Covert narcissism doesn’t always operate within the boundaries of a marriage. Sometimes, the marriage is embedded in a larger family system organized around one person’s authority, emotional needs, and expectations of loyalty.
In these families, the spouse may find herself competing with an established hierarchy in which her husband’s allegiance to his family of origin takes precedence over the marital relationship. Challenging that arrangement can make her the problem rather than prompting the family to examine its own behavior.
Understanding narcissistic family systems requires looking beyond the individual and examining the relationships, loyalties, and power structures that keep the system intact.
I’ve explored these dynamics in greater depth in my latest LoveBonds article:
Inside the Narcissistic Family Cult: The Queen Mother-in-Law, the Covert Husband, and the System That Consumes a Wife
READ IT HERE.