In this eye-opening and deeply healing conversation, I’m joined by Debbie Mirza, bestselling author of The Covert Passive-Aggressive Narcissist, to explore one of the most confusing and devastating relational dynamics: covert narcissism.

We dive into the subtle signs of manipulation, why highly empathetic and spiritual people are often the targets, and how covert narcissists use spiritual language, fake empathy, and even sexuality to undermine your self-trust. Debbie also shares what healing actually looks like after this kind of relationship—how to become the safest place for yourself, rewire your understanding of love, and rebuild a connection with your heart that no one can take from you.

This conversation is for you if you’ve ever felt drained, confused, or like you’re “too sensitive” in a relationship—and especially if you’ve been taught to doubt your intuition in the name of growth.

Connect with Debbie:

https://www.debbiemirza.com/

www.instagram.com/debbiemirza_author

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@debbiemirza1744/videos

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Debbie-Mirza/author/B06XBLPD4T?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=14280a74-8667-4ab0-8f95-4863c445e659

❥1:1 Coaching with me: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfWcZM5s9c2OjOLwoGMI5jE6rh_JAzjN2d_vCtuVe7e3pVGxw/viewform

❥❥Join HeartSpace monthly community with a free trial:

⁠⁠https://marinayt.com/community⁠⁠

❥❥❥Stay or Go Course: ⁠https://marinayt.com/stay-or-go⁠

❥❥❥❥ FREE RESOURCE: a step-by-step process of working with your triggers

TRIGGERED TO ROOTED: A ROADMAP TO CREATE TREASURES FROM YOUR TRIGGERS

This powerful step by step process will walk you through how to somatically move through a trigger, ground yourself, allow the emotions to come up and experience massive growth in your life

Download here:⁠ ⁠https://marinayt.com/trigger-2-rooted⁠⁠

Follow me on Instagram:⁠ ⁠www.instagram.com/marina.y.t⁠⁠

Subscribe to YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@marinatriner

Top Episode Quotes:

"Covert narcissists aren’t obvious—but your body always knows the truth."

"Healing is about becoming the safest place possible for your own heart. That’s where the power starts to come back."

"Love will never confuse you, drain you, or make you question your worth. Love brings peace—not chaos."

"Unsolicited advice, spiritual superiority, and weaponised 'wisdom'—those are red flags, not guidance."

"You were not too sensitive. You were being used. And now, you get to come home to yourself."

Covert Narcissism, Narcissistic Abuse Recovery, Trauma Healing, Debbie Mirza, Spiritual Manipulation, Self Trust, Emotional Abuse, Narcissistic Traits, Nervous System Healing, Empath Boundaries, Somatic Healing, Deep Within Podcast

In this episode, I explore what it really means to let go—from a nervous system perspective, not just a spiritual one. We’re often told to “detach” or “just let it go,” but when you’re clinging to something for survival—be it a relationship, money, validation, or identity—that kind of advice feels impossible, even cruel.

I share how attachment strategies develop from early childhood experiences, how they shape the way we hold on (often desperately), and what it looks like to gently shift into a place of self-trust and inner safety. This isn’t about bypassing or rushing—it’s about meeting the part of you that’s clinging with compassion, nervous system awareness, and time.

Whether you’re navigating the end of a relationship, a big transition, or just feel stuck in a loop of longing and fear, this episode offers a grounded, embodied path forward.

David Ghiyam Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-david-ghiyam-podcast/id1775548374

❥1:1 Coaching with me: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfWcZM5s9c2OjOLwoGMI5jE6rh_JAzjN2d_vCtuVe7e3pVGxw/viewform

❥❥Join HeartSpace monthly community with a free trial:

⁠⁠https://marinayt.com/community⁠⁠

❥❥❥Stay or Go Course: ⁠https://marinayt.com/stay-or-go⁠

❥❥❥❥ FREE RESOURCE: a step-by-step process of working with your triggers

TRIGGERED TO ROOTED: A ROADMAP TO CREATE TREASURES FROM YOUR TRIGGERS

This powerful step by step process will walk you through how to somatically move through a trigger, ground yourself, allow the emotions to come up and experience massive growth in your life

Download here:⁠ ⁠https://marinayt.com/trigger-2-rooted⁠⁠

Follow me on Instagram:⁠ ⁠www.instagram.com/marina.y.t⁠⁠

Subscribe to YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@marinatriner

Top Episode Quotes:

"The part of you that’s clinging was born for a reason—it helped you survive. It’s not wrong. It’s wise."
"Letting go isn’t something we do with our heads—it’s something the body slowly learns to do when it feels safe enough."
"If you’re desperate for something, your nervous system is in a survival state. That’s not weakness. That’s an imprint."
"People feel your nervous system before they hear your words. If you’re in desperation, they’ll feel it—even if you smile through it."
"True release comes when the clinging part of you trusts you more than it trusts the person or thing it’s holding onto."

Attachment Healing, Trauma Informed, Nervous System Work, Letting Go, Clinging Patterns, Inner Child Healing, Somatic Healing, Embodiment, Emotional Regulation, Self Trust, Relationship Anxiety, Deep Within Podcast

In this episode, I’m exploring a topic that hits so close to home for so many of us—avoidant attachment and the ways we subtly (and not-so-subtly) numb out when intimacy, connection, or conflict feel overwhelming.

If you find yourself scrolling instead of walking in the door, staying late at work to avoid closeness, or completely shutting down during an argument—you’re not broken. You’re protecting something tender. I unpack how avoidance is often a nervous system strategy rooted in early pain, how we carry unmet childhood needs into our most intimate relationships, and why numbing out is a form of survival, not failure.

We’ll also dive into gentle, practical ways to begin shifting these patterns, including rituals, somatic practices, and communication tools—and I’ll guide you through a powerful reflection practice to help you identify the need hiding underneath the urge to shut down.

This episode is here to remind you: You want connection. Your body just needs safety first.

❥1:1 Coaching with me: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfWcZM5s9c2OjOLwoGMI5jE6rh_JAzjN2d_vCtuVe7e3pVGxw/viewform

❥❥Join HeartSpace monthly community with a free trial:

⁠⁠https://marinayt.com/community⁠⁠

❥❥❥Stay or Go Course: ⁠https://marinayt.com/stay-or-go⁠

❥❥❥❥ FREE RESOURCE: a step-by-step process of working with your triggers

TRIGGERED TO ROOTED: A ROADMAP TO CREATE TREASURES FROM YOUR TRIGGERS

This powerful step by step process will walk you through how to somatically move through a trigger, ground yourself, allow the emotions to come up and experience massive growth in your life

Download here:⁠ ⁠https://marinayt.com/trigger-2-rooted⁠⁠

Follow me on Instagram:⁠ ⁠www.instagram.com/marina.y.t⁠⁠

Subscribe to YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@marinatriner

Top Episode Quotes:

“Avoidance is not a personality trait—it’s a strategy your body learned to keep you safe.”

“We don’t numb out because we don’t care. We numb out because feeling would bring us too close to the pain we’ve been avoiding.”

“Your nervous system isn’t wrong for freezing. It’s doing what it was taught to do when love didn’t feel safe.”

“If you’ve ever stayed late at work, scrolled outside the house, or ghosted your own needs—that’s a clue. There’s something tender underneath.”

“You don’t have to bulldoze through fear to heal. You can walk slowly toward it, one safe step at a time.”

#AvoidantAttachment #AttachmentHealing #NervousSystemRegulation #SomaticHealing #EmotionalNumbing #ConflictAvoidance #HealingChildhoodWounds #RelationalTrauma #SomaticPractices #DeepWithinPodcast #HeartSpaceCommunity