I Wish She Had Written This Book Years Ago

What made the experience of listening to Dodging Energy Vampires the most enjoyable?

It really helped me understand even more who are the Energy Vampires in my life -- past and present -- and how to deal with them.

What other book might you compare Dodging Energy Vampires to and why?

The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists. My parents, first husband, many boyfriends and friends, employees and business partners have all been narcissists who -- to me -- are the same as energy vampires. Listening to the descriptions of relationships involving this type of person helps me to identify and understand why I was attracted to these people and why I need to stay away.

What about Christiane Northrup MD’s performance did you like?

She has a very friendly, relaxed way of reading with emphasis in all the right places.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When she talked about women who had been in 20+ year marriages with energy vampires, why they stayed and how they got away. It helped me to identify with my own first marriage and not feel so bad about how long it took me to leave.

32 people found this helpful

Accessible Psychology and Spirituality

Christiane Northrup has been a leading figure on women's health issues and spiritual correlations. Here she steps into the world of psychology. I have identified as an Empath for some time, but don't let that dissuade readers/listeners who don't embrace this spiritual label. The fact is that anyone who is *empathic* will get the drift. This book has tools for dealing with those narcissistic users and manipulators we sometimes cater to (and then punish ourselves, asking what we're doing wrong). Better though, this book offers tools to own your role in it and separate from these toxic people. I've recommended this book to some of my clients and been met with a lot of gratitude.

20 people found this helpful

Bizarre-This is a sci-fi book

The sample reading sounded good, so I bought the book. However, not far into the book Christiane talked about being hung on the gallows in a past life and some other bizarre deaths she had in her "other lives". She also claims she can interrupt electricity with her strong "empath powers." Cell phone calls drop and the computer messes up because her energy is so strong. This book is a fiction book for sci-fi fans. 10 minutes into the book and I'm done, Too bizarre!

17 people found this helpful

Blurring of facts vs. author’s spiritual beliefs

In an era where only 25% of Americans can accurately identify fact vs. opinion, I was troubled by the amount of information which was presented as a simple declarative statements, giving the illusion that all these ideas were indeed facts. As the author is trained in traditional medicine, the casual listener could indeed easily misconstrue her medical authority as lending credence or some kind of scientific basis to many of her thoughts. In fact much of the information was not based on any kind of currently supported scientific data. Rather she is sharing her thoughts, opinions, spiritual beliefs, and a few perhaps as yet unproven scientific ideas. For instance, she says, “The thymus gland is where divine love first enters the body.” That’s it...a simple declarative, seemingly factual statement. She quickly moves on to her larger point, slipping one past a less than critical thinker. Those kinds of passages gave me immediate “stink eye.” Who says? What evidence? What data? I would have had far greater respect for the thought had she instead said something like...I believe, and spiritual leaders working in this arena believe, the thymus gland is where divine love first enters the body. A few words at the beginning would have clarified a deeply held personal belief vs intentionally misleading the reader into thinking she’s presenting a simple fact. That deceptive technique was used over and over again, and I was having none of it. It felt disingenuous.

Having said that, the mind is a powerful thing, and she has presented a construct which many will find useful. This is new age spiritual thinking wrapped in the thin veneer of traditional medicine as seen from the perspective of a traditionally trained doctor searching for deeper spiritual answers as she herself has evolved as a person. Some of her ideas will probably eventually bear fruit among mainstream psychologists and may change how we routinely approach some treatments. That’s yet to be seen though.

Ultimately, I was so put off by the misuse of her medical authority in presenting spiritual beliefs as medical facts that I found myself discounting ideas that I know others will find useful. This book wasn’t for me, but it could have been with a little more intellectual honesty. Others no doubt won’t be bothered at all.

15 people found this helpful

Married to an Energy Vampire

I wish I had read this book 50 years ago!! It answers so many questions in my life. I now feel empowered to make the changes so my light will not be dimmed by my Vampire. Thank you for writing this amazing book😘

13 people found this helpful

Great Book!

This book will definitely change your life...if you are willing to go deep inside yourself.

11 people found this helpful

Life changing

I am the daughter of a narcissistic mother. I suffered from the emotional and mental abuse of a woman who used me as a pawn to bolster her ego. It wasn’t until after I severed ties and became estranged from my mother and family that I discovered how volatile and real narcissistic personality disorder is. I learned about NPD a year after leaving my family and felt such a tremendous amount of relief and validation that it wasn’t all my fault. I was not alone. I am not the only person who has been victim to someone who must feed their ego with me identity. Finding Dr. Northrop’s book through Kate Northrop’s podcast was vital in my healing. Five years have passed and this book has been a huge cornerstone in my recovery. I am forever grateful.

9 people found this helpful

Not the book for me.

Focus is on too many of author's personal stories. I found this book unconfortable and difficult to listen to. I struggled to go through the chapters and it came to a point to were I just didn't care to continue listening. it was making I'll with too many ill personal stories about author and friends. I was expecting a different kind of information. I personally didn't find it useful, but draining. I got to chapter 7, couldn't keep going. I don't know if it gets better, but it was torture for me to listen to the first 6 characters and stopped at 7 after having to take several breaks. I don't care about detailed stories, just information on how to help myself without all the chaotic details.

8 people found this helpful

phenomenal

So nice to finally read a book written for those of us marginalized to the woo-woo lands. I love the examination of the spiritual practices from a scientific viewpoint. There is no one without the other.

8 people found this helpful

More practical and down to earth than anticipated!

As a empath struggling to create boundaries, this book will be on repeat because: 1. Its impactful without being triggering. Theres realistic and practical situational advice. Healing excercises. self care tips that can be s9ne anywhere.. If youve started your healing journey, add it to your collection, so many gems.

5 people found this helpful