Narcissism has been studied in psychoanalysis primarily wit the intention of understanding and treating its pathological forms in individuals. The traumatic narcissism theory developed by Daniel Shaw differs in that it examines narcissism in the context of relationships, with particular focus on the kind of abusive relationship Shaw terms “the traumatizing narcissist’s relational system of subjugation.” The theory explains why and how the “traumatizing narcissist” needs to coercively control others, and describes the set of behaviors he deploys that are intended to promote and enforce his victim’s submission, This presentation will describe clinical interventions that effectively help victims to emerge from dissociation and recover their health, strength and sense of self-worth.

Daniel Shaw, LCSW is a psychotherapist in private practice in New York City and in Nyack, New York. After many years of psychoanalytic training, he went on to study Sensorimotor Psychotherapy with Janina Fisher; and completed Fisher’s certification in Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST), which integrates Structural Dissociation Theory, Affect Regulation Theory and Internal Family Systems concepts.

He has extensive experience helping individuals with the negating impact of being in relationship to highly narcissistic significant others; and he has 30 years of experience helping cult survivors to heal from traumatic abuse in cults. He also provides individual clinical consultation and leads consultation groups via teleconference.

Prior to entering the mental health profession, he trained as an actor at Northwestern University and with the renowned teacher Uta Hagen in New York City. He later worked for more than a decade as a missionary for an Indian guru. His eventual recognition of cultic aspects of this organization led him to become an outspoken activist in support of individuals and families traumatically abused in cults. Simultaneous with leaving this group in 1994, he began his training in the mental health profession, becoming a faculty member and supervisor at The National Institute for the Psychotherapies in New York. His book, Traumatic Narcissism: Relational Systems of Subjugation, was published in 2014 for the Relational Perspectives Series by Routledge and was a runner-up for the distinguished Gradiva Award. In 2018, he was honored by the International Cultic Studies Association with the Margaret Thaler Singer Award for advancing the understanding of coercive persuasion and undue influence. His second book, Traumatic Narcissism and Recovery: Leaving the Prison of Shame and Fear, was published by Routledge in 2021.