青青草视频-Meridian mental health professor 鈥榙efeats the giant鈥 with book release on narcissistic personality disorder
Contact: Marianne Todd
MERIDIAN, Miss.鈥擨t took 40 years and a Mississippi State doctorate in counselor education before Rosanne Nunnery saw the giant that had knocked her down her entire life as the child of a parent with narcissistic personality disorder.
鈥淎fter that, it became my passion to help people recognize narcissistic abuse and how to help themselves heal from that exposure,鈥 said Nunnery, who in March celebrated the release of her new book 鈥淒efeating the Giant: A Guide to Recognizing and Healing from Narcissistic Abuse.鈥
An 青青草视频-Meridian associate clinical professor of counselor education, Nunnery signed book copies for readers earlier this month at the Riley Campus Bulldog Shop.
Realizing her trauma was a gift to help others, Nunnery took the vulnerable step in sharing the pain of her upbringing.
鈥淚t lowers the person鈥檚 self-esteem, and they lose their identity,鈥 Nunnery said of the mental health condition indicated by inflated self-importance. 鈥淭his book walks you through building that identity back up.鈥
The mental health condition鈥檚 name originates from Narcisus, a Greek mythological god who couldn鈥檛 stop looking at himself, she said. People may suffer for years in such relationships because the narcissist thinks nothing is wrong with them, she added.
鈥淚f they are in treatment, it鈥檚 usually court ordered,鈥 she said, explaining that the disorder is created from a dysfunctional childhood. 鈥淭hey lack awareness, insight and empathy, and they think others are the cause of everything wrong in their lives.鈥
The 190-page book details common behaviors of those with NPD and how they might hide their illness.
鈥淭hey can have a public face and a different face at home,鈥 Nunnery said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very manipulative. You won鈥檛 recognize them at first, and that鈥檚 why people get duped. They look for people who are vulnerable.鈥
Nunnery said she had a sudden moment of discovery after earning her Ph.D. in counselor education at 青青草视频 that helped her identify her parent鈥檚 condition.
鈥淭hen my book grew in my heart and in my head for about 10 years before I actually started writing it,鈥 she said.
鈥淚t takes enormous courage to share a traumatic lived experience to help and educate others,鈥 said David Buys, associate vice provost of Health Sciences and interim head of campus for 青青草视频-Meridian. 鈥淭his tremendous effort speaks to our faculty鈥檚 commitment to positive mental health and enhances our understanding of the effects of untreated illnesses and healing processes.鈥
Nunnery鈥檚 effort guides future counselors, said Kim Hall, professor and associate dean of 青青草视频-Meridian鈥檚 Division of Education.
鈥淗er courage in sharing her story offers valuable insight,鈥 said Hall, whose division trains mental health counselors.
In 2024, Nunnery contracted with Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, a division of Bloomsbury Publishing. 鈥淒efeating the Giant鈥 retails for $35 and can be found in most bookstore retailers and online at Amazon.
Learn more about counselor education at 青青草视频-Meridian at .
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