Sarah’s Story.
As a registered social worker and therapist in Toronto, Ontario, I specialize in helping individuals and couples navigate complex emotional challenges, such as narcissistic abuse in family or romantic dynamics, communication breakdowns, and self-esteem issues rooted in childhood trauma. These anonymized case studies illustrate common situations I've encountered, showing how I collaborate with clients to understand their struggles, apply tailored strategies, and foster meaningful progress. Each highlights the client's initial challenges, key elements of our work together, and the outcomes they achieved—demonstrating my approach to guiding from confusion and pain toward clarity, resilience, and healthier connections.
Sarah:
“Blake helped me process the guilt, rage, and disassociation from my narcissistic mother's boundary violations through IFS and Bowen therapy, empowering me to set firm boundaries, reduce anxiety, and parent confidently without the weight of scapegoating.”
A woman in her 30s sought therapy after recognizing patterns of narcissistic abuse from her mother, a well-respected school principal known in the community as a communal narcissist. Growing up, she idolized her mother but felt constantly undermined, especially as a daughter compared to her brother. This intensified after having her own child, when her mother disregarded boundaries, dominated visits, and offered critical "advice" that left her feeling inadequate and triggered disassociation—escaping her body during interactions.
We began by unpacking her inner scripts around guilt and shame, using books like Adult Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers by Stephanie Kriesberg as a guide to validate her experiences. Through Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, we addressed parts of herself carrying righteous rage from suppressed anger, exploring how this fight response stemmed from the family dynamic. We also focused on reparenting—cultivating a healthy inner mother archetype through self-love and self-care exercises—while working through grief for the idealized maternal image and letting go of the burden she carried.
Over sessions, she gained tools to set firm boundaries, reducing disassociation through body scans and grounding practices. She processed intergenerational patterns via Bowen Family Therapy concepts like emotional cutoffs and projection, realizing her mother's behavior wasn't her fault. This led to greater confidence as a mother, less anxiety in family interactions, and a sense of liberation—allowing her to nurture her own family without the weight of past scapegoating.