Martina Gruppo was horrified to realize how this had happened to her. She felt numb at the deceit and the stolen time out of her life. Her goal was to change the image of a hysterical, spiky harridan her husband had painted her out to be, leaving her in a crying, crumpled heap. Martina’s story may resonate with many of you who have been victims of narcissistic abuse.

Martina Gruppo’s work experience ranges from office management to running an ethical, award-winning coffee company. Her passion for education has led her to raise funds for educational resources and to build classrooms in a cloud forest community in northern Nicaragua. She has also worked as a primary school teacher.

Her journey has been marked by challenges such as infertility and breast cancer. Now living in Italy, she runs a successful Airbnb business as well as her own B&B.

In this interview, Martina explains how hidden the concept of narcissistic abuse is and how the abusers are shielded by the shame of the very people they are systematically abusing. This is because they count on the love that person feels for them.

Narcissism is often incorrectly labeled; it is not simply bad behavior or infidelity. It is a systematic take down of a decent, empathetic person until they are left empty and doubting their own mind.

That is where Martina found herself - beaten down and feeling empty.

INTERVIEW

A memoir documenting a narcissistic love story spanning several decades.

Self-deprecating, heartbreaking, and sometimes funny, this is ultimately a realistic and revealing insight into how even the strongest person can be susceptible to the most insidious form of abuse—and yet find the courage to walk away and shine again.