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Ep. 30 - When Improving Yourself Makes It Worse: The Narcissistic Exception with Larry Bilotta
Episode 3612th November 2025 • Transcending Trauma: The Spiritual Odyssey • Shari Leigh Roberts
00:00:00 01:16:45

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Marriage expert Larry Bilotta transformed 27 years of miserable marriage and now teaches that one person can change a relationship by raising their vibration. His "Matrix of Marriage" approach has helped countless men and women.

But what happens when that advice meets narcissistic abuse?

In this tense and fascinating conversation, I challenge a dangerous blind spot in Larry's approach: When you're dealing with a narcissist, improving yourself doesn't inspire them—it triggers them to destroy you. The moment they sense you're happy or growing, they wage war.

Larry's response to my concerns? "Let's not apply labels to people."

I pushed back: I'm not labeling to be cruel. I'm identifying patterns to protect people. Narcissistic abuse is real and clinically recognized. Refusing to name it keeps victims trapped and blaming themselves.

We also clashed on his dismissal of empathic and intuitive gifts—the ability to sense others' energy. For someone who teaches about vibration, denying intuition creates a glaring inconsistency.

In this episode:

  • How childhood programming shapes relationships
  • The power (and limits) of energy work in marriage
  • Why "raise your vibration" advice can be dangerous for abuse victims
  • The importance of naming narcissistic patterns
  • Larry's refusal to acknowledge empathic abilities
  • Where we agreed to disagree

If you've told to "just work on yourself" while in a toxic relationship, this episode is for you. Not all relationships can be saved—and recognizing that isn't failure, it's wisdom.

We agreed to disagree. Now you decide what resonates with your truth.

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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/transcending-trauma-the-spiritual-odyssey/id1808753390

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