist in Marlow & Buckinghamshire
I see clients in person at The Courtyard, 60 Station Road, Marlow SL7 1NX — a quiet, private space a short walk from Marlow town centre and easily reached from Bourne End, Maidenhead, High Wycombe, Henley-on-Thames and the surrounding Buckinghamshire villages. For many people recovering from an abusive relationship, the privacy and flexibility of online therapy matters enormously — so if you've been searching for a narcissistic abuse therapist near me, online & video sessions are available UK-wide too. Whichever you choose, sessions are £250 and completely confidential.
If you're not sure where to start, that's completely normal. The simplest first step is a free, no-pressure 30-minute consultation — a chance to talk, ask questions, and get a feel for whether we're a good fit. There is no obligation to book anything further.
Narcissistic abuse therapy in a group: the Changemakers programme
As well as one-to-one therapy, I run Changemakers (formerly Navigate Narcissism NOW) — a structured group programme for recovering from narcissistic abuse and toxic relationships. It's a chance to learn, be heard and grow alongside others who understand.
