That is so painfully tragic to hear, Michelle. I’m sorry you had to go through it.

What are your thoughts on empowerment programs, courses, videos, etc? Many of them take the approach of exaggerating one’s worth and capability (“you’re so awesome! Never settle! You can live the life you’ve always dreamed about! You deserve better! You can do better!”) and I wonder if such rah rah rahs have the effect of turning people into narcissists by removing the need for humility and promoting a grossly inflated ego. It’s something that I’ve wondered about for awhile.

Do you think such behaviours are learned or is there a genetic component involved?