Living with someone who has narcissistic traits — whether it's a partner, a parent, or someone else close to you — can feel like constant emotional warfare. In this episode of Almost Oblivious, Autumn Baker shares practical, solution-based strategies to help reduce conflict and protect your mental and emotional peace when leaving isn’t yet an option.

Drawing from recent training with Stepping Stones of Life and personal experience, this episode offers clear communication tools, boundary-setting techniques, and calming responses that can help you survive day to day — and remind you that you are not alone.

⚠️ Please note: These strategies are meant to help mitigate, not eliminate, the effects of narcissistic abuse. If your safety is at risk or you feel overwhelmed, you do not have to navigate this alone.

🛠️ In This Episode:

• Understanding narcissistic behavior and common patterns

• Ground rules for emotional protection

• Real-life examples of communication shifts to reduce conflict

• The Grey Rock Method

• Why these tools won’t always work — and why that’s not your fault

• A reminder: You deserve peace, and help is available

📚 Resources & Support:

• The Grey Rock Method- https://psychcentral.com/health/grey-rock-method

• Stepping Stones of Life – https://steppingstonesoflife.org/

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline
  📞 Call 800-799-SAFE (7233)
  💬 Or text "START" to 88788

  🌐 www.thehotline.org

  
  

• Love Is Respect – Especially for younger victims or those unsure🌐 www.loveisrespect.org

  
  

• Almost Oblivious Community on Facebook – Connect with others and share your story

  
  

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  If you would like to submit your story or be a guest speaker, please submit a form here! If there are any topics that you think should be covered, please reach out to us!

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REWIND Listen! This is episode 5 & 6 from the beginning of Almost Oblivious!

In this two-part episode, we dive into the complex dynamics of trauma bonding. Starting with love bombing and exploring what this looks like and how abusers create powerful emotional dependencies. Join me as we navigate the stages of this bond, unraveling why it's so hard to break free and how understanding these patterns can be the first step toward healing. In part 2, we dive deeper into the emotional and psychological complexities that keep survivors tied to abusive relationships. We unpack the intricate cycle of manipulation, the devastating effects of gaslighting, and the layered impact of repeated love bombing. This episode provides insights into breaking free from the toxic bonds and offers hope for those seeking to reclaim their lives. Whether you're a survivor, a supporter, or someone wanting to learn more, this episode sheds light on one of the most challenging aspects of abuse.

Resources:

⁠https://health.clevelandclinic.org/gaslighting⁠

⁠https://www.verywellmind.com/gaslighting-examples-7567491⁠

⁠https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7683637/#:~:text=According%20to%20Heim%20et%20al,to%20the%20feelings%20of%20others⁠.

⁠https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327080#long-term-effects⁠

⁠https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/what-is-love-bombing⁠

⁠https://health.clevelandclinic.org/love-bombing⁠

⁠https://www.thehotline.org/resources/signs-of-love-bombing/⁠

⁠https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/love-bombing

Join Our Facebook Group Here: ⁠⁠Almost Oblivious Community⁠

🎧 Don't forget to share, rate, and review to help us break the silence on domestic violence.

If you would like to submit your story or be a guest speaker, please submit a form here! If there are any topics that you think should be covered, please reach out to us!

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Before there was romance, there was friendship—the kind built on late-night talks, inside jokes, and unconditional support. In this special episode, Autumn Baker and her husband Zack sit down to share how their marriage grew from years of best-friendship, trust, and shared adventures.

From goofy moments over Goldfish crackers to an ice cream shop proposal at Bruster’s, their story is full of love, laughter, and healing. Tune in as they reflect on how building a solid friendship first laid the foundation for the safe, healthy love they share today. 🍦❤️

Join Our Facebook Group Here: ⁠Almost Oblivious Community

🎧 Don't forget to share, rate, and review to help us break the silence on domestic violence.

If you would like to submit your story or be a guest speaker, please submit a form here! If there are any topics that you think should be covered, please reach out to us!

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In this episode, host Autumn Baker explores one of the most invisible and damaging aspects of abuse: shame. From how abusers weaponize shame to how it silences survivors, Autumn breaks down the emotional barriers that keep victims stuck — and explains what it takes to break free.

You’ll hear why shame lingers long after the abuse ends, how it affects healing, and what we can do — individually and as a community — to dismantle it. This episode is for survivors, supporters, and anyone seeking to understand the deeper psychological wounds of abuse.

We’re also excited to announce the launch of the Almost Oblivious Facebook Community Group — a safe, judgment-free space to connect, learn, and heal. 🎉

Facebook Group Here: Almost Oblivious Community

🔗 Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)

• • Therapy Resources: Psychology Today’s Therapist Finder (⁠https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists⁠)
  • Need Immediate Support? Call or text the 988 Lifeline for emotional crisis help. For domestic abuse support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline 📞 1-800-799-7233 | 💬 Text “START” to 88788 | 🌐 ⁠⁠https://www.thehotline.org⁠
  • Love Is Respect – A project of the National Domestic Violence Hotline focused on teens and young adults
  • Brené Brown – Daring Greatly and I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t)

  • • Brown’s work on shame, vulnerability, and resilience is foundational. Her research shows how shame affects behavior, connection, and healing.

    • Quote used: “Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.”

🎧 Don't forget to share, rate, and review to help us break the silence on domestic violence.

If you would like to submit your story or be a guest speaker, please submit a form here! If there are any topics that you think should be covered, please reach out to us!

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Today on Almost Oblivious, we’re tackling one of the most subtle — and most damaging — forms of emotional abuse: gaslighting.
Gaslighting is a targeted form of psychological manipulation that causes you to doubt your memories, emotions, and sanity. But knowledge is power, and we’re shining a bright light on these dark tactics in this episode.

We’ll break down:

• What gaslighting really is (and what it isn’t)

• How it shows up in relationships, workplaces, families, and more

• Psychological effects gaslighting has on survivors

• Real-life examples you might recognize

• How to recognize the signs and begin trusting yourself again

• Practical steps for protecting yourself and healing

  
  

You are not crazy. You are not broken. You are not alone.

🔗 Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Free Downloadable Checklist: "Am I Being Gaslit?"

  https://www.almostobliviouspodcast.com/episodes/episode28-gaslighting-the-invisible-weapon

• Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)

• • Therapy Resources: Psychology Today’s Therapist Finder (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists)

  
  

  • Need Immediate Support? Call or text the 988 Lifeline for emotional crisis help. For domestic abuse support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline 📞 1-800-799-7233 | 💬 Text “START” to 88788 | 🌐 ⁠https://www.thehotline.org⁠

  • 🎧 Don't forget to share, rate, and review to help us break the silence on domestic violence.

    If you would like to submit your story or be a guest speaker, please submit a form here! If there are any topics that you think should be covered, please reach out to us!

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AlmostObliviousPodcast.com/contact⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

      Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlmostObliviousPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

      Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlmostObliviousPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

What happens when the person who was supposed to love and protect you… is the one who hurt you most?

In this episode of Almost Oblivious, host Autumn Baker explores the often-unspoken reality of parental abuse and its lasting effects on adult children. We unpack the emotional, psychological, and even physical toll of growing up in a toxic or abusive household and the complex grief that comes with realizing your parent was your abuser.

This episode validates the pain of survivors while offering hope, healing, and the reminder: You were never the problem.

You’ll learn:

• What parental abuse can look like (even without physical violence)

• Why emotional wounds often go unrecognized

• How parentification, gaslighting, and control impact adult survivors

• Why setting boundaries with family can be so difficult—and so necessary

• Resources and tools to help you reclaim your voice and begin healing

Whether you're estranged from a parent or just beginning to question your upbringing, this episode is for you.

🔗 Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Book: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1626251703

• Book: Toxic Parents by Dr. Susan Forward
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553381407

• Therapist Directory (Trauma-Informed):
  https://www.psychologytoday.com
  (Filter for trauma-informed care or inner child work)

• Support Groups:

  • https://www.adultchildren.org (Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families)

  • Reddit Community: r/raisedbynarcissists

    
    

• Need Immediate Support?
  Call or text the 988 Lifeline for emotional crisis help.
  For domestic abuse support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline
  📞 1-800-799-7233 | 💬 Text “START” to 88788 | 🌐 https://www.thehotline.org

🎧 Don't forget to share, rate, and review to help us break the silence on domestic violence.

If you would like to submit your story or be a guest speaker, please submit a form here! If there are any topics that you think should be covered, please reach out to us!

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In this episode of Almost Oblivious, we hear from a survivor, Alice, who opens up about navigating domestic abuse while living with a disability—a topic too often left out of the conversation. From growing up in an abusive home to enduring emotional manipulation and isolation in her first adult relationship, her story sheds light on the unique challenges disabled survivors face, and the resilience it takes to reclaim your life after trauma.

She shares how people often labeled her “brave” just for existing in public, how abusers weaponized her disability to gain praise from others, and how grieving the loss of a loved one became the turning point that led her toward freedom. With honesty, heart, and strength, she invites us into a deeply personal journey of loss, survival, healing, and the unexpected joy of discovering what true safety and love can feel like.

This episode is a reminder that survival looks different for everyone—but hope, healing, and independence are possible for everyone. Whether you’re a survivor, supporter, or advocate, this story is one you’ll never forget.

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, ableism, depression, and grief.

🔗 Resources and support can be found on our website at almostoblivious.com
🎧 Don't forget to share, rate, and review to help us break the silence on domestic violence.

If you would like to submit your story or be a guest speaker, please submit a form here! If there are any topics that you think should be covered, please reach out to us!

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"If we want to break the cycle of domestic violence, it starts with education. It starts with bold conversations. It starts with us.”

Teen dating violence is happening far more often than most people realize—and the silence surrounding it is costing lives. In this episode of Almost Oblivious, Autumn Baker confronts the harsh reality that 1 in 12 U.S. high school students report being physically hurt by someone they’re dating, and 1 in 3 teens will experience dating violence before they become adults—and those are just the ones who speak up. Only 33% of teens ever told anyone about the abuse.

We explore the warning signs, the psychological toll, and the often-overlooked world of digital abuse—from social media stalking to pressure for explicit photos. Autumn shares her reflection on how a lack of education in her teen years kept her vulnerable to abuse later in life.

“Even if it feels awkward, talking openly shows teens they can trust you and turn to you without fear of judgment.”

Whether you're a parent, a teen, or someone who works with youth, this episode arms you with knowledge and resources to open up conversations that could truly save lives.

What they don’t know can hurt them. But what we teach today? That could save their tomorrow.

“Silence can lead to Ignorance, and Ignorance can be dangerous”.

Resources:

🔗 Love Is Respect
Resources, quizzes, and 24/7 text/chat support for teens and parents.
🌐 https://www.loveisrespect.org
📱 Text “LOVEIS” to 22522

🔗 Break the Cycle
Empowers youth to end domestic violence with education and advocacy.
🌐 https://www.breakthecycle.org

🔗 The National Domestic Violence Hotline
Available 24/7 with confidential support.
🌐 https://www.thehotline.org
📞 Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

🔗 One Love Foundation
Educational content and videos about healthy vs. unhealthy relationships.
🌐 https://www.joinonelove.org

If you would like to submit your story or be a guest speaker, please submit a form here! If there are any topics that you think should be covered, please reach out to us!

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